Tangent|: Gorilla Ocean

hahahahahahahahahaha, this one is soooooo funnnnnyyyyyyy.....

While in Oz, I saw a postcard of a magnificent ocean sort of melding into the surrounding areas of trees and sand, so decided to copy it in my own inimitable way (okay, okay bold way!)

Imagine my surprise when this huge gorilla eating a banana emerged?

Well, I just couldn't stop giggling, and my 'gorilla ocean' painting was born!

TGIF: Thank God it's Friday!

Tangent: Lesson #1

Arriving at an art course is daunting, as one is totally unaware of the levels of ability around you. It soon became so obvious which of us were 'first timers' as we stood around, looking 'spare' while the 'old timers' hugged and kissed each other jabbering ten to the dozen about their 'summers'.
The teacher, Keith, is a wiry, emaciated little man with an evident tremble in his hands, smelling stale and looking 15 years older than he is chronologically. Looks just like a weasel! He didn't inspire me with any confidence. He was brash and authoritative, ordering us to get our easels and put out pots, jars and bottles on the table, and to stop gawking! Ouch!
He then gave us grey graphite paper, charcoal and chalk; and demonstrated 'drawing' using his thumb stuck out in front of him, one eye closed, and hastily, shakily scribbled something on his own paper. The effect wasn't too bad I suppose, but by now I was beginning to feel decidedly uncomfortable and as anxious as hell !
I got started, and within 2o minutes had completed the first drawing (left hand one) before he'd even got round the class to criticise it. His eyes opened wide with (I'm not sure what) and he said 'Wow, you have a very bold style.....mmmmm...I quite like it'. I nearly fainted.
Having another 2 hours to go, he then suggested I took another piece of paper and tried to draw more slowly and get the shapes better rounded and more in perspective, which I then did, feeling a lot better and less tense. he also showed and explained to me what he had meant by the whole 'thumb in the air' thing.
At the end of the morning, when we all turned our easels inwards to reveal our work to each other, his comment was ' she started very quickly, then redrew some of it again, but in the end maybe the first one is slightly better, very bold, a lot of potential'.....my jaw fell open....
There I stood surrounded by some amazing pieces, and although he criticised us all, there were some he was downright rude about, like 'it's obvious you can't draw'.....
Shit, was I glad he didn't say that to me!!!
The most important thing I got out of my first lesson was that it doesn't matter how talented the others are, as long as I am learning and enjoying myself, which I certainly did!

Thirty-seven: Drawing and Painting Course

Yesterday I enrolled for a 10 week 'mixed ability' drawing and painting course.

Looking forward to it immensely.

As you can see by the above painting, I really need it.

Tangent: Captain

O Captain! My Captain!

Our fearful work is done

The ship has weather'd every rack,

The prize we sought is won!

(Walt Whitman 1900)

IF:Captain

Tangent: Another red blob

Red blobs large and small,

Suns, flames, bright lights and ulcer pains,

One of the better ones

Is a round, juicy, fat ,slurpy, blobby

lolly.

(For Switchsky and her hovering dot!)

Twenty-six: Show more paintings

This was also done in 2003, when I did most of my painting. I gave it the title 'your face or mine?'.

But after reading 'Illustration Friday' often in the past few weeks, I thought to myself that maybe I could post some of my art there too.

This week's theme is 'Moon' and I see this moon looking down at: 'your face - or mine'

Tangent: Feeling 'high'

No, not from drugs, or alcohol, music or sex. I feel 'high' from fasting. Am on my fourth day, and have been through the 'mill', with headaches, nausea, dizziness, stomach aches, sleeplessness, anziety and forgetfulness. I have had nightmares, worse than ever before, and woken up sweating, yet shivering at the same time.

BUT: 1.) My itchy arms, legs and neck are less itchy today.
2.) I am not burping today.
3.) I don't have heartburn today.
4.) My stomach feels lighter.
5.) I've lost 3 pounds (weight, not money).
6.) I am feeling more optimistic than I've felt for a while.

This is a long road, and I will be on it for a good while yet, but there is a faint glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.

I try to be a 'health foodnik' when I can. This is after years of being an anorexic, bulimic, overeater etc etc. I call myself a 'recovering' bulimic, and try to 'eat to live, not live to eat'.
With recurring liver problems, high cholesterol, lousy family genes resulting in deaths from heart attcks and cancer, I can't afford to ignore the fact that 'you are what you eat'.

BUT: it takes discipline and fortitude and a very strong mental attitude.

I have fasted before, and often do just a fruit day, ending with a simple meal. But it's many years since I did this seriously and so determinedly.



This is a painting I did of Mark a few years ago, which I was going to call 'The morning after the night before', but decided on 'Love your liver'.



I am trying to 'love my liver' this week.

Twenty- four: Do more drawing

I had such fun doing these three little pictures of myself, copied (that's what I was supposed to be doing) from 3 photographs, one when I was about 5, one when I was about 25, and one when I was about 55. What a funny sight they are, looking nothing like me at all, yet something of me in each one. I will giggle every time I look at this.

I would like to go to some drawing classes, which I think I prefer to painting. There's something so real about a pencil sketch. I'll keep trying and hopefully improve as I go along. In the meantime, I'll have a giggle.