Thursday, May 3, 2012
Murphy's Law
With my last War Horse post, I promised more to come in the next post. Murphy's Law went to great lengths to sabotage that idea! And, too, the previous post, the review of Jeff Goins' book, You Are A Writer (So Start Acting Like One), absolutely had to go onto my blog. As soon as I read it, I knew that! This is one book that no writer ought to be without. The very next post, within-the-Next-Few-Days-I-promise, will deal with Procrastination. Then we'll have more about War Horse. That's a promise too.
A New Book On Writing---Well Worth Reading
No sugarcoating, no wasted words. Tough, yet kind. Tough love, I would have to say. This is the essence of Jeff Goins' book, You Are A Writer (So Start Acting Like One), which is now available on Amazon.com and on youareawriter.com . Jeff has written from the heart, obviously. He shares what it took for him to become a real writer, and shows us that we can do the same. You Are A Writer is a fact as well as a title. We just have to write. Focus. Persevere. By following Jeff's example, putting his book to use, we will surprise ourselves with the progress we will make.
Jeff doesn't tell us to do anything he hasn't already done, himself, and he doesn't hesitate to tell us what it took to get over the obstacles in his way. The same ones we ourselves face each time we sit down to write. By practicing, we will find our voice and more. I can't think of a book I would rate any higher than this one.
Jeff doesn't tell us to do anything he hasn't already done, himself, and he doesn't hesitate to tell us what it took to get over the obstacles in his way. The same ones we ourselves face each time we sit down to write. By practicing, we will find our voice and more. I can't think of a book I would rate any higher than this one.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
War Horse Puppets---Almost More Like Horses Than Horses Are!
Before I go any further, here's a link to a site about the War Horse puppets. There's a videotaped interview on this site. Rather long, but worth the time. Very interesting. Toward the end, Joey the horse (puppet) will be active onstage. www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/?lid=34726 I went to the site just before posting this to be sure this link is working. And here's another: http://www.performingarts.about.com/od/Costumes/a/Bringing-A-War-Horse-To-Life-Onstage.htm . I checked this link, too, just now. If you scroll to the bottom of page 1 and click on War Horse On Broadway, you'll see an ad for W.H. In a minute, the photo becomes one video clip after another, of bits of action from the play. The horses are great! Almost more like horses than horses are. (Well, you'll see what I mean).
Because it took me so LONG between last post and this one, I included more than one link. There's a lot more about War Horse if you google it.
My apologies for taking so long, due to circumstances. I have another post ready, which will be up in a few days if not sooner.
Because it took me so LONG between last post and this one, I included more than one link. There's a lot more about War Horse if you google it.
My apologies for taking so long, due to circumstances. I have another post ready, which will be up in a few days if not sooner.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
What do you think of the Steven Spielberg movie, 'War Horse'? I think it is now in the U.S. theaters. So far, I have only seen the previews and cannot wait to see that movie!
How about the play by the same name, now in New York and in Europe? Aren't those huge horse puppets wonderful and fascinating? I've been so taken with the very idea of them, that I've been finding film clips of them, seeing what they're all about. (No, I haven't seen the play. But I sure did see a short clip of the puppets on the Today show last Thursday---Dec. 15, right after Al Roker's Kids Book Club). The book was "War Horse" by Michael Morpurgo. Four children, ready with questions, were on the show; so was Mr. Morpurgo, who answered each of them and didn't they all have a good time! Yes, they did.
I'll be saying much more about all of this in my next post. There will be a link to at least one clip. Now I need to learn how to get the link onto my blog. It can't be all that hard. Can it?
It will be good to get your thoughts on War Horse.
How about the play by the same name, now in New York and in Europe? Aren't those huge horse puppets wonderful and fascinating? I've been so taken with the very idea of them, that I've been finding film clips of them, seeing what they're all about. (No, I haven't seen the play. But I sure did see a short clip of the puppets on the Today show last Thursday---Dec. 15, right after Al Roker's Kids Book Club). The book was "War Horse" by Michael Morpurgo. Four children, ready with questions, were on the show; so was Mr. Morpurgo, who answered each of them and didn't they all have a good time! Yes, they did.
I'll be saying much more about all of this in my next post. There will be a link to at least one clip. Now I need to learn how to get the link onto my blog. It can't be all that hard. Can it?
It will be good to get your thoughts on War Horse.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Fryeburg Fair artwork; my article:"Lovebirds; Lovable---Or Not?"; matting/framing: it looks like, for once, several goals at once are being met, and most of them ahead of time. THAT's what I LIKE, and I'm this happy because usually I don't GET to be this happy about Goals.
Many things conspired against these things getting done as soon as they had to be! There's no point in going into that. It's over. Whatever slows us down or works against us to the point of discouragement---if we give in---gives us the chance to get above it all, to do what we've gotta do, (yes, 'gotta'; it fits the situation) and to feel that nice sense of accomplishment at the end of it all.
See? The quote in my previous post: Function in disaster, finish in style (from Lucy Madeira) fits right into everyday life just fine. There's still time for disaster to sneak in again while I'm too busy gloating to pay attention. I'd better keep that in mind. No gloating. Get on with it. So here I am writing this blog when I'm supposed to be doing art. Well, this is the first post since August 6th and writing, too, is an art. I was working in charcoal and thinking of my very tardy blog, which meant I wasn't getting too far with the charcoal, which is too bad since I really like the picture in progress.
My project, the dog's bath earlier this morning, I wouldn't call disaster. The dog has a vet appointment on Friday. It's nicer for the vet to see a clean dog than otherwise--and she really wasn't all that bad to begin with---now she's drying off in the kitchen. Washing the dog means washing the bedding too, for obvious reasons. This is the best day for it all, as tomorrow it's going to rain.
The lovebirds are listening to the radio, which is their third choice of all music forms in this house. CD's are first, records (yes, vinyl, 33 1/3) are second. First thing, they had records, but now the day will become nonstop, so the radio it is. I don't have time to keep turning over the stack of records, and if I don't, and the music stops, they yell in chorus for me to go fix it. Not in so many words, but I know the tone of voice. The light-rock station has a good variety. They squeak in rhythm with whatever happens to be on, knowing almost every tune so well that most of the time they are a beat or two ahead. They do the same thing with the classical music. They'll be fine. So will I, if I go back to the artwork and finish the pieces one at a time, beginning right now.
I wish each of my friends a good day that ends the way you want it to. What methods do you have for getting that to happen?
Many things conspired against these things getting done as soon as they had to be! There's no point in going into that. It's over. Whatever slows us down or works against us to the point of discouragement---if we give in---gives us the chance to get above it all, to do what we've gotta do, (yes, 'gotta'; it fits the situation) and to feel that nice sense of accomplishment at the end of it all.
See? The quote in my previous post: Function in disaster, finish in style (from Lucy Madeira) fits right into everyday life just fine. There's still time for disaster to sneak in again while I'm too busy gloating to pay attention. I'd better keep that in mind. No gloating. Get on with it. So here I am writing this blog when I'm supposed to be doing art. Well, this is the first post since August 6th and writing, too, is an art. I was working in charcoal and thinking of my very tardy blog, which meant I wasn't getting too far with the charcoal, which is too bad since I really like the picture in progress.
My project, the dog's bath earlier this morning, I wouldn't call disaster. The dog has a vet appointment on Friday. It's nicer for the vet to see a clean dog than otherwise--and she really wasn't all that bad to begin with---now she's drying off in the kitchen. Washing the dog means washing the bedding too, for obvious reasons. This is the best day for it all, as tomorrow it's going to rain.
The lovebirds are listening to the radio, which is their third choice of all music forms in this house. CD's are first, records (yes, vinyl, 33 1/3) are second. First thing, they had records, but now the day will become nonstop, so the radio it is. I don't have time to keep turning over the stack of records, and if I don't, and the music stops, they yell in chorus for me to go fix it. Not in so many words, but I know the tone of voice. The light-rock station has a good variety. They squeak in rhythm with whatever happens to be on, knowing almost every tune so well that most of the time they are a beat or two ahead. They do the same thing with the classical music. They'll be fine. So will I, if I go back to the artwork and finish the pieces one at a time, beginning right now.
I wish each of my friends a good day that ends the way you want it to. What methods do you have for getting that to happen?
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Artwork for exhibition halls at Fryeburg and Windsor Fairs, and for my Space (7) in Fryeburg Fair's Craft Center, is coming together nicely. Along with horses and dogs, subjects will include barns, assorted farm animals, fishing flies and at least one wagon. Fishing flies are fun to do in watercolor, especially the salmon flies and the various "ghosts", grey and otherwise. Fishermen know what I'm talking about.
"Function in disaster; finish in style." So goes a saying (actually two sayings combined into one) by an educator named Lucy Madeira. From the first time I came across the saying(s), including two more that she was fond of: "Make haste slowly"---which she would quote in Latin---and "Keep calm at the very center of your being", I was intrigued by Lucy Madeira. Who was she? Did she live by the sayings she quoted so often? In my research I found that in the early 1900's she founded a private school for girls, The Madeira School, and was a very exacting teacher. As near as I can tell, she used her sayings to encourage her pupils, and seems to have encouraged herself at the same time.
The portrait photo of Miss Madeira greatly resembles my favorite high school English teacher, Miss Dwelley. I was in her classes I learned so much about, and came to love, creative writing as well as reading. She encouraged us to search out answers in the books and stories we were assigned: why did the main character act in certain ways? What were the results of his actions? How were other people affected by what he did? To this day I remember those questions as I read. The material has so much more meaning that way.
As well, she had wise advice for us. One day in class a student said, "I wish I could know what would happen in all of my life." Miss Dwelley looked at her for a moment and then said, "Oh, my dear, if you knew, you wouldn't be able to stand it." Though I wasn't the student who voiced that thought, life has certainly proved Miss Dwelley to be oh so right.
And so, function in disaster. That has been going on for me, for several weeks now. Various factors spelled disaster, but now I am out of the tunnel. I've figured out all of the artwork for the two Fairs, the reference photos are paired with the paper I'll use, and this afternoon I'll finish the preliminary drawings. Tomorrow I plan to finish a portrait that needs to go out very soon. Then, complete concentration on the Fair artwork---and at that, I'm weeks ahead of my usual schedule at Fair time. "Make haste slowly" applies here, as I haven't rushed until my head is spinning, but have thought out each step, determined to enjoy the process.
Wesley Dennis, who illustrated many of the Marguerite Henry books, used to say, "If it isn't fun, don't do it." I can see exactly what he would have meant---if art stops being fun, quit. That doesn't apply to artwork in its beginning stages, because each piece has to go through an ugly stage when you could cheerfully scrumple it up and THROW it AWAY. That's definitely not a fun stage. We have to work through that stage, and gradually the work comes right and we're happy. We've conquered our doubt by working through. If making art in general has become a chore, though, and the joy has gone out of it, no matter what we've done to work around the negativity, I can't help but think it would be time to stop. Who knows? Maybe after a little break, we'll be ready to give things another try. Who of you has gone through this sort of thing?
"Finish in style"---I very well know that for me THAT won't happen until my space in the Craft Center is completely arranged, furnished, and the pictures fill the walls, and the mugs, matted paintings and prints and the packages of note cards are in their places. Then I can sit down with a cup of tea and contemplate the coming eight days of activity in my booth, where old friends and new will stop to see the latest work and the favorites from another year, and we'll do a little catching up. A quietly stylish finish. How have you felt after working through obstacles and finally coming out on the other side, especially when it looked as though things might not come together?
"Function in disaster; finish in style." So goes a saying (actually two sayings combined into one) by an educator named Lucy Madeira. From the first time I came across the saying(s), including two more that she was fond of: "Make haste slowly"---which she would quote in Latin---and "Keep calm at the very center of your being", I was intrigued by Lucy Madeira. Who was she? Did she live by the sayings she quoted so often? In my research I found that in the early 1900's she founded a private school for girls, The Madeira School, and was a very exacting teacher. As near as I can tell, she used her sayings to encourage her pupils, and seems to have encouraged herself at the same time.
The portrait photo of Miss Madeira greatly resembles my favorite high school English teacher, Miss Dwelley. I was in her classes I learned so much about, and came to love, creative writing as well as reading. She encouraged us to search out answers in the books and stories we were assigned: why did the main character act in certain ways? What were the results of his actions? How were other people affected by what he did? To this day I remember those questions as I read. The material has so much more meaning that way.
As well, she had wise advice for us. One day in class a student said, "I wish I could know what would happen in all of my life." Miss Dwelley looked at her for a moment and then said, "Oh, my dear, if you knew, you wouldn't be able to stand it." Though I wasn't the student who voiced that thought, life has certainly proved Miss Dwelley to be oh so right.
And so, function in disaster. That has been going on for me, for several weeks now. Various factors spelled disaster, but now I am out of the tunnel. I've figured out all of the artwork for the two Fairs, the reference photos are paired with the paper I'll use, and this afternoon I'll finish the preliminary drawings. Tomorrow I plan to finish a portrait that needs to go out very soon. Then, complete concentration on the Fair artwork---and at that, I'm weeks ahead of my usual schedule at Fair time. "Make haste slowly" applies here, as I haven't rushed until my head is spinning, but have thought out each step, determined to enjoy the process.
Wesley Dennis, who illustrated many of the Marguerite Henry books, used to say, "If it isn't fun, don't do it." I can see exactly what he would have meant---if art stops being fun, quit. That doesn't apply to artwork in its beginning stages, because each piece has to go through an ugly stage when you could cheerfully scrumple it up and THROW it AWAY. That's definitely not a fun stage. We have to work through that stage, and gradually the work comes right and we're happy. We've conquered our doubt by working through. If making art in general has become a chore, though, and the joy has gone out of it, no matter what we've done to work around the negativity, I can't help but think it would be time to stop. Who knows? Maybe after a little break, we'll be ready to give things another try. Who of you has gone through this sort of thing?
"Finish in style"---I very well know that for me THAT won't happen until my space in the Craft Center is completely arranged, furnished, and the pictures fill the walls, and the mugs, matted paintings and prints and the packages of note cards are in their places. Then I can sit down with a cup of tea and contemplate the coming eight days of activity in my booth, where old friends and new will stop to see the latest work and the favorites from another year, and we'll do a little catching up. A quietly stylish finish. How have you felt after working through obstacles and finally coming out on the other side, especially when it looked as though things might not come together?
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Surprise...Summer Is Under Control
There IS no end to the surprises around here in the past weeks. The illustrations are finished and everything has been sent out. I hope that what I next hear from the publisher about this manuscript will also be an unexpected joy. Considering that I've made a list of publishers to send to---not planning to let this book sit around after any of its return trips to me---obviously the big surprise can only be that this current publisher will send an acceptance letter. Now wouldn't that be nice....
The remaining surprises:(1.) while going through older art magazines I found a reference photo that's been missing for 6 (!) years---oh yes---and what are the chances of that? (I had used it to mark my place). And I even still want to work from it. The way things can go, and usually do, is that I find some (very) long-lost landscape photo and say, "What did I see in that?" Not this time.
(2.) Everything got done---flowers planted in yard and window boxes; screen porch all ready for summer; lawn gets mowed before it starts looking like a horse should graze on it; "Everything" includes the writing assignment I had to finish, then cleanup of writing area and drawing area, and making out my list of entries for the Fryeburg Fair Exhibition Hall art show. Now summer is under control. Remember I said that. I can make art in peace, instead of rushing. Rushing gets old, don't you agree? Of course.
(3.) There have so far been only 2 Driveway Worms to rescue. Well, they're really earthworms. I think I would call them Nightcrawlers. Usually there are many, especially after a rain, and there they are, all stretched out as far as they can go (I THINK; how far CAN they stretch?) and all wishful,"...oh, where's the dirt...this doesn't feel right...need dirt...there's only this hard stuff...", and then there comes morning, and me, and before they know it, they're in the grass. (There, you guys).
Tomorrow afternoon I am to learn how to photograph my artwork and get it onto the computer in an orderly manner. THEN, I'm told, I can do all sorts of things with it. That should be good, technically challenged as I am. I'll have to take notes. The huge surprise here is that, weeks ago, the photographer checked my camera over and said it can do everything needed to get the job done. Who knew? Tomorrow: a very good time to learn a new way of doing. I'm delighted. There are many more happenings, but I'm sure, by now, I've mentioned enough.
This blog, titled Horses & More, has nothing about horses today, but plenty about More. Chickens. A good topic which will be showing up in the artwork before too long.Thinking about a Main Street restaurant, The Golden Rooster, got me to thinking of the big golden chickens we once had. They'd make good subjects, especially the Buff Orpingtons. Cochins of any color are always good, too. Our most memorable ones were the big white one and several gold ones.It's time to make time for them.
The remaining surprises:(1.) while going through older art magazines I found a reference photo that's been missing for 6 (!) years---oh yes---and what are the chances of that? (I had used it to mark my place). And I even still want to work from it. The way things can go, and usually do, is that I find some (very) long-lost landscape photo and say, "What did I see in that?" Not this time.
(2.) Everything got done---flowers planted in yard and window boxes; screen porch all ready for summer; lawn gets mowed before it starts looking like a horse should graze on it; "Everything" includes the writing assignment I had to finish, then cleanup of writing area and drawing area, and making out my list of entries for the Fryeburg Fair Exhibition Hall art show. Now summer is under control. Remember I said that. I can make art in peace, instead of rushing. Rushing gets old, don't you agree? Of course.
(3.) There have so far been only 2 Driveway Worms to rescue. Well, they're really earthworms. I think I would call them Nightcrawlers. Usually there are many, especially after a rain, and there they are, all stretched out as far as they can go (I THINK; how far CAN they stretch?) and all wishful,"...oh, where's the dirt...this doesn't feel right...need dirt...there's only this hard stuff...", and then there comes morning, and me, and before they know it, they're in the grass. (There, you guys).
Tomorrow afternoon I am to learn how to photograph my artwork and get it onto the computer in an orderly manner. THEN, I'm told, I can do all sorts of things with it. That should be good, technically challenged as I am. I'll have to take notes. The huge surprise here is that, weeks ago, the photographer checked my camera over and said it can do everything needed to get the job done. Who knew? Tomorrow: a very good time to learn a new way of doing. I'm delighted. There are many more happenings, but I'm sure, by now, I've mentioned enough.
This blog, titled Horses & More, has nothing about horses today, but plenty about More. Chickens. A good topic which will be showing up in the artwork before too long.Thinking about a Main Street restaurant, The Golden Rooster, got me to thinking of the big golden chickens we once had. They'd make good subjects, especially the Buff Orpingtons. Cochins of any color are always good, too. Our most memorable ones were the big white one and several gold ones.It's time to make time for them.
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