drawing II, surface expression project
February 8, 2010
The first major drawing project for my Drawing II class was a closely observed study of an object of their choosing. The objective was to create an expressive drawing that was highly descriptive of the object’s surface while addressing (through composition on the page and/or the quality of the mark-making) the object’s function or its importance. Here are a few of the finished drawings (more projects, and detailed shots of these ones, are in the flickr set for the class):
Nick Scarfone (well worn jeans)
Brittany Lee (pressed flowers)
Steve Saad (pre-worn jeans)
Ben Barak (old sneaker/new sneaker)
Posted by jodi on February 8, 2010 at 7.35pm
where the bear and the bison blow
February 7, 2010
Today Peter and I took a walk along the road that leads uphill to the university in order to photograph the ubiquitous Canadian Shield graffiti. We ended up climbing to the top and taking a hike along some of the trails that wind through the area. I wish I’d taken a photo of the frozen stream that I was totally freaked out about standing on, but I was far too busy not falling on my arse.
What a coincidence: I love trucks too!
The view back down to the road from up on top of the painted wall:
Posted by jodi on February 7, 2010 at 3.42pm
blue and green
February 6, 2010
I made a few enhancements to the sock yarn stash this week. In front is a lovely handspun Corriedale/nylon blend by Stacie Dolin, which I purchased from her spankin’ new Etsy shop. It’s sturdy and beautiful and the colours make me unbelievably happy, perhaps because of the way they relate to a lot of the photos I’ve been taking lately, of snow and trees and gray-and-yellowy winter light. I’m going to design something just a little bit lacy for it, toe-up to use every last bit. Then I can wear them in the warmer months to carry a bit of winter’s beauty with me through summer and fall.
In behind that is a brilliant skein of Fleece Artist merino that I picked up last week at the local yarn store. I’ve been trying to limit myself to only buying sock yarns that are special, one of a kind yarns made by special people (like the skein above), because I have quite enough sock yarn considering how rarely I finish a pair of socks. But as soon as I saw that bright blue colour I swear my bank card got hot in my pocket and started emitting a low hum. Besides, I don’t think it’s possible to visit a new yarn store and not buy sock yarn. It’s like a rule or something, right? Anyway I’ll probably have some half finished blue Fleece Artist socks to show y’all in about 2017 or so. Go me.
I also picked up a few skeins of Berroco Cuzco for some legwarmers that I’m planning to wear with an awesome pair of bright red ankle boots I picked up recently, since I can’t wear the boots outside in North Bay without getting a soaker:
The pattern is Sydney by Staceyjoy Elkin, who is nothing short of a fucking genius, in my opinion. Check out that gorgeous twisted rib, fatter and more luscious than any twisted rib I’ve ever made before. These knit up pretty quickly, so I’m going to try and bang them out over the next two weeks while I’m hanging out with Peter (and spending less time jacking around in the internets). They would only take a few days if I really applied myself, but you know me. Distraction is my middle name.
Posted by jodi on February 6, 2010 at 2.38pm
studio video february 3 2010
February 5, 2010
Yep, still drawing on the same piece. I brought it to the Monastery so I could draw on my office desk before class and during my office hours. There’s a new one in progress on the bedroom floor, just waiting for all of the housemates to leave town (they’re all education students, so they’ll be away on placements for the next seven weeks) so that I can spread the drawings out on one of the communal tables and work in comfort.
Posted by jodi on February 5, 2010 at 2.13pm
some images from life drawing class, february 1
February 4, 2010
Spent some time reviewing facial anatomy and portraiture, since many in this class seem less confident with the faces than they are with the rest of the figure. I’ll get to see how well they’re integrating this review and practice with their figure drawings next week when we have a model again, but by the third portrait they did in class (of each other) they were really getting it.
I was going to upload another studio video, but it looks like it might take all night and half of tomorrow for it to upload to flickr. Don’t get too excited, it’s just more drawing on the same drawing again, only this time in red ink. Woo!
Posted by jodi on February 4, 2010 at 11.02pm
deer at the monastery
February 3, 2010
I was beginning to wonder if the elusive deer I’d heard tell of around the monastery were in fact my Polkaroo, and whether every time a student came inside and told me they’d just seen a deer out in the yard it was in fact just me in a deer suit that they’d seen. I’m sure my students are all way too young to get that reference, as evidenced by the look one of then shot me when I said “Polkaroo was here? And I missed him again!” as we walked outside to check out the deer.
Turns out all you have to do is throw a bag of carrots out next to the parking lot and wait. Huh.
Posted by jodi on February 3, 2010 at 10.31pm
bloggers (silent) poetry reading
February 2, 2010
Leda and The Swan
William Butler Yeats
A sudden blow: the great wings beating still
Above the staggering girl, her thighs caressed
By the dark webs, her nape caught in his bill,
He holds her helpless breast upon his breast.
How can those terrified vague fingers push
The feathered glory from her loosening thighs?
And how can body, laid in that white rush,
But feel the strange heart beating where it lies?
A shudder in the loins engenders there
The broken wall, the burning roof and tower
And Agamemnon dead.
Being so caught up,
So mastered by the brute blood of the air,
Did she put on his knowledge with his power
Before the indifferent beak could let her drop?
Photo credit: Hamish Irvine
For more information on the Bloggers (Silent) Poetry Reading, click here.
Thank you to Peter for reading this poem to me over the phone a few nights ago. I had never heard it before.
Posted by jodi on February 2, 2010 at 9.03am
and so we begin the sad descent into february
February 1, 2010
(the longest month)
Posted by jodi on February 1, 2010 at 8.01pm
first studio video of 2010!
January 31, 2010
A cup of tea, a pile of pens, the Cocteau Twins. Slow, meditative lines going nowhere. Thinking about a lot of things; trying to think about nothing.
Posted by jodi on January 31, 2010 at 5.12pm
the dead leave us starving with mouths full of love
January 30, 2010
(title is taken from “Memoriam” by Anne Michaels)
Posted by jodi on January 30, 2010 at 4.19pm
