Writing Update

I started writing my novel five weeks ago, and today I hit 10,000 words! Yay me! In theory, that means I'm about a tenth of the way done with the first draft. I'm also finding that I'm writing faster now than I did when I started. Research still slows me down--I'm not even remotely as familiar with daily life on the Rhine River during the 1740s as I am with daily life over here during that period, so I'm spending a lot of time reviewing scholarly works on the subject, trying to be as historically accurate as possible.

My feline research assistant, asleep on the job.

I'm finding that my many years of training in the visual arts is very helpful for writing this book. In drawing or painting, there have been plenty of times when I've gone back over my work and erased entire sections of the composition, reworking them until I get them right. It's something I'm comfortable with, something that doesn't intimidate me, because I've done it before.

I keep reminding myself that writing is the same. The first draft has the broad gestures and lays out the overall structure. The second draft is when I will fuss over the details. That mindset is keeping me from getting bogged down over specific scenes or sentences.

Switching Gears

It's been two years since I posted on this blog, and it's been a very busy two years. Although I am still painting (updates on that soon), I've also launched a new creative endeavor: writing fiction.

When I was six years old and was asked what I wanted to do when I grew up, I declared that I wanted to make pictures and stories. Somewhere I still have a copy of my first effort at an illustrated book about a blue jay, started when I was six. Now, nearly forty years later, I'm making another effort at a book.

I've made several false starts at fiction over the years, mostly during my teens and twenties. I've been successfully writing nonfiction for decades, and I feel very comfortable with it. Two years ago, I decided to try fiction again, this time using my nonfiction experience to help me make the creative leap. In some ways, I felt like my writing style was as constrained as my painting style: very literal, unable to depict the world of imagination or fantasy or emotion. Rather than bemoan this as a weakness, I chose to use it as a strength.

Old Skool Picnic Pavilion

After a two year hiatus, I am officially back in my painting groove. I had to relearn a few things and, as always, learned some new things along the way.

Old Skool Picnic, Lakewood Pavilion, 6 x 12 inches.

I forced myself to leave my comfort zone with this painting, deliberately tackling the challenge of painting deep shadows using only warm colors--no blues allowed! I went back to what I learned in 9th Grade (cool colors recede, warm colors come forward) for setting up contrast between the distant landscape and the foreground pavilion.

My next painting will be only slightly larger, 9 x 12 inches, allowing me to finish relatively quickly. I still feel like I need to "warm up" to painting. I want to do another 48x36 inch canvas--I have the scene for it picked out--but I don't feel up to it yet. Still rusty.

Back to the Old Easel

It's been almost two years since I posted to this blog, and very nearly as long since I've done any art. I was sidetracked by unfortunate family matters, but I think (I hope!) I'm ready to have art return to my life.

I'm about to start painting a scene from the 2011 Old Skool Picnic at Lakewood Park, using a photo I took as the source of inspiration. I laid out the sketch on the canvas a few days ago.

It's a small canvas, only 6 x 12 inches. A nice size for shaking off the rust from my brushes.

Capitol Women

I took a quick trip to Hartford yesterday to get a photograph of the Sedgwick statue on the Capitol building for an exhibit I'm working on. As I strolled around the building looking for Sedgwick, I couldn't help noticing that the building's artwork depicts nothing but Important Men from Connecticut history. Oh, those Important Men!

Sedgwick, on the south facade of the Capitol building.

Being a feminist, I immediately reflected on the total absence of women from the building--and then I realized that the women were all up top by the dome, mostly naked, and entirely fictional.

Afternoon Sounds

Cars easing by, Doppler-style

Cars racing by, loud then soft

Dirt bikes revving their motors to impress

Music pumping

Children laughing

Children shouting

Dog barking

Sirens at a distance

Tree leaves rustling

Wind chimes tingling

The call of the mourning dove

Dennis Harmon

Dennis Edward Harmon passed away suddenly in the comfort of his home on Wednesday, February 20, 2013.

Dennis was born on April 20, 1946 at the Doctors’ Hospital in Washington, D.C., the son of James and Elizabeth (Lord) Harmon. The family moved to Ann Arbor, MI soon after, and Dennis enjoyed spending much of his childhood exploring the local natural history museum.

He began studying horology, learning the skills needed for watch and clock repair, when he was 14, working as an apprentice in his father’s clock shop. Later, Dennis moved to Los Angeles and found watch repairers who allowed him to continue honing his craft as their assistants, until he was ready to go into business for himself. His first work bench was small enough to transport in the back of his convertible whenever he moved to a new location.