A face a day will keep the doctor away?

If you read here at all, you know that I’m going through my obsession with the BHG (Big headed girl). I’ve now taken a few varying classes on how to draw the BHG in various poses and levels of realism. I’m in no way…good when it comes to drawing a face, so I rely on my art being…folky. And amateurish. That being said, they say drawing is not a skill that people are born talented at, but rather a skill you require. So, I intend to work on acquiring it to a better level. I’m going to expand my love of the BHG and try to tackle a new years challenge. I want to try to draw a face a day, every day, in 2012. I guess I’ll also share my faces here. I don’t think it needs to be any formal focus but I’d like to try varying techniques to see if I can’t hit on what feels comfortable in my approach to learning. I’ve never tried sketching from life so..why not? Blind contour? Fantasy? BHGs and BHBs? I’d also like to extend a welcome to anybody who would like to join along with me in this to jump in and dash some ideas. Maybe we could start an informal “Face” group? A facebook “face” page? Ha! okay…that might be a bit grand in thinking but…always an idea!

Lemme know what you think?

Gesso as a metaphor for forgiveness

 

A metaphor is a literary figure of speech that uses an image, story or tangible thing to represent a less tangible thing or some intangible quality or idea; e.g., "Her eyes were glistening jewels."

One of the first “Art Journaling” books I purchased was Diana Trout’s “Journal Spilling”. I love and treasure this book for it’s encouragement to make a MESS and thrill in it. To make art only for yourself and give yourself permission to have it be a blurred, smeared, dripped and glopped riot on a page, with words invoking meaning. Or having no meaning at all. She has a whole section on quieting the inner critic by allowing him a space to speak his/her mind before shutting him up. She talks of Gesso as a metaphor for forgiveness….

Ah, there’s an idea to latch onto.. Using art to spread over all the pain and anxiety that festers and brews within each one of us is not a new concept. We send folks to school to become art therapists and we write books upon books on the subject. But using it to forgive? Well, I think this is the key, isn’t it? It’s not about forgiving the world, it’s about FORGIVING ourselves for the time needed to endeavor on this healing journey. Forgiving ourselves for the mistakes we’ve made, bad parenting choices, toxic relationships we let fester and spread, poor work or life ethics, bad philosophical practices…what if we could just spread on a layer thick white Gesso and start fresh, letting the bottom layers peak through to give our lives depth and purpose. Meaning and variety. We can…can’t we? That’s a very Christian notion. I’m not Christian, no, but I believe the idea of forgiveness is powerful. If we believe God has forgiven us, isn’t it then easier to forgive ourselves? Who are we compared to God after all?

We have to be able to make mistakes or how else are we to grow into deeper beings? Regardless of the spiritual path you walk, or don’t walk if you’re an atheist, self forgiveness lends it’s way to finding those depths within ourselves, the power to heal and grow, to regenerate our wounds and come back stronger. It’s an amazing ability and profoundly human. I’m glad for the metaphor, to give me something tangible to grasp in my mind as I struggle with my own inner “demons” along my life’s walk. I can forgive myself, I have the tools. Simply paint over it, and start again. The layers make everything more beautiful.

Sometimes she makes art:

Grappling with my idolatrous ways while living in a Christian household. I’m moving down a shamanic/neo-celtic path. Wanna join me?

Long necked girls are hot.

Yes, boss lady. I understand how it’s gonna be. Now STFU.

My “idealized” self.

My watercolor paper pilled leaving this BHG with a sort of lupus look about her. Still cute though. I’ll gesso over her and keep playing.

Because random rocks.

The Goddess as Drew Barrymore. Or…vice versa.

When all else escapes you…draw a bee.

I can operate scissors. Sometimes with a purpose.

I was trying out comfortable shoe’s technique of “automatic drawing” I think this was an “Otherside” sort of visionary statement. Or just….random doodlage. You be the judge.

Collage or higher spirituality?

Hmmmm….well it was good practice.

I have an unholy love of purple….

Okay, so I’m feeling a little less ARTSY and a little more CRAFTY here these past few weeks. Sue me! I’m drawing still. I’ve got several more BHGs completed, but I’m sure you all are sick of my BHGs by now, with their wonky eyes and oddly colored hairs! So I’ll subject you to shots of my knitting instead! Mwuahahahahahahahahahaha! (That was an evil cackle, if you wondered.)

This was made using Elesabeth Lavold Silky Wool yarn. I love the yarn. I despised the pattern. I thought it would be so pretty with it’s flippant picot edging but…the picot was a pain in the rear, fiddly and a bit to flippant for my tastes. I am now doomed to complete the second glove however….because my Grandma loves them.

To damn bad I only had ONE skein of that gorgeous purple color….if I make second glove there will be NONE left for myself! Sigh.