Tuesday, September 18, 2018
Prepping for Inktober
I want to do Inktober this year. It is a 30-day art challenge and all you have to do is draw in ink.
That could even be a ballpoint pen!
Of course I do like to complicate things. That is why my Leonard Pennario book project has taken me 10 years and also why I am drawn toward those fine inks from Germany pictured above. Drawn to the inks, get it? Ahem.
Also I had to go complicate things by getting a sheaf of colored inks and I would like to try painting with them. At the same time, though, I like that ink can be simple. Plus I love how ink goes with October. Way back in '08 I celebrated October by telling tales of the supernatural ever day.
Yikes, that was 10 years ago!
It is high time I did that again!
Along with Inktober. I can post my pictures too.
Anyway today, downtown, we sold out our donuts in only half an hour or so, and I had extra time, so I biked by Forest Lawn and began prepping for Inktober. I drew mausoleums and statues.
Ink might be simple but it is a challenge in that I did not let myself use pencil. I have to learn to wing it. I used a narrow little drawing pen.
I drew these things.
That was a stone mausoleum and on the right is this statue which I believe is called Aspiration. Forest Lawn is kind of strange like that, you find statues to things like Aspiration.
Aspiration was a doozy to draw. It got discouraging because when I get to work in pencil and erase, I am capable of better stuff. Several times drawing in ink I almost gave up. But I made myself keep going.
I did not want to take forever on any one thing because I have all kinds of work to do. So after a little while I turned the page and began again.
And again.
Technically these are not much better. The picture on the right, I almost ripped the page out in disgust. But I kept going.
And now, you know what, I like it!
I got home and first thing I did was get out my sketchbook and look things over. Funny thing, at the cemetery I had felt like a loser because I was thinking everything I had done was kind of a failure. Then I saw that picture and thought, I have something going on with this one.
This picture, I kind of liked it. I liked its swirls and its long lines and the weird look on Aspiration's face.
Clearly Aspiration was thinking, What in the world?
This picture was one percent Aspiration and 99 percent perspiration.
Perfect for Inktober.
This will be fun!
Monday, September 10, 2018
The secrets of the garden
Identifying mystery trees!
Through what amounts to a supernatural act of God, the back yard is being cleaned out. We are cutting back some trees to encourage others. A tree that has pressed against the garage roof forever is now ausgegangen. That is German for "outta here"! My dad used to use it frequently.
The apple tree is being rehabilitated. Remember the apple tree? It has been so hopeless for so long. Now things are different. Dead branches are ausgegangen and so is a vine that it turns out was choking it and depriving it of sun. It will produce apples again!
Honest, it is like "The Secret Garden." And my name is Mary! Just like in the book. Plus, I have the book. And I have the coloring book. It is only fitting that now I have the garden too.
Speaking of Victorian literature, one thing we have found is Hibiscus Syriacus "Blue Bird," or "Oiseau Bleu" if you are feeling French.
Not only one but two of them!
This flowering shrub, which I worked hard to identify, was popular in Victorian gardens. Tomorrow when it is light I will post a picture of the real thing. Meanwhile there is this.
I cannot wait to tell my friend Ari because we always used to joke about the Hibiscus Room. I cannot remember exactly where or what the Hibiscus Room was because the entire joke was that Ari would say, "The Hibiscus Room," and I would laugh.
Now my back yard can be the Hibiscus Room.
I am on my way!
Sunday, September 9, 2018
Like a Bos
You know how people ask you, "And what did you get out of Mass today?"
Today I have an answer!
Sleepy as I was, and preoccupied with the coffee hour as I was, nevertheless this Mass taught me something I will never forget.
In the Gospel today there is something about a cow. And the Latin word for cow is "bos."
I gazed at that word charmed.
Bos!
That explains "bovine."
And even better, it explains "Bossy."
That is why people have historically named their cows Bossy!
Remember the bossy Lutherans and the bossy estate sale people? "Bos" does not explain them. Nothing can explain them! But cows named Bossy, the Latin word has to be the reason.
It has to be!!
Naturally I could not wait to share this observation -- or should we say rumination -- with a couple of my fellow choristers up in the organ loft. A few minutes later I felt terrible. Here I am diverting their attention from the Gospel. What is it in me that makes me want to disturb people's devotions?
But still, Bos.
They will remember it.
They will thank me!
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