The Beauty & The Potential in Aging

Hi, Friends, how are you? Did you enjoy a weekend? We celebrated "Christmas in July" and saw fire works. "Why fireworks?" I asked. A granny said CHEERFULLY, "Because the end of school holiday, ha,ha,ha!" Oh, Granny, be careful. Kids will call you, "Bad witch." Well, I hear some parents curse at school holidays. Messes, noises and fiascoes have haunted home. Now, finally, noble silence, routine and order come back to parents.But I always smile and raise a question for us, fussy grown ups, "Can you remember when you were young? What did you do?" All adults burst with a laugh and admit, "Ah, I did the same thing!" (*Children welcome my support?!) We seem to have buried our young stupidity in social norms. Kids, please turn a blind eye to us, adults. Getting older is not easy. Being old is a very demanding job.

By the way, talking of "Aging," generally, images are quite negative. Men appear to be more tolerant to admit a real age than women. Or I should say, sadly, society tends to celebrate being youngish, particularly about women.
Friends, "That's not fair!" should be added.But I love making old people's portraits. A question, "Is getting older ugly?" My sketches are dead honest. In the work, a number of wrinkles is really not a big deal. A physical age is more likely to appear in the tension of muscles. I've never thought it ugly.Fortunately, I could have sketched many wonderful old people. The most beauty in aging could be matured personality endorsed by rich experiences, deep knowledge and profound wisdom. Those lively seniors I met did/do not care about their real age. Rather, they told me a real age with a big laugh in a healthy pride. I felt their acceptance of who they were ; it's REAL beauty, too.

Some sketched seniors are already established experts. Yet, humbly they keep up their skills and challenge new techniques. All of them say, "Still a lot to learn. A long way to go," and pursue "perfect." Experienced elderly people are also wonderful teachers, full of wisdom. Quite interesting to observe how they teach students and apprentices. In my eyes, a good teacher may give a nice lecture. But a better teacher gives a clue that leads a learner to answers (answers are not always one!). Further, an answer makes a student think beyond. A given knowledge is easy to forget. But a time spent thought-out answer remains in mind.I heartily hope our society and culture will value aged people. Many masterful old people want to get involved with something or their favorite areas. Already pay or money is not a big matter. They are eager for contribution to society. Their concern and want for is the sense of belongingness and the meaning of life. Indeed, retired people are a great power in volunteer work that supports a welfare system.I really hope any organization and other opportunities tap these trustworthy people and activate rich assets in our society.
Anyway, happy painting!
I'm challenging new things and studying landscapes.Let us get old with youngish hearts! Ahahaha!!

The Beauty & The Potential in Aging

Who We Are & Art Work

Hi, Friends, how is your weekend? I came across a lovely couple enjoying sunshine on lawn at an event. The couple happily allowed me to sketch them. Ah, I felt joy, happiness and peace on the earth.

Lovers

This week topic, "identity" might be a bit heavy. But "seeking who I am" has motivated me to become an artist.
In my eyes, each person is a universe. If so, that's a lot of job to find "who I am."

Young Lady In Between Woman & Girl

When I was at high school, I read a very interesting joke.

A lady died and met St Peter at a heaven's gate. St Peter asked her a question, "Who are you?"
The lady answered, "I was Sadami."
St Peter said, "No, I don't ask your name. Who are you?" The lady answered, "I was a wife of such-a-such." "No, I don't ask whose wife you were. Who are you?" The lady answered, "I was a teacher." "No, I don't ask your occupation. Who are you?"Although St Peter kept on asking, the lady failed to answer for that question and found herself come back to life.
Then, she determined to find the answer in the rest of her life. The lady could lead a wonderful and active life....
Oh...youngish Sadami felt a profound truth and decided to find who I am like that lady. I tried to find it in work, study and books.
Some people seek answers an outside. Others try to find answers in an inner world. Methods is not a matter, but an answer should be unique and individual. Once, an answer was found, a very simple life is preferable, which focuses on who I am. (*Of course, our real life is not simple. Rather, reality is sticky and complicated.)My answer for myself is watercolour painting--- portrait and picture book illustration. Each of my paintings is a part of Sadami. Each work answers for "who I am."

Paradox, that answer has Alpha and Omega, but open ended. It responds to any context. A person who finds identity will not be easily stumbled in any circumstance. The answer grows and leads to another challenge. So, no surprise when an artist changes a style. Changing reveals an artist's quest for identity and a progress. (I hope my poor writing makes sense.) A person confidently begins to live on her own life and joins society.

I'm now exploring my watercolour painting techniques and a style. I seem to have faced a wall. Honest, Friends, I sometimes, feel painting is difficult. When my expected results do not come up, I feel I get stuck. But I want to go beyond.

Through blogging, I could meet many same minded people, wonderful friends and artists. Most of them are making inner journeys to seek identity or struggle for an individual goal. Each of us is traveling a stormy sea called art in a different boat.
BUT......how nice it is, encouraging one another in wild winds! How warm, if we could leave a bit say at another boat in a stormy sea at cold night! So, I'd really appreciate your comments and happily visit friends' blogs.
Let us enjoy our journeys.
Thank you for reading. Take care.
Happy painting!

Who We Are & Art Work

Sketch Movement : Ice Skating & Falling Kids

We're enjoying skating in the middle of winter! Council has set an ice skating rink in front of Parramatta Town Hall. At the opening ceremony, this happy young man showed off a big kiss mark, awaiting his girl friend performing an ice dance. What a hot man in this dreadful winter!OK, this week, I'd like to chat over "skating," particularly, slipping kids on a skate rink. Most children seem to be not so familiar with skating. Children enjoys "slip, sliding away ʚ(ˆ◡ˆ)ɞ ° ·. •*• ♫° • ♫."
Great fun and luxury for me to sketch slipping kids. You may think it's hard to draw movements, in fact, NOT. Just look at slipping children carefully. Find a pattern of serial actions. Once, the pattern is found, pick up the most impressive scene. Very exciting for me to catch the critical moments of "unbalancing," "falling" and following movements.

Some children--most are boys-- bravely challenge an ice rink. Oh, physics experiments, objects cannot stand well on a surface without friction?! But children soon learn how to skate and begin to enjoy a smooth run, even though a bit different from "elegant."







Very young kids and girls are awkward. They walk with Penguins. Not bad. Wobbling is very cute and even pretty like ducklings. Parents are happy to take photos.Soon, children realize my sketching. Some hung on the wall and won't go away from me. A sketcher becomes popular at once anywhere.
"Can you draw me?"
"Well, Sweetie, I'm sketching slipping kids. If there's any drama, I may draw you..."
The girl, actually, quite a good skater, dares to perform a big stumble.
"No, Sweetie, I want to sketch natural movements." We have a laugh.I do not use photos at all to capture figures.
In the observation, when children wobble, their hands' positions are very interesting. A head's angle and position is so fascinating, too. I look and draw from varied angles, as many as possible.Once, my eyes understand the movements, I can drawing children with simple lines. The lesser, the better. Simple lines are clearer than too many lines. For me, catching the pattern or the connection of each movement is the key. After getting it, rebuilding movements on paper is not so hard. Even without looking at subjects, you can make fresh and lively work in a studio.

So, I always sketch and have fun!

Happy painting, Friends!!

Sketch Movement : Ice Skating & Falling Kids

My Wash and Color for Portrait

Hi, Friends, did you enjoy a weekend?This week, I'll chat over how to move on to a loose style from a stiff style, particularly, focusing on "my" wash and colour for portraits.
Below, I sketched the speaker at an exhibtion opening ceremony, while I was standing. The quicker, the better---for me.
I originally, came from quite a traditional watercolour style(See below). But a stiff style bored me and I tried a loose style. So, I totally understand others struggling to seek fresh and liquid expressions.In order to loosen up work, "value study" and "very accurate drawing skills" are the key. Mono tone painting is a good practice to check values. Below, the gig player was in a strong red light at a pub. Very good study of value. We enjoyed music and my work. I always prefer life models. Don't be shy. Just keep sketching at anywhere and anytime. I sketched the lady enjoying holidays at a pub. We enjoyed a chat together. Cerulean blue was added at a studio. Changing an angle is important, which builds 3D image. OK, lets' move on to my current painting process and colours. It could be different from yours. If you could pick up anything useful, I'm very happy.
Materials
1) Paper : Arche, 300, smooth2) Pencil : Soft. 5B or bigger number
3) Brush : #12, (hardly use others)
4) Paints : Winsor Newton or Holbein. Very limited palette.
Raw sienna, Burnt sienna, Composed Green, Winsor Newton Yellow, Cadmium Orange, Permanent Rose, Antwerp Blue.SettingUpright paper. Get on work at once. Make work in rush.
Painting Process
1) Start with middle value or dark area.
2) Leave highlight blank
...if I get any image for background, put colour at this stage
or make background later.
3) Enhance the darkest area = Make contrast more
4) Check balance in value & colourControl of water is the pivot point for my style.
There's no magic, but practice.
In addition, sadly quick watercolour work is underestimated and put a low price at demonstration. Please consider, the work is a fruit of incessant practices for "years."
Be original and unique in a style.Happy Painting!

My Wash and Color for Portrait

Odditorium:Imagination & Creativity are Our Wings

This week, I'd take you to the very funny exhibition, "Odditorium". Before it, become a kid again?! (below, young Sadami?!) "Odditorium" displays hilarious and mysterious objects. Originally, objects were designed for right purposes. But primary school children and an Australian great picture book illustrator Shaun Tan have created funny tags for objects and turned them into laughable archiological bits & pieces. (*Can you guess what was used for?The actuall use will be at the end of this post! )

OK, some examples for you.
First, painful dental devices. According to Shaun, this is "The Replica Horse Teeth from Society of Dental Surgeons, London." Priopr to the 1700s, it is true that barbers did both haircut and surgery. But I've never heard that barbers learnt "dental" surgery with this replica (How did they learn sugery for humans with these odd replicas?! ) Another, at right hand, is, according to Ryan, 9yrs Stammore Public School pupil, "The Toother Outer." Ryan says the device actually won the first prize at the international odd competition in 1944 and a dentist started using it to pull out teeth. Ohhhh!!! Ouch!!


There we go! Second, jolly and playful objects or two balls.
Oh, my! This little ball is"elephant's wee. " According to Augustine aged 9, the brilliant treat for tea like cake!! Especially, an elephant or a cow wee fed on mango leaves tastes delicious?? ....gulp...Another, above, Shaun claims, "Bullock Hair Ball for Riot Control," substituted for iron cannonballs in the Middle Ages. Hey, how come these cannonballes opressed the public or Gov power abuse tools?!

Last, tadadada~~~, very sexy "Giant Griffin"!
Shaun asserts, Australian Bonza Motors made this hilariously huge Griffin as a "car hood ornament" for FJ "You-Lilttle-Beauity," when Bonza competed with US Crysler in 1948. Unfortunately, what a shame! Bonza Morters dissmissed the designer and chucked his plan into a bin.
Wow, I saw such a gramous griffin for the first time.Did you have a laugh? The exhibition has more objects.
Actually...
*It was a dental teaching aid.
*The object originally was a door knocker.
*Yes, it was really an elephant or a cow's wee, but used for dying on fabrics.
* Ooops, I missed out recording the actual use. Sorry!
*The female Griffin once was the guard of the entrance of Kings Cross Theatre.The narrative tags show primary school children's wonderful creativity and Shaun's brilliant sense of humour. They are our legends!!

Can you remember your young days? How much you enjoyed making up stories with just pebbles, a piece of stick, or ordinary things? How proudly you invented unique stuff that grown-ups would never get? "Creativity" and "imagination" are the wings that enable human beings to fly across a sky! Joy must come first. That's the spirit of painting and drawing, too. There's no secret to learn drawing and painting, but the power of imagination and creativity. I believe if you can go back to a child, you can draw!
So, pick up whatever the media at your hand and just have fun!
Happy painting!!

Finally, I'd really appreciate the courtesy of the Powerhouse Museum and Parramatta Heritage Centre's kind assistance to sketch the objects.

Odditorium:Imagination & Creativity are Our Wings

Children, Our Future : Invited For BookFestival

Hi, did you have a wonderful weekend?
I had a good time despite in cold rainy days. Just before rain, I sketched a baby enjoying a swing with Dad. 

Now, I'm invited for the Bookfest again! Great honour.
This NON PROFIT event has been running for 19years. Invited authors and illustrators will attend and donate their time.

BOOKFEAST 2011!!

Lunch with your readers

WHEN: Thursday 15th Sept 2011

WHERE: 96 Shaftesbury Rd, Burwood NSW 2134

TIME: 11:00am - 2:30pm

In the event, children from all over Sydney will enjoy lunch with writers and illustrators. For kids, we are their super heros (*I certainly feel my responsibility as an illustrator and artist!).

 The real aim of Book Festival is to promote literacy, education and awareness of Australian literature. The Bookfeast provides the space and creative opportunity for young people to come face to face with writers and illustrators, gaining an insight into their practice and also the world of writing. Last year, I really enjoyed the time with children(below).*I'll put on the fool's cap and that colourful shirt again! Hehehe!!!I heartly hope some of young students will remember that day and my message, "Love & Hope," and get through a tough time in the future.

The "domestic violence and child abuse" psychology unit at uni taught me how precious and important our childhood is. Young days' experiences serioudly impact on personalities, self-esteem and behaviours.
Regarding self-esteem, I cannot judge which children do better or not at school and in a community. A competitive society puts terrible pressures on young people to get high scores, because society tends to focus on "good results or winners." Hermann Hesse's "Beneath the Wheel" shows an old and new theme.Each individual is different and so precious. I never, ever want to see any child suffers in a winner-centralized value.
So, I always come back to this point, "who I am" and will be "who I can be most." I encourage any child to enjoy whatever they like fully. All children deserve to be happy and should have confidence in themselves. Each of us has something shining or a talent like a mine. It takes time to find an ability. But also, our ordinary daily stuff such as just walking, cooking, etc, etc, are, in fact, miracles and amazing abilities. Unfortunately, most people will never realize it untill they loose abilities. This year, I'll happily talk of my disabled leg to the children at a table. I'd cheer up all children to pursue their dreams and be what they are the most.

If picture book illustrators or writers are interested in this BookFestival, or would like more information, please contact: Mr Michael Fraser
Teacher librarian
Haberfield Public School
Tel: (02) 9798 8767
Children are our future and hope.
Let us work and bequeath a better world for them.
Happy painting!!

PS
A dog shop keeper happily invites me to sketch more! I love doggies!

Children, Our Future : Invited For BookFestival

Doug Moran 2011, World Richest Portrait Prize

I enjoyed Doug Moran Pize Free Exhibition 2011 at NSW State Library(21st April - 26th June) last Saturday.Moran is the world's richest portrait and photographic prizes. $150,000 for the best work.

The portrait winner is Vincent Fantauzzo, "Baz Lurhmann 'off screen.'" Vincent often becomes a finalist at Archibald, too.There is no watercolour work in.
Regarding a size, some works were quite small, which made me, a watercolourist very comfortable. It implies room for watercolours to compete with other media. Some finalists showed a traditional style and realism, which encouraged me so much.Indeed, the winner, Vincent's style is based on realism. It has cheered me up so much. I could not get what sort of media he uses. If anyone knows his media, please let me know it in comments.Unlike Archibold 2011 (below), not many visitors were at the library. Rather quiet. Or I might visit there after a busy time. Already, when I posted on my thoughts about Archibold, many blog friends encouraged me to be what I am(*thanks millions, everyone!). I'll keep my own watercolour style for competitions. The first uploaded baby's work is my style.

But I will keep learning, while I maintain my identity.
Copying interesting works always teaches me lots. Above, the winner's composition and colour use was very fascinating. Of course, their techniques are different from watercolour. Yet I learned a lot and feel the "unlimited" potential in watercolour techniques. Particularly, I want to explore wash and brush strokes more. Apart from technical stuff, fine artists are "bounty hunters." We try to shoot a "competition prize" in order to earn money. Not easy. Laughs and tears are in one.
Often my dear artists friends and I have kidding,
"Are you still on the earth?"
"My transaction has only few cents."
Gulp?!
Nice friends are the most assets. We exchange information on competitions and back up each other. You're one of them.

Hopefully, this blog will never stop suddenly! Hahahaha?!
I'd keep up this blog till the end of my life and share joy with you, Friends!! Today, I sketched a cute baby at a market. Children's portraits are my most favorite.
Happy painting.

Doug Moran 2011, World Richest Portrait Prize