During the Renaissance, artistic ideals changed from a serious and formal way of depicting subjects, generally religious, to a much more realistic style incorporating scenes from common life. "Man is the measure of all things" was the motto of the time, and painters began to include details from daily life in their frescoes. With the invention of the perspective, paintings acquired a firm place…
As the Crow Flies Last summer, I began painting with an artist group at a friend’s studio. The tables we used were covered with white paper for protection of the surfaces, but by the end of two months the papers collected quite a mess of paint and marks. I didn’t see the beauty in those papers until I participated in…
Beginnings - Mixed Media 8 x 8 inches Every winter, my thoughts shift from the skies to what lurks underground. Dormant seeds and water channels were on my mind this past winter and I began a series of small pieces inspired by these thoughts. In this series, I focused on the idea of a seed, or a cell, and its…
I work in a variety of sketchbooks of varying sizes in my art making. A few years ago I realized that hundreds of books were headed for the landfill, so I began reclaiming some of them as sketchbooks to work in. In the first photo I have arranged a number of them on a table top along with my usual…
Marbled Silk Shawls and Scarves by Trudy Thomson Marbled patterns on silk can be simple: ripples, swirls and shapes, or scintillating: cross currents of different patterns and colors sweeping across the landscape of fabric. I remain fascinated by the many different forms I can create and continue to be informed by the patterns found in nature, as seen in water, in the…
Way More Than Infatuation People have always been curious to learn about the creative process. "Where do you get your ideas?... How long does it take?... Do you draw it first?"... etc. When I am asked these questions, here is what I have to say about my process: In the past, I have occasionally had a complete and preconceived idea, gone to…
A Spanish dance troupe from Chicago on the outdoor stage at Jacob’s Pillow This summer, I returned to the Berkshire Mountains in western Massachusetts to hear live music at Tanglewood and attend dance programs at Jacobs Pillow. As usual, I brought my journal-sketchbook with me like I do whenever I go on a trip or attend a concert, theatre or dance program. The…
Chair Made by Elia Bizzarri If you haven't had a chance to stop by Elia Bizzarri's shop in Hillsborough and meet him, this story might give you a feeling for one of things he enjoys about making and delivering his Windsor chairs. Here is what he has to say about his craft: With the delivery of each chair order, the customer gets…
If there is one iconic tool of the chairmaker, it is the drawknife. In my youth, both Drew Langsner and John Alexander taught me its use. I had the drawknife licked, or so I thought. Several years later, 17-year-old Curtis Buchanan agreed for me spend a week in his Jonesborough, TN Windsor Chair Shop. Curtis effortlessly and without measurement whittled a complicated…
The idea for my new body of work was born during a figure drawing course I took last summer from the Ringling School of Art and Design in Wild Acres, NC. During the session, I collaged two previously drawn figures onto new surfaces. I loved the fresh start, but no ideas flowed for where to go next, so the two starts…