The Day The Earth Stood Still

Collage of chemically altered papers on illustration board.

The Ominous Blank Page Solution

One day I picked up a pile of old appointment books someone had put out on the sidewalk for recycling. I'm recycling them in my own way, using them as little sketchbooks. They're so much less intimidating than a regular sketchbook, partly becuase the pages are only 5 X 8, but also because the pages are already printed on and hand-written on, so I don't have to face The Ominous Blank Page. So much easier to start when there's already something there.

One day I was in the mood to draw chickens, don't ask me why, then when I drew the sun it looked hot so I added perspiration (oh so realistic). Then of course, I had to name that page Hot Chicks. I know, I'm wacky, so sue me.

Another thing I'm trying to do is a morning collage, just a quick little thing, without too much thought. Life's been interfering with that lately but I hope to make it a regular habit.

The result of all this play, using throwaway materials and just fooling around and having fun instead of trying to make Art with a capital A, is that I'm doing a lot more. It just frees me up, gets the flow going, when I stop worrying about the product and just enjoy the process, I actually end up with a lot more product. Been doing a lot of pen drawings in a regular blank sketchbook too.

Another great day, beautiful and sunny. Lounged around reading the Sunday Times, then off to belly dance class, and back into my studio to draw more. I am blessed.