Blog
The Magical Dance of Quick Sketches
Portrait of Emily by M-J Kelley 2012 (quick sketch/charcoal on kraft paper) Every figurative drawing session that I have ever attended begins with quick sketches of the model. They range from 30 second to 3 minute sketches. For some, I think it’s a bit like an athlete...
Figure Drawing with Charcoal and Pastel
Figure drawing was the basis of my art training and continues today as a way of keeping my skills sharp. It also happens to be my most favourite thing to do. Both images are of the same model - Emily. I always bring with me a few sheets of smooth newsprint and a few...
New Year’s Fish
It’s a new year, and I am happy to see it. I filled up my old sketchbook in a somewhat timely manner so as to be able to start a fresh one on the first day of 2012. I even added a new pencil and eraser. A blank page is hard enough, but the first blank page in a brand...
Eleanor
Eleanor’s full title is "Do one thing every day that scares you." – Eleanor Roosevelt. I love that quote. I’m not sure if I do that. I think if I did that it would require me to climb tall ladders and stand on roof tops or (gasp!) be enclosed in small spaces. No...
But I’ve Never Drawn a Polar Bear!
There is a lot to like about participating in an art show. The art, the people, being outside, etc. But sometimes there are things that make you want to run screaming from one. No, it’s not bad weather. I can handle bad weather – high winds, downpours, and extreme...
On Being an Artist
I was recently asked by a friend how it is that I survive as a visual artist. I spent months thinking about his question. I wanted to provide him with “a silver bullet” - the perfect singular answer. It was not possible. Instead I provided a collection of tiny nuggets...
New painting: Stuffed Bunny Head on a Stick with Poison Mushroom Caps
What would ever make anyone draw, let alone paint such a thing? Experiences. Stuffed Bunny Head on a Stick with Poison Mushroom Caps is about maintaining one’s goodness and humour in a toxic environment. How do we retain a level of childhood innocence when we...