Day 2216: ... pushing it.

sanja matsuri: graphite, ba;; point pen & watercolor

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Click here for Aretha Franklin, Until you come back to me.

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Tonight, still without my "stuff"...

I found an interesting photo.

photo from sanja matsuri 2018, by benjamin beech

I chose this photo because today I relate to his expression. 

 I feel it is "muzukashi" or difficult to try, so I am pushing it. 

I am neither a portrait artist or water-colorist.

Definitely out of my comfort zone.

I started with graphite then spritzed with water.

I went over the dried graphite drawing with ball point pen.

I added watercolor. Blotting it while wet for texture.

I felt like it needs more, background or something?

But in the back of my head I had heard Dr. Nichols,

and maybe I should have stopped?

Dr. Alice Nichol's, was Dean of the Fine Arts Department

when I was in college about 100 years ago.

She was a close friend & contemporary of 

 famous artist, Georgia O'Keefe.

She was a no-nonsense, one-of-a-kind, force-of-nature.

 Short, with grey hair in a flat top, horned rimmed glasses, 

smoked a pipe, wore motorcycle boots, rode a motorcycle or 

drove her MG convertible & carried a little dog under her arm.

You've got the picture, right? 

This was in conservative Indiana in the 60's.

She visited our advanced painting class, (not the instructor) 
she walked slowly around without saying anything, then left.

The whole class was still buzzing when she returned, 

took my painting and left, without a word!

I was near cardiac arrest, as others tried to comfort me.

She returned again and said ...

"some of you don't know when to quit ...

 so I have to take it away from you."

I have told that story hundreds of times, 

and it is still relevant for me.

Some artists will relate, as it is so easy to go too far.

A smile for Monday ...