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This view of this sitting room shows some of one of the many Moroccan carpets throughout the house. By the time I did this sketch we had spent hours on the streets, learning to bargain for prices, fend off "guides" and vendors who would follow us through the myriads of winding streets, alleyways and souks. We also needed to keep our wits about us to avoid being run down by fast moving horses, donkey carts, bicycles, and especially motorbikes. Marrakesh was a feast for
the senses. The visuals were rich with color, pattern and texture. I especially loved the color and pattern of the fabrics on the jalabas (the traditional street wear of Moroccan men and women.....long garments with long sleeves and hoods) and of course the gorgeous scarves and colorful shoes. The sounds were the clop clops of animals, voices of vendors, laughter, and of course the call to prayer 5 times a day. The fragrance of spices and cooking were mouth watering. And then of course the food was delicious, plentiful, and healthy. While in Marrakesh we ate on the streets, in restaurants, and at home. Fouzia, our housekeeper and cook kept us well fed with beautiful breakfasts of fresh juice, yogurt, fruits of all kinds, and always freshly baked breads, and often crepes. Again, sketching at the end of the day was relaxing, centering,, and helped me assimilate the sights, sounds, flavors of the day. The Ray for the Day is "Morocco Sketch #2", or more specifically "Second Floor Sitting Room at Dar Alliamoun".
Sketching is something I do for the pure pleasure of doing it. I don't usually post my sketches because I think of them as a kind of personal journaling rather than as "my art". While on a two week trip to Morocco I did at least a sketch a day and when showing the sketches to friends they have encouraged me to post them. And so I will. I have a busy next few days so it may take few days to get them all up, but I will. I did this sketch the first day I was in Marrakesh at Dar Alliamoun, a riad (translated as "little bit of paradise"). I had the pleasure of staying in this 800 year old house in the Medina district because my very creative partners (I have part ownership in Casa Amanecer in Mexico) spent months arranging house trades in Morocco, Spain and France. I joined them for two weeks and two riads. This one in Marrakesh and another in Taroudant. This is one of several sitting rooms in the house. I was captivated by the amazing color and texture of the house. I was talking with my friend, Suzie, while sketching so she got in the picture. There were beautiful tiles, rugs, stonework, hangings and artwork wherever we looked. At the time of this sketch I had only been in Marrakesh for a few hours, and except for getting from the airport to the house had not seen any of the city or souks as yet. It was hot, exotic, exciting, new, and amazing. I'm so glad I captured this moment in my sketchbook. Sketches bring back experiences so much more vividly for me than photos. I can walk right into this room when I look at the sketch.
Djangofest is coming to Langley, and there will be an art show as well. The call went out for music related paintings. Coincidentally, the man who bought the condo below us is a musician. Along with organ and piano, he plays accordian. He practices sometimes in the yard below us and our evening meals are accompanied by music floating up to our deck. I asked if he would pose for a painting.....and he happily obliged. Of course he played as I snapped photos. All the neighbors came out to enjoy the concert. It is customary for accordian players to wear striped shirts. I love the stripes with the keys, and of course the red beret set it all off. I like the joyful feeling in this painting. The Ray for the Day (or is it Month?) is "David's Main Squeeze".
This view of Langley Village is from the window of my friend's apartment. I really enjoy this different perspective, the bright sunlight, and the shadows. I changed the colors on the buildings to make a more interesting painting. One of the fun things about being an artist is that you can make a more pleasing reality to suit your own sensibilities! The Ray for the Day is "Barb's Eye View".
I knew it had been a while since I posted, but it was shocking to see it has been over 3 months. I have been drawing and painting during this time, just not posting. I have also been overseeing the end of my Dad's life, remodeling a condo, and moving us permanently to wonderful Whidbey Island. As I write that I find it amazing that I have also been painting, and most certainly sketching. This painting is a study in value and monochromatic color scheme (yellows and golds) with a touch of the complement to give it a little punch. I love the tone and mood of this painting. It is a peaceful painting that I painted while in the middle of a storm of conflicting and difficult emotions. It was nice to have a place to go for some peace. The Ray for the Day is "Before the Rush".
The assignment for this painting was to paint the major part of the painting using one color or analagous colors and a smidge of it's complement. Orange, yellow and red are my main colors, obviously. Someone in the class had this little turquoise cube and I could not resist setting it on top of that red bottle. Zing! What fun to paint! Again, painting the values and the shapes resulted in a clear bottle. Pure magic. Someone suggested that I must have been getting ready for my Mexico trip when I chose this color combo. I find it quite invigorating. The Ray for the Day is quite a long title for such a small painting: "The Proverbial Square Peg".
Guess what? I discovered I can post ahead. So while I'm in Mexico you will be getting this post and the next one. I adore painting raw eggs and shells. What I learned while painting this one is that the yolks are actually a yellow shade of gray. The making of gray is the use of all 3 primaries plus white. Grays are getting very exciting for me and I will be using them more and more. It thrills me that if I just paint shapes and values (and don't think about eggs) that I end up with a painting with eggs and broken shells. This painting really tickles me. The Ray for the Day is "Eggs-etera".
