Jenn's Book / Caitlin's Entry / Round Two

I had been grappling a bit with various ideas and concepts about sketching and use of space... the space left empty, too.  In poetry, Keats has this concept about negative capability, and it works for just about everything.  What is left blank: unspoken, unsaid, unwritten, becomes the empty space that is just as creative and compelling.
After seeing an exhibit featuring works by Alfons Maria Mucha, I decided to sit outdoors and sketch several of the iconic images, making them my own through variations and use of space.  The images compelled me because, in many ways, they capture what is most compelling and beautiful about his Art Nouveau style: flowing swirls, repeated fluid geometric patterns, strong contrast, and a timelessness in which nature, beauty, and femininity all seem to blend and reflect each other.  There is some sort of darkness there, too, a romanticism in which a woman is placed within a frame that could be seen as glorification or also entrapment; trapped on a lovely pedestal, in a sense.  I choose to see the former side and more of the celebration of such romantic ideals... in either case, she is separate in form.

Petr's Book / John's Entry / Round Two

Last December, when I was in Cambodia, Jayson Richardson and I visited the great temples outside Siem Reap contained within the vast and lush complex known as the Angkor Archeological Park. On our first day in the park we visited the centerpiece monument, Angkor Wat. Its remarkable beauty inspired me; in particular I was taken by the carved reliefs on the walls. "What great rubbings these would make," I thought.  "And here I am without a sketchbook! Horrors!"

The next day we found an art supply store in Siem Reap (hooray!) and I bought a sketchbook. The goal was in sight: take home a rubbing from Angkor Wat!

Inspired by Petr's comic theme, and in part by true events, herewith is my entry.

P.S. Here's the rubbing!

Little book on its way. Little book on its way.

Well friends, I've finally managed to get three little books sent off to Caitlin! This involved a colleague going to the post for me. Seems that business times for some are not business times for others here in France. For example, the eventual delivery of a terra cotta deer head and linen chair (for which I plan to do some serious reading) can only be delivered between the hours of 10 and 3 on a weekday. What does this mean for those who don't have a two hour lunch break? And you can argue with the manager of the delivery agency that you just can't be home during the delivery but she will just listen to you repeat and repeat and she will enjoy the fact that something just isn't working out. She will also be the one on the train complaining about the man sitting next to her or her daughter's teacher.... You get the picture. How often do we repeat our cycles in life? How often would Sam repeat himself? Until we get it all right or close enough I assume. Petr, I'm looking forward to your cartoon theme! Great to be back in touch with you all.

Stephanie's Book / John's Entry / Round Two

When in Rome, sketch like an ELMLE sketcher! This is my second entry in two nights.

Caeser thinks he's a maker. Truthfully, I don't know Caeser if ever said fingo egro sum, but Stephanie did today in her session at ELMLE. To commerrate a great conference in Roma, Caeser quotes Stephanie, ripped from the pages of the January 25, 2013 edition of the Corriere della Sera.

Newsprint, gluestick, careful ripping of paper.

PS Here's an annotated view of what my hotel room looks like when I turn it into an impromptu art room.

John's Book / Round Two

I went into this sketch with a blank mind and three lines from a French curve. This ultimately became an abstract criticism of standardized multiple choice tests. Completed in Rome at ELMLE 2013.

Pentel GraphiGear 500 0.7 mechanical pencil

Caitlin's Book / Petr's Entry / Round Two

Here's another piece for Caitlin's book of exploration/s. I liked various elements featured in previous entries and decided to incorporate them in my addition - fluorescent green, the beautiful eye from Jenn's awesome piece, a point - a center, human face.

Stephanie's Book / Petr's Entry / Round Two

Lately, I realized that I like to take the time to slowly observe and digest each arriving book and feed my entry from motifs and visual elements already featured in there. Hence the zebra skin and more patterns that follow. Hence the (absent) faces. I found the photos in a paper recycle bin and was intrigued by not knowing their story yet knowing there is one.

I'm also lately into visual explorations of memory and human absence/presence.