I've begun a new work, this one with a great deal of texture to it. Making textural differences is what it's all about in graphite, for me at any rate.

A recently completed small work, 'Curls'.

I realize it's been nearly a week since I last posted. I guess I have sort of been in the mid summer doldrums. I get this way sometimes when the heat and humidity kicks in, but I think it has hit me a bit stronger this time than usual. And then too, there has been the deceleration after the opening of my exhibition at the Woodson.

Putting together Unknown Bridges and all the work and thought and creative juices that it took not only to do the work, but the gathering of reference material, the continued adrenalin rush as each new piece came off the drawing board and the mad dash to 'put it all together' in the last weeks before all the work was shipped out, certainly took a toll. Preparation for such a large undertaking can not help but to stress one's limits and capacity to meet the challenge. I never felt for one minute, that I wouldn't meet that challenge nor enjoy the march to it, but it is certain now, that the underlying stress has finally hit.

The joy that I felt after framing the last of the 28 works that made up the hanging of the exhibition last month, could not have been greater or more gratifying. And experiencing the opening weekend in Wausau was the proverbial icing on the cake.

But now that time and space and intervening quiet days of reflection have come, the reality of it all has set in; the reality that I spent a major chunk of my creative life, over the last few years, putting all that work together. It was, don't get me wrong, a powerful experience for me as an artist . . . to devote so much time and thought to a very specific group of works based upon a very specific focus of subject matter, subject matter and compositional ideas which were out of the realm, shall we say, of my usual thrust in work and ideas.

Allowing myself to 'go with the flow' and seeing where all those ideas and emotions could take me as an artist, not only opened my eyes to new and exciting motivation, but made me, I hope, a better artist in the process. Sometimes we need those unexpected shoves to refresh and renew and reorganize. Stagnation in creative flow can only serve, I feel, to keep an artist from reaching what potentials might be laying dormant and waiting for that special spark that will bring them to the fore.

I will admit that it has been difficult these last couple of weeks, to regroup. This has happened many times over the years and I've always managed to find my way out of it and move forward and to feel like I have turned that corner which will lead me to new places as an artist. I have no doubt it shall be so this time around as well.

I think all artists hit these slow spots in their lives and careers, where we can take advantage of the 'lull' to sit back and look at where we are, where we have been and in what direction we might like to head next. The challenge becomes one of feeling confident enough though, to know that the lull will end and the creative flow will begin again and that the wait time is all part of the process of growth.

A little collage of okapi shots from the weekend.

The Post Open House Post

After a fine and fun day on Saturday at our Open House, shared with many of our long time collectors and friends, Paula Waterman, sculptor friend Karryl and I hit the road early yesterday to visit the Maryland Zoo at Baltimore. They recently were delighted with the birth of little Samson, a baby African Elephant who is now about four months old and we wanted to take advantage of the sunny morning and get some reference material.

The crowds were there early and we spent a good couple of hours watching the little, fuzzy guy figuring out his way in the world. For me, it was a wonderful experience and I came away being quite enthused with the idea of once again, sinking my teeth into African subject matter for upcoming works.

We three also got some nice reference of the Okapi pair, giraffes and some very appealing (to me anyway!) vultures! I see several works materializing out of those fun hours at the zoo yesterday.

Before leaving, Karryl mentioned that the Pittsburgh Zoo also has a newly born baby African elephant who will be joined by another quite soon, so I think a trip north and west sometime in the fall will be in order to gather up some additional reference material.

If in the Baltimore or Pittsburgh area over these next few months, take advantage of these very special 'events' and look in on these cute little creatures. You will not be able to leave without a huge smile on your face!

As this week comes to a close, I am pleased to announce that I will have seven pieces represented in the upcoming North Light Books publication, Strokes of Genius 2: The Best of Drawing Light and Shadow. This book will not be published until late next year, but, having completed the paperwork this afternoon as well as refining the digital images of the works that were selected and getting the packet ready to mail off on Monday, I thought I would go ahead and post the seven pieces that will be in the book.

I noted in reading a post on my friend, Robert Caldwell's blog the other day, he too, received a positive letter from North Light and will have several of his drawings included in the book as well.

I have not yet heard from any other of my 'graphite buddies' if they might have been fortunate enough to have works selected, but I sure will pass along that information if I hear anything as time goes on.

In the meantime, I am quite thrilled and delighted that these seven works will share pages with many other fine examples of drawing with light and shadow as the main compositional elements.

Thanks, North Light!

I received a disc, today, of images taken during the opening weekend at the Woodson two weeks ago by some of the staff members. Here are a few images of me 'doing my thing' over the course of the three days . . . working with the group who signed up for the drawing workshop, both outside and indoors at the museum . . . and some shots taken on Sunday during the lecture and afterward, during the gallery tour as I talked about individual works included in the exhibition. My thanks to Erin, Andy and everyone else who contributed to these shots and who made my weekend there, very enjoyable.

(I do seem to wave my arms around, don't I?)

This Year's Artists' Open House

Breaking slightly with tradition, next Saturday will be the date for this year's Artists' Open House, shared with fellow artists, Paula Waterman and sculptor, Karryl.

Rather than do our usual early December event, we have opted to try a warm weather showing this year. We have gathered up new works and shall be greeting visitors from noon through 6 on the 12th, as indicated above. Should you wish to join us and have not received a mailed out invitation, please feel free to drop me an email and I will send along directions to the location for our Christmas in July Open House, here in Maryland.