from the archives

excellence

There has been some disagreement between me and my environment - perhaps my whole life, but definitely in the last few months - about what excellence is.

I have spoken out about it before, and will continue to speak out about it, again and again.

Here is what I believe is excellent: being able to immerse yourself in something you care about deeply; exploring it, openly, freely, with passion and heart; being open to learning new things and seeing new points of view, being willing to try new things, being open and honest and clear.

Whatever you create operating in this way will be excellent.

lake day

Yesterday I visited one of my favorite places: Canandaigua Lake. It was sunny and a little bit chilly but there were a lot of people out and I enjoyed sitting on the rocks and looking out over the water. I even got a chance to draw a couple of quick scenes:

crabapple - early spring

We could not have asked for a more beautiful Easter day in Rochester. We went to our friends Katie and Mike's house and I sat outside and drew while their son Padraig played with a wind-up bird.

In the top left-hand corner you can see where I was testing out the effects of water on my new felt-tip pens.

I loved the twistiness of this tree, and the things Katie had hung from its branches, still very bare at this time of year. Padraig claims this tree doesn't bloom, but I'm not so sure?

springside farm

This weekend Ansel and I met our friend Alicia at Springside Farm in Fabius, NY for the sheep and alpaca shearing festival. It was a perfect day for it: sunny, not too hot. Lots of kids running around making noise. 

I got to hold a lamb in my lap. 

We saw pot-bellied pigs, and chickens, and bunnies, and of course sheep and alpacas. 

Alpacas never cease to amaze me. Their funny heads, their alert but odd stance, their big eyelashes. And of course their beautiful fur.

I thought I might draw some of them, but the crowds (and I suppose my residual shyness) were a deterrent to my getting out sketching materials in the barn. 

Instead, I plopped myself down in the grass outside and drew: 

Ansel, from a distance, wandering around a pond:

A blossoming tree:

And a view of the whole picturesque farm.

happy earth day

show

thanks to Marla for taking these pictures!

I am thrilled with how the mugs and paintings interact; I am thrilled with the row of Marla's mugs on the shelf, with pictures of the backs of people's heads; I am thrilled with the space and how we filled it. 

The show will be up for all of February, so you can still go and see it! And the lovely people at Fuego, Renee and Tony, make great coffee.

apple time

I spent some time yesterday sitting on the grass between two lines of apple trees.

bicycle sketching

I live in a great neighborhood. There are towering, shady trees. Beautiful houses, with interesting colors, trim, decorations, porches, plants, lanterns, flags...always something to look at. And on one grand avenue nearby, there are the old mansions of the Rochester city elite: George Eastman's, most notably, and those of all of his cronies and co-citizens, who vied to have the most elegant and elaborate homes.

It is a treat to ride around, run around, walk around.

Recently I rigged up a mobile sketching station on the handlebars of my bike.

Then I cruised around (helmeted, of course) and drew - whatever caught my eye, only as much as I could get while riding by. I was amazed at how much fun it was. The tempo and the situation meant that I couldn't get caught up in anything. It kept my intent pure, my focus pure. It was amazing to see the view of the thing I was drawing changing so quickly. There was flow, and the flow almost became my subject.

I found it funny how unrecognizable so many of the drawings were. And how recognizable elements of others were!

Here are just a few.

sketchbummel

Yesterday. They don't come more beautiful.

san anselmo 2

In the spirit of Thanksgiving

Here are views that I am thankful for

(taken many Octobers ago)