...all done.  Art camp this week was a success, the kids went home with a ton of new projects…I made a new ‘art/teacher friend’ and I am looking forward to having someone to help keep me motivated for the upcoming show at Bear and Bird Gallery and Boutique in Fort Lauderdale…I think I am going to get something started for their upcoming Creep Cinema show.  

And…I finished up with my ten faces.  I added the final marks in charcoal, sprayed fixative on them and I am calling it a day.  It was a good outlet for me, having something to work on here and there throughout the week, but I am still kicking myself on the size.  I should have gone bigger; I can always crop it down later.  Lesson learned. 

(Below) Slideshow of ten 9x12 inch faces, charcoal and wash on Bristol.

Hooray!  The Tree of Life...or the version the kids made anyways, is all done.  Feels good.  Sent them home with a small version of tree of life (mixed media), a Klimt-style self portrait, modeling clay 'stamps' and an embellished box. Not too shabby for four days, only one hour of contact time per day, eh?

As for my own hands drawing a tree...no time today.  My 'art' for today will have to be getting everything to fit in my suitcase....which is pretty hard to do.  

Next post…should be either en route to or from California…and you can bet there is going to be some serious sketching on the plane!

I admit it.  I abandoned my trees.  Well, kind of.  I did take a break from the 18x24 trees last night working on two TOP SECRET watercolors (sounds so much more important when you put it in all caps)…and today, another day of somewhat tree-abandon.  I moved my big ol’ sketch pad aside in favor of a nifty 12x12 sketchpad…10 sheets, how could I resist?  And I am a sucker for a square format, but I digress.  So I drew 10 quick trees, spent about an hour and a half.  I also put down the Sharpie in favor of a black Faber Castell PITT artist Pen (didn’t do all caps for a special reason, that is just how it is written on the pen.) I love this pen.  It really glides on the paper, almost felt like I was painting without the pesky re-wetting of the brush. Not sure what will become of these 12x12 trees…maybe some collage work.  It was nice to take a break from my series for some quick drawings on a smaller scale.

Speaking of collage, the ‘Tree of Life’ is really coming along.  The kids started to add their leftover pattern scraps (we can’t let a good pattern go to waste now can we?) and once we used all that up I started to fill in the extra space with some gold acrylic…I can’t wait to see what happens tomorrow when we start stamping it with modeling clay stamps and adding some sparkle.  So sad that I am leaving the ‘Masters of Motif’ week one day early but…’California Waiting’…excuse me, now I have to go and listen to that song…

Ummmm….before I go…30 trees before we leave for the west coast?!  I don’t know…might have to finish them when I get back…to be continued.

…so this week is ‘Masters of Motif’ week at art camp…looks I will focus on Klimt, which is awesome because it is a great warm-up for me each day to come home and work on my tree(s).  And I am working half days...so that is great because I have more time, more daylight, to draw.  Looks like it will be a good week. 

I took some pictures today showing the large group project; the kids will be filling in the swirly tree with different patterns and designs and then adding embellishments.  I was fortunate to find a REALLY BIG piece of paper to do the drawing on…good find.  Will post the final picture later in the week.    

When I came home today I started working on the next tree, number seventeen.  Still working with the ‘macaroni hair’ and figurative elements.   Two ladies showed up in this drawing.  After looking at it, I see where it could be viewed as two images of the same figure.  I keep thinking about how trees and natural forms are so easy to intertwine with the female form.  The lines, the shapes…they just go together for me. Not sure if this will be the only tree for today or if I will come back to the table tonight and draw some more…
Notes on Image: (Left)) Me, drawing the large-scale tree,  (Middle) Kilmt, Tree of Life, (Right) Channeling my inner Rosie(Bottom) Meet tree #17

....so, five drawings into this undertaking...Klimt's trees...my trees...my obsession with curvilinear line and spiral motif...not sure what to call it but it has been fun.  Two days, five drawings. (...has it been only two days?)  Seeing what patterns get repeated, which ones fall to the wayside...what happens with the background...

On my lunch break at my art camp  today i was drawing and a little girl came and sat beside me and was really interested in what I was doing.  Man, I tell you- explaining yourself to a seven year old is right up there with a proper art critique...I explain, she asks why...I give an explanation, she asks why...and repeat. (Ray Elmore would be proud) She asked if she could color a tree and I said no, and then thought about it...maybe?  Why should my trees be so precious that I can't share them with a seven year old?  So that gave me an idea...will wait to elaborate on that.  

For now, I have five 18x24 marker drawings full of whimsy.  A seven year old likes them.  I like them.  No color yet, but I will worry about that later...gotta get this drawing out of my hands and onto some paper... I might just keep drawing til the pad of paper is empty.  We'll see. Better get to work...got a seven year old art critic to answer to tomorrow, and she wants to see some progress...