Thursday, June 21, 2012

character

I'm going to share myself as a chair.
I knew you didn't see that one coming :D
Pikaland Make Your Mark assignment # 5, finished about a month ago.
Draw the chair you think you are, artistically. I think I made it more about me in general, but that's okay. I'm okay with that. It's fascinating either way, and I was surprised at what came up & out! 


Me as a chair: black & white as instructed for part one - brutal honesty as a personal touch.
Part 2: chair, coloured. Yes. It's quite possible you recognise this chair. Three drawings in one week, people, it was hard work! So I cut a corner. But only a little one. And one that's quite fitting, when you think of it ;)
And finally, my chair against a background without white. I love this one. It involved watercolour, photoshop, micron pen drawing, more watercolour, some gouache and coloured pencils, more photoshop, actual printing, cutting and pasting (the cushion), lettering and scanning! It was an exercise in getting out of my comfortzone, while still ending up with an illustration that's me - both in style and punchline :) 

On a different note, my wrist is still not back to what it should be. I know what's wrong with it - stress, from my head into my shoulder muscles, down into my wrist to settle there. I've had it before, but never this long or quite this severe, and it's been getting me down and optimistic, pessimistic and back up again. I've discovered that I need my wrist for pretty much everything I love to do, as well as for everything I sort of have to do, like cleaning and chopping veggies. While it really is no hardship not to be able to cook healthy family meals or chase dust bunnies for a while - it is a b**ch not to be able to fill all that lovely downtime with all the things I complain I never have time to do more of... Ouch.

I am when I write, when I draw and paint, and when I blog, read blogs + comment and spend time on Facebook being amazed, amused and touched. I am not so much when I can't. It's a lesson. A big, overwhelming one. One that leaves me kicking and screaming until I tell myself it will pass when I stop fighting it. Do I believe that, to the core? I do. I have to. Because this is what I reinvented myself to be when I started cleaning out my closets back in 2010. And I really don't think I've got the stomach to go back in! Sorry for the dramatics. Just thought I'd let you know where I am these days. While I'm there. I have absolutely no intention to stay here, much longer!

Anything you're ready to kick to the curb?! I'd love the perspective right now!

8 comments:

  1. The moral of the story? Chair-ish yourself. ;) xokp

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  3. Isn’t it funny? The human condition. All through our lives we hit speed bumps and obstacles and we think we are the ONLY ones going through it. When in reality we are ALL going through the exact same things! Albeit on slightly different time lines. But we are all more alike than we think.
    Why do we spend so much time polishing the ‘outside’ so that the people we come in contact with (and mostly don’t matter) will think well of us. How prosperous we are, what kind of car we drive, our house, etc. When we really should be looking at what’s INSIDE people. And working on our own ‘insides’.
    I applaud your journey, and your honesty in sharing it with us!
    Here’s to cleaning out ‘closets’!
    PS I like your chair!

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  4. Monet in Zaandam?
    Indeed, 4 months Zaandam resulted in 25 paintings and a huge influence on his artistic development leading to "Impressionism". Before Zaandam he visited London, resulting in only 6 known paintings ;-)

    Yvonne,
    glad you discovered Monet's secret in Zaandam, see also www.monetinzaandam.nl. Feel free to send us (indeed, our website) an email and we give you a walking tour around half of his "Zaanse" paintings, including many new discoveries that you don't read in the booklet we published last year.
    Jacob

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    1. Very cool !! Ga daar maar ff voor 'zitten' lol ;-)

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  5. Luv your chairs! And the comparisons to you - so nicely written. Sending positive thoughts towards your wrist healing quickly!

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  6. Oh I'm glad you're not planning to get back in that closet! Because it's dark and a bit damp. ;) You're doing great, even though now you're wrist keeps you from doing all the things you love doing so much. I'm sending good thoughts and positive vibes our way!

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    1. Your way, i meant of course!
      Oooh and I forgot to say I love all three chairs!

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Thanks for letting me in on your thoughts!