Sketchbook Painted Pages

It's been a long time since I've been able to write (between family, teaching, and making.) I'm stretched ... but not apart, or at least that's what I tell myself as I'm driving one child to football, and another to crew, after a day of instructing (and with studio time around the corner if I can just manage it after dinner, after laundry, after pick-ups.)
There are highs and lows of trying to live life fully without bursting, of trying to balance motherhood with marriage, extended family with friends, and life at large with being an artist, without losing my particular vision and hopes for community. The short of the long, I missed being here, so I'm loading a few of my latest sketchbook images, some of my painted studies - although there are many graphite and pen images as well that need to be put in order.


When I have enough amassed, I'll sort them into a single sketchbook and mail it off to the Sketchbook Project 2011 where it'll be digitized and the original sent to reside in the Brooklyn Public Library, NY. This by the way, is an on-going project that anyone loving to sketch and share those images may join.


The idea of people walking into the library and being able to visit a large collection of sketchbooks from around the country and potentially from around the world, makes this planet seem easier... more lovely to navigate!


The Sketchbook Project offers themes to choose between. I've chosen "Girls and Boys" and have the vague idea that it will include all ages from infancy through the elderly.


For now, I'm simply catching images from my family and friends whenever they are willing to give me their time. Now, when I find myself so pulled in multiple directions, it is particularly purposeful and joyful to manage quick drawings and paintings in my sketchbook, time I might not put aside if not for the project.


It's an honor every time someone says 'yes', I'll sit with you for a while. Sometimes we end up laughing over the results, and I hear things like 'really? that's really how you saw me?' and we laugh more. Sometimes we sigh or smile, but always, it's time we've had together to really look and discover that we may have never had if not for the simplicity of a small book in hand and a bit of time.