WHILE WAITING

 Here in Ontario the Covid numbers are down but the lockdown continues. No problem for me as, I have to admit, I'm becoming somewhat used to staying at home and only going out to pick up groceries and for medical reasons. Time passes, as time does, and most days it seems that there's not enough time to do what has to be done. I do, however, miss not being able to go on a picnic and do a bit of birdwatching, although  with the migration over for this spring and the birds settling down to nest, there's probably not a lot to see other than the birds that would normally hang around for the summer, and with the leaves on the trees, they'd be difficult to observe. I also miss not being able to get up north to do a bit of sketching, and with my becoming older by the minute there's the possibility that I might come down with some affliction ending my sketching days, which bothers me. In the meantime, while awaiting  everyone to get their second dose of vaccine, and being able to move about, I sometimes amuse myself by making a scribbled memory sketch. Most end up in the trash bin, but I thought that I'd share todays scribbling to give you some idea of what I mean by scribbling. It's a 10 -15 minute pencil study of someplace up north, someplace that I hope to visit at sometime in, hopefully, the near future....

Someplace on the shore of Georgian Bay.    Pencil.  2021

IS ANYONE OUT THERE?

Hello, is anyone out there?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikfDdU4jpKE

Hard to imagine, I've been blogging for several years, posted hundreds of images and have said a few things that, I believe made sense.....but have received only 2 or 3 comments. Makes one believe that you're posting to yourself.......maybe, that's the case.

Read an article this morning about China embracing A.I., and how, if we aren't careful the Orwell's book 1984 could become a reality. Actually, in my opinion it's old news as we've been on this path for many years. Something that I wrote some time ago....

1984

The community commons, 

the soap box, has been replaced 

by mass disobedience. 

1984 happened, 

we just chose to ignore the signs. 

We’re all being watched, 

categorized, and recognized 

by ever present surveillance, and 

our digital signatures. 

Like animals to the slaughter, 

we embrace replicants, and artificial intelligence 

soon to overrun the workplace, and 

take our place. 

Humanity is paving over its existence, 

embracing a memory, 

contained in a hard-drive, 

                                   somewhere in space.

Paired (Mallards) - Hand-coloured etching

Hard to believe that years ago, in order to survive as an artist, I hand-coloured small etchings, spent hours doing so, and sold them for as little as $45.00. And then, if it was done through a gallery or at an art festival, there were fees/commissions resulting in a net to me of something like $20.00. Difficult to understand why one would spend years striving to become an artist to simply be used and abused?

AS I AGE

 

As I Age

As I age, and

become quite old,

I spend time wondering about 

so many things, 

things that happened 

so many years ago.

I wonder about ,

friendships pursued, and

choices made, and wonder

if my life could have been

much better, or

even worse,

had I turned away, 

when faced with choice. 

Of course, now,

at this final stage,

it makes no difference.

Still, I can’t help,

but wonder…….

LEGACY

I've reached a juncture in my life realizing that much of what I thought I'd accomplished is on the brink of disappearing. The world has changed. It seems on the brink of disaster. Probably just an old man thinking, but I can't help but believe that there are thunder clouds on the horizon. I realized early in my career as an artist that I was no Michael Angelo, and that my paintings and sketches would be best served as a tool to help to encourage the protection and preservation of our natural heritage. I'm afraid that my efforts didn't make a lot of difference. Places where I roamed as a boy, places covered in trees and fields of clover alive with the hum of bees and insects of every description, are now covered in a sea of asphalt. There are people everywhere seemingly from every corner of the Earth, people interested in but one thing, survival. Preservation and protection of our natural heritage simply falls on deaf ears. Let's hope that I'm wrong, and that at sometime before it's too late, people will come to their senses. As for my art, my writings, I accept that they hold but a fragment of historical significance, hardly worth saving, and that they will ultimately serve as somewhat bio-degradable landfill, my legacy.

A Leaf Fell

There was a time, one lazy summer day when still a youth, I went exploring.

I roamed through fields filled with golden grasses, and wild flowers.
I watched as butterflies flittered, bumblebees bumbled, and honey bees buzzed here and there.

Beyond the golden field a forest grew, its darkness dampened sound.
From the top of a tall, old, tree, a leaf fell and drifted lazily towards the ground.

An errant breeze caught the leaf before it struck the ground, and swept it high up in the sky 

where it caught the wind, and sailed away, 

an adventure just begun.

I wondered as it sailed away, does a leaf, when it strikes the ground, make a sound?

I came upon a path less worn that travelled through the darkened wood. I stood, wondering, then slowly ambled in. It was quiet in the dark, dank wood. Not a sound.

I looked around, my eyes adjusting to the darkness in the wood, and came upon sights Iʼd never seen.
Toadstools, moss, and ferns of every sort lived deep within the dampness of this wood.

I got down on my hands and knees, and peered beneath the ferns. Everything was tiny, 

a completely different world. Snails, millipedes, spiders, and beetles, movement everywhere.

As I watched I wondered if those who lived within, would hear a falling leaf as it struck the ground.

I continued down the path less worn leading deep within the wood, exploring, observing, listening,
until the crickets sang their evening song. 

Doubting that I would ever go back, and wander down the path less worn, 

I made a note, a memory kept, and stored away, a reminder of a wondrous time, 

spent one lazy summer's day.

Forest Floor - Watercolour Painting

PEN, Pencil, & PAPER

Over the years I've made hundreds of sketches and drawings with pen, and pencil, on paper of every description. I've sketched on location in many locations in Canada and the American Southwest, and utilizing these sketches and memories, as well as photographs, made countless drawings and paintings. In an attempt to preserve some of my efforts I've self published several books, and was fortunate in one instance to have one book published by the Friends of Killarney Provincial Park. I've tried to get others interested in publishing some of my sketches and drawings, but to no avail. Much of what I've sketched runs up against the work of Canada's cash cow artists, the Group of Seven and Tom Thomson, so regardless of the fact their work was then, and my works are now, there's not much chance the my sketches will survive more than the time allowed by Google. Should I quit posting, after two years, I believe, Google takes down one's posts. So, anyone who's happened here by design, or most likely by chance, make the best of your time, as I'm growing no younger, and will soon stop posting. The pandemic is to blame. Should you be young your attitude is that you have time to weather the storm, but should you be an elder, restrictions imposed result in your running out of time. I'm no longer "Jack be nimble", hills have become mountains, and I'm running out of memories.

Memory pencil sketch of Lumsden Lake in Killarney Provincial Park. Located but a short hike from the east campground we frequently made it a preferred location when we were short of time. On a couple of occasions we scrambled to the top of the ridge, although it wasn't promoted, and I would sit and sketch, or photograph, while Sandy would explore. The lake itself was very interesting being one of those affected by acid rain from Sudbury's nickel mining, crystal clear, and too acidic for anything to grow, or live in it's water.

I believe that this pencil sketch, executed quickly was one of these sketches that was done on the fly as there was no place for a vehicle to stop. It's a peek-a-boo scene, something remembered in passing by and quickly sketched to be revisited at a later date. it would appear to have been sketched up in Algonquin Park.

Georgian Bay Island - Killarney Provincial Park -  a pencil memory sketch that later, in the studio, became the source for several small paintings and drawings. 

Yes, that's me many years ago not long after I'd returned from a trip to New Mexico, where I enjoyed an encounter with a hummingbird. I won't go into the circumstances, but to mention that it may have been attracted by the red colour in my Canada hat pin, and to point out that it was executed in pencil/graphite on a large sheet of D'Arches 
300 lb watercolour paper.

Sometimes when you're travelling you find yourself in a situation where it's almost impossible to stop the car at the side of the road in order to make a sketch; as was the case in this instance. So, I did stop, but only for a couple of minutes, time enough to make a very quick ink sketch on the first thing available, a lined note pad. Later, when it was safe to do so I added some watercolour

 

Another of those quick sketches at the side of the road with traffic whizzing by. This time a pencil sketch made on all purpose sketching paper.

In this instance I made a pen & ink drawing back home in the studio using a watercolour sketch made on location as reference.

This pencil sketch was made in a small hardcover sketchbook while sitting on the shore  in Lake of Two Rivers campground on a cold day in October after the campground had closed for the season. I had to be quick as, a few minutes later the authorities were breathing down my neck reminding me that I shouldn't be there. They were good enough, however, to allow me to quickly finish my sketch. The quick sketch would be an aid to several paintings made in the years to come.

Sometimes while paddling the canoe, things would happen, such as in this instance when two Common Loons flew past our canoe almost within arm reach. Of course, there's no way that you're going to get a sketch of something like this, all that you can hope for is that the memory of the moment remains fresh, and that later you might put together a pencil sketch.

Frood Lake - Killarney Provincial Park

The preceding images are of Frood Lake. Frood Lake is located at the west side of the park and from Frood Lake one can access/portage into the park. During  my early interest in a project involving the park I had thought of making this my starting point. Then, I realized that The Group Of Seven had worked this area, so I set my sights on the other side of the park where they had not tread. I'v included pencil and ink drawings including a closeup of each.

Should you be interested in owning my book of paintings and sketches of Killarney Provincial Park, go to the Friends of Killarney Park's online gift shop, or go to Blurb Publishing and type my name, and it should bring up a larger book with colour plates.

I enjoy working with a graphite pencil, usually a 2B. This drawing of the Hairy Woodpecker

was done on a piece of Illustration Board. I believe that I still own it. It's probably in one of the pile of drawings in my basement.

In the event that someone pays a visit to my blog, and should you wish to see more pencil and pen and ink works, stay tuned as I plan to come back to this posting and add several more drawings and sketches....

This pencil sketch, as well as the one above, was made from memory and could be considered a part of the pandemic series, as in 2020, much like the present, May, 2021, we were in lockdown, and for the first time in 40 years, or so, we were unable to travel.

Frood Lake- Killarney Provincial Park - This pencil drawing was made on watercolour paper, and was supposed to be the foundation drawing for a watercolour. When finished I liked its simplicity and decided to keep it as such.