Thursday, October 21, 2010

Back to Life

mixed media study, 36" x 48," 10/17/10
detail
detail
mixed media study, 36" x 48," 10/17/10
detail
mixed media study, 48" x 36," 10/17/10
detail
detail




mixed media studies, each 22" x 30," 10/10/10

charcoal study, 22" x 30,"9/26/10

mixed media study, 9/26/10

On Sunday afternoons I attend a Life Drawing group at MECA from 3-6pm. We have a model, and Rob Sullivan orchestrates the poses, which vary from 5-20 minutes long. These are some of my drawings, with the most recent at the top of the post. The past two classes I have been working with a fat paintbrush taped to the end of a long stick, starting the drawings with these bold ink lines, and then working into them with pastel and charcoal. I've also been using the long stick to draw/paint with pots of tempera and acrylic. Last week I worked on very large paper, and next week I plan to work even bigger, and will pin my paper to the wall, next to the model stand. Last week I began to put several poses on one page, and plan to do alot more of this next week. These couples, or trios, or larger groups sharing the page create dynamic psychological and emotional relationships on the stage. Drawn dramas, if you will. So juicy and free and FUN. Ahhhhhhh.
I've been teaching life drawing for several years, now, but have not been in a figure study group of my own for a long time. Funny, though. All that teaching - all that looking at the model, and all that time spent behind my students' easels looking with them, has been like time spent drawing. I don't feel rusty - I feel primed by that experience! Interesting...

4 comments:

Don Gray said...

Martha, these are superb! You are totally in your element with these gutsy, rich, bold, expressive drawings.

martha miller said...

Don

THANKS SO MUCH! Your feedback means alot to me!! I DO feel like I'm in my element doing these. Released from the stall to roll and trample in the fields!! Extra freeing and FUN. I'll pop over for a visit - I've been a terrible blog buddy of late! xo

Dean Grey said...

These look wonderful, Martha!

I attend an open studio life drawing class on Thursdays but my sketches are not as lively or as colorful as yours.

This shows me that I need to be doing more!

-Dean

martha miller said...

thanks, dean! glad you are doing this, too!