week #47 - draw a challenge from the past year

There were lots of choices for this week's drawing assignment. This one fits the challenge, plus five more of the categories, so I feel particularly satisfied that I have accomplished something. Besides, this sketch makes me happy. I used watercolor pencils (sans eau) and a pigma pen. 14 - Draw what you see in the morning when you get up. When i come downstairs in the morning, I come into my studio first thing and pull up the blind behind the plants to let in the light. The bookcase (to the left of the chair I have lived in through sickness and health) is filled with my art books and art magazines, and the top is more cluttered than you see in this picture. The window looks out on the street - a drawing for another day. 15 - Draw a tree or trees, leaves or branches. Well, these leaves & branches are on houseplants. Good enough. 24 - Draw a piece of fruit. The plant on the left is a pineapple top. It's a few years old: it grows slowly in the NJ climate, but it amuses me. And it is still alive, which is more than i can say for my avocado plant or sweet potato vine. 26 - Draw anything you like. I did. 42 - Draw something you are thankful for. These lopsided plants make me smile and I am thankful every day that they manage to survive against the odds of my 'black thumb.' Here is the real thing. As you can see, I've edited the scene. Interesting exercise. It is so hard to make your hand do what your eye sees. But I realize that accuracy is not the point if I wanted that, I would stick to photos. I realize that what happens when I sketch is analagous to what I do when I make a fiber piece. I may start out being very deliberate and careful - but find that it really isn't any fun. As soon as I begin to take liberties, to improvise, and to play, things seem to come together freely and speak in their own voice. Yes, our work speaks in our voice also - but there is something that happens when we let the process take over and tell us what it wants to be. We just need to listen.