First however, I must relate the story of the drafting film. I was very pleased to bring home with me from Paris, and the original Sennelier Artist Materials store, a new set of grey pastels. Surprisingly it took me a couple of weeks until I began to play with them in the studio. The first day I did so, my studio was still a mess and all I could find to use was a scrap of drafting film. It’s not a conventional ground for pastels by any means, in fact it’s somewhat unusual, but I tacked it up anyway just wanting to do a quick test.
The pastels were wonderful, wide, dense and rich, and oddly enough the translucence of the drafting paper added a quality to them that I liked very much. Plus, the pastel stuck to the paper quite well. I finished my test and thought to myself that I should find some more drafting film, perhaps a big roll of it in order to work very large.
About a week later, the very next time I was free and on my way to my studio again, I opened the door of my apartment and there leaning on the frame was nothing other than a giant roll of drafting film. I had not told anyone of my plan, and actually had it in my mind that I would go out and buy a roll that day. A little note attached to it said the roll had been left for me by Brian Murphy while I was away in Paris. My neighbor had taken it into her apartment for safe keeping, and had just remembered to put it out for me again. I think this is more than a cosmic hint, if such things exist, it is like being whacked over the head! A lovely synchronicity it was and the start to a great studio session. Included below are my first couple of efforts with the drafting paper and the giant new pastels from Paris.
FT Studio View1
On the right: a new drawing using the new pastels and paper called “The Frenchman”, on the left: the results of that first test “The Little Handmaiden”. Then on the cart I ran out of room in storage so I left the remaining parts of my arch sculpture out in yet their 6 th or 7th incarnation within a year “Extra Parts.”
Detail: The Frenchman
Extra Parts Cart
FT Studio View2
On the right: a work in oil I started last year, although I haven’t had any studio time for months, work is going quickly on it now. On the left: a new piece utilizing the 1″ diameter pastels called “Little Boy Part”. Only some folks will understand what that means for me but since it’s a play on words there’s an interpretation for anyone. In the middle is a quick gesture drawing, a female feeling free, a little too free for some audiences, but that’s ok.
Work in progress
FT Studio View3
Detail: Little Boy Part
I had such a good time drawing these feet and hands. Something was working very well with my brain circuits because they popped out on the paper automatically just as you see them here, and putting that line down was such a joy.
To the couple who sat down in my chairs and made out, thank you. I have no idea whether you did so because of the artwork or the feeling in the room, but I’d like to think it wasn’t accidental.
