I have been taken on as an art tutor for the charity WEA (wea.org.uk). My first course started on Thursday and I'm working at the charity Sanctus (sanctus-home.com) in their cafe. All the participants are homeless, destitute or have fallen on hard times. As Sanctus say, "We are not here to judge, but to help and act as a resource for the community" and my course is both a gentle way into education and also, hopefully, aids the participants' health and wellbeing (confidence building, social engagement etc). On Thursday, I have to confess, apart from nerves of running a new course for a new employer AND it was the first time the WEA and Sanctus have worked together, I was nervous as I have only interacted with this community in a limited way (buying The Big Issue) and stereotypes were running around my head. After just 2 sessions, I am so pleased the stereotypes are wrong. I feel I am learning more than the guys. There's not much time to draw when you are the class tutor, but above top is a incomplete sketch of Dave, who's very sweet and also a good drawer.
On Saturday, I went to London to see some of the exhibitions. Whilst waiting for my friend to arrive, I sketched in the National Gallery's café.
I didn't have any more time to sketch as my friend and I saw three exhibitions starting with Rembrandt: The Late Works at the National. Then it was round the corner to the NPG to see Grayson Perry's, Who Are You? and finally the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2014. All worth seeing! I'm a total Grayson Perry convert after seeing his exhibition and then watching the backstory documentaries. What exhibitions have you seen recently? I was doing quite well with AEDM, but have now stopped. Luckily, I have an art teaching contract to prepare for, which has moved its start date early January to 10 days away eek Here are my week 2 results. A second submission for the 9th - Degas eating a bone. Coloured pencil in moleskin sketchbook. Martinmas Day (11th November) The Feast of St Martin, Martinmas was a time for celebrations with great feasts and hiring fairs, at which farm labourers would seek new posts. Since 1918 the 11th has been commemorated as Armistice Day, and all remnants of the old Martinmas celebrations have disappeared. I had to take my mum to the hygienist on the 12th and I sketched this whilst I waited. I have to say it's not somewhere I ever expected to sketch in and was disappointed when they finished as I hadn't got the details in I wanted to.
Finally, I drew my sketching kit for Liz Steel's course, SketchingNow Foundations Online Course. That's all my aedm for 2014. I hope you liked these week 2 results. As many of you know, I am a tennis fan and was able to go to the ATP World Tour finals in London yesterday. I took a few photos, watched lots of amazing tennis, and managed a few sketches between the afternoon and evening session. Hope you like them. I think the last sketch I did, which is of the fans (top) is the best, Do you agree?
Having done quite well on #Inktober, I thought I would continue the momentum by joining in Art Every Day Month (AEDM). AEDM is hosted by Leah at creativeeveryday.com throughout the month of November. She states: "Art is loosely defined here... anything creative, whether that be painting, drawing, knitting, sewing, cooking, decorating, writing, photography, clay, jewelry-making." As with Inktober, I've an album on Facebook (#aedm2014) where I post daily, but am posting here at the end of each week, I hope, so here are my results for week 1. 1st November: Art in the form of a photo of this evening's striped sky. Quote from Shelley's Hymn to Intellectual Beauty, st. 3. (1816). On All Souls' Day (2nd November) the Roman Catholic Church remembers all those who have died - not just the great and the good, but ordinary man-in-the-street. Before the Reformation, in Britain, it was customary for poor Christians to offer prayers for the dead, in return for money or food (soul cakes), from their wealthier neighbours. On that day, I prayed for my dad, who loved cakes, although I think these would have been too plain for him. daysoftheyear.com state that the 3rd of November is both Jellyfish Day and Sandwich Day, so that's what I chose to draw. Jellyfish source: www.sciencebuzz.org 4th November: Photo taken that morning, I hope the saying is wrong. 5th November: In 1605, thirteen young men planned to blow up the Houses of Parliament. Among them was Guy Fawkes, Britain's most notorious traitor. The Plot was foiled in the night between the 4th and 5th of November. Already on the 5th, agitated Londoners who knew little more than that their King had been saved, joyfully lit bonfires in thanksgiving. As years progressed, however, the ritual became more elaborate. (Source: www.bonfirenight.net) I took this photo in Italy a few years back and added the traditional rhyme on the 5th. 6th & 7th November: I'm not sure if painting the kitchen ceiling really counts as being either artistic or creative, but it was certainly productive. Then last night, I went to a product promotion and I creatively completed the order form with a sketch of the ladies opposite. #aedm2014 seems to be turning out into a mini investigation into British rhymes and traditions, so I shall do more over the next week.
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About me
I am a nomadic artist travelling the world for inspiration. Here, I publish my sketchbook work alongside my new finished pieces. Tags
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