1)Life Drawing 2)Indigenous Literacy Foundation Bid For My Work

Hi, Friends, did you enjoy a weekend? We're enjoying a long weekend. Come over NSW, Monday is our Labour day!

OK, a first topic, "colourful life drawing," a vivid colour use. Only primary colours -- yellow, blue and red are used. 
Technically, my life drawing should be called, "life painting," rather than drawing?! All work, paper size is A2. I love "big" papers for life drawing. (Sounds like stress buster?)

The model's face expression caught me. His image was "strong." Crayons were bright blue and green. A background was added later. Very dark purple, mixed with blue and red, works well. It looks like black. 

Below, contrast was the key. Strong and big brush strokes create the lively work. "Simple and bald" makes a drama. Always I come back to life drawing to get inspiration for illustration. (* I used Burnt Sienna a bit in this work.)  

 

It's a great virtue of an artist, particularly, for an illustrator, to have many styles in repertoire. Like these life drawing results, can I be brave and playful in other work? -- is a next challenge. "Be flexible and explore something new,"  I ask myself. Departure from the basics and create something unique -- is my quest. (*Not easy to achieve them all!)

 

Now, the second topic, "One Word One day,"  a charity auction for Indigenous children's literacy. All money goes to "Indigenous Literacy Foundation." 
Oh, my, Friends, "Indigenous Literacy Foundation" bought my work!! Wow, sooo happy! Great honour!! 

 Banner and My Work

The auction was really a fun. This guy entertained us so much to bump up bidding. Australian famous authors, foremost illustrators and their fans enjoyed raising funds in ABC building (=Australian Broadcasting Corporation ). The hall was full of laugh! (*NOTE: The auction, on it own was "silent.") Seeing is believing. Friends, next time, you have to come and join us. 
It's nice. I was so happy to know that we can make a change by art and through art.
...I believe in my illustration teacher's say,  "Children picture books can change the world!" Yes, we can.  

Friends, Happy Painting!! Have a nice week!

1)Life Drawing 2)Indigenous Literacy Foundation Bid For My Work

Rookwood Cemetery Open Day for Family Fun

Hi, Friends, did you have a wonderful weekend? I had a big night on Saturday to celebrate my dear friend's birthday. Thank goodness, ah, when I woke up, it was Sunday! 
But this illustrator made a hurry to "Rookwood Cemetery open day". We, Sydney Sketch Club planned to meet up. (*all my sketches are A4.)                                 

The event includes a parade, a bus tour, heritage tours, birc-a-brac, grave digging demonstrations, entertainment, etc. All money raised, goes towards restoration projects within the Cemetery.
In the parade, a horse-drawn hearse carrying a coffin interested me most. Wow, gorgeous. 

There, the most cute and lovely character was this old bicycle riding gentleman with a lorikeet! Isn't he charming? I played up the guy's personality in the sketches. Other people around me said, "It's him! It's him!" I want to develop him more in a studio!!

Also, white doves were released twice. May peace be on people and the earth. 

Traditional dancing was a very much fun. All the people were in retro costumes.The mood and movements fascinated me very much.

Sketching always inspires me. Light brush strokes in a quick movement make interesting references for illustration. Personally, I try to keep a light-hearted movement in a studio as well.

However, illustration needs to match a text. So, I do not want to fall in a pit, "one trick pony style." Like above uploaded, I enjoy a caricature style, too. Broad repertoire is one of my life long goals. 

When the event was over, I sketched the cemetery. "How to live each moment," is my concern.  
"Devote each day to the object then in time and every evening will find something done" --- Goethe. 
I hope myself to live this moment fully with joy. (*I tell myself, "Everyday is my birthday!") 

Friends, Happy Painting! Enjoy sketching!! 

Rookwood Cemetery Open Day for Family Fun

Friends, Bloom Out Fully!

Friends, each seed will become a different flower that has beauty. To live/become genuine, real oneself is the answer to live fully.
Now, we're getting into spring. Many flowers are blooming out here in Sydney. I felt like sketching them!

In this sketch,  I really enjoyed colours. Playing with colours thrilled me! Yey! 

This work could be my breakthrough of still life.

Even though I hardly made still life, my favorite old work was "acorns" below,  You'll find my style was more traditional, not liquid like above.

In the "acorns," I have a good memory and deep thoughts -- a psychologist, "Karen Horney." In Horney's approach, what attracted me most is "the human individuals, given a chance, tends to develop his particular human potentialities," like an acorn grows to an oak tree.

Horney asserts that each person, becoming a real self, has the inherent capacity to improve an individual life and become a self-realized / activated person. Free from anxiety, unique, warm, spontaneous, full of joy, simple life and unafraid.

What a beautiful expression and impressive metaphor!! I felt. A tiny acorn, but it merrily grows to a huge tree that can even rest others in her cool shade. Wow... but how could I be a real self?

I kept searching for my direction at uni whistle reading, chatting with lecturers and friends. Also, the sudden disability happened on me. When I attended the children picture book illustration course, lecturers(*famous professional illustrators) recognized my talent at once. A psychology lecturer encouraged me to be "what I am" fully.

I felt, "I don't want to live fake / pseudo myself. I want to live genuine, real Sadami." I've loved drawing since childhood. For me, drawing and painting is life. It's "me" -- I've found it! Finally, I determined to become a professional artist after uni, the lecturers celebrated my decision so much. For my departure and our good bye, the psychology lecturer suggested me read "The Gift of Therapy" by Irvin Yalom. What coincidence! I found Karen Horney in the Chapter 1, "Remove Obstacles to Growth". I really appreciated our lecturer's kindness.

Today, my life focuses on art activities. Very simple and joyful despite the disability etc.  And Friends, believe it? My watercolour painting style has begun to dramatically change since I started living "true myself". Yes, my brush cannot help but dance on papers from joy! Lively, liquid, colourful, spontaneous, free, cheerful etc, just like Horney claims. The other day, another friend says, "You're blooming out now!" Yes, indeed.

So, Friends, bloom out fully as you are. Each one's answer is different and only you can find it. Once, you really find who you are, sure, your talent will come out. You do not need to be someone else, but be what you are. You're unique and precious, as I said before.
I hope my poor writing will make sense for you and you will take a rest in this post.  I sketched this oak tree yesterday.
Friends, Happy Painting!!

Bibliography  

Boeree, C. G. (1997). Karen Horney: 1885-1952. Personality theories. Internet. 4 Sept. 2001. http://www.ship.edu/~cgboeree/horney.html.

Horney, K. (1991) "Neurosis and Human Growth," New York, Norton Company.

Yalom, I. (2001) "The Gift of Therapy," UK, Piatkus. 

Friends, Bloom Out Fully!

Lunch with Children & Tobby Riddle at Book Fest

Hi, Friends, exclusive! 
I was invited for the lunch and enjoyed it with children at Book Festival today. 
We, authors and picture book illustrators met 500 children in a Hall. 
A panel discussion was a great fun. Authors often made us laugh. I sketched it. Can you see children looking at them with a great interest?

For children, we are super heroes --- I felt my responsibility as an artist. Kids took lots of photos of us.
 ...personally, I really love these naughty pretty girls ( I used to do it! and still do it!!), ahahaha!  

 

Friends, see this great talent! One girl, Lyn sketched me. It captures me very well and very cute and pretty! Thank you, Lyn! 

Ten students, a teacher and an author or an illustrator were at each table.  We had a wonderful time.

Many children made a queue to get my authography and a quick drawing with a message, "Love and Hope!" 
Often kids said, "Coool!" "Funny!" "Awesome!" Hahaha!  
Yes, my message is same as before and will be so in my artist life. I'd deliver children love, hope and dream.  

One girl talked to me at the end of the festival.
"Can you remember me?" she asked. 
Oh, flashback! I remembered her! Yes, the girl asked me to sketch her a year ago. She kept it for her treasure and showed it me again. Oh, Sweetie, lovely. Thank YOU for remembering me! 
Children, you deserve to be happy and beloved.
I heartily hope, one day, children will look back this day and this memory will help them get through a tough time.

A big bonus is I could meet the brilliant author and illustrator Tohby Riddle in person. I'm his big fan! His great surrealism, sophisticated humour and sweetness, very heartwarming messages are so lovely. Well, you can find Tohby's duck sneaking in my watermark!! Got it?  (*Yeah, I was nothing different from other children. I put myself in his queue to get it!)

I'd really appreciate organizers' hard work and other backstage players efforts for the event. Thank you for giving me the great opportunity to share time with kids. 

I certainly feel an illustartor is a wonderful job! I love it.
Have a wonderful weekend, Friends!!  
Happy Painting!! 

Lunch with Children & Tobby Riddle at Book Fest

1)AAA uses "Melancholic Beer" 2)Self Acceptance & "This" ability

Special thanks for many people's warm cheers for me. 

So far, my work, "Melancholic Beer" has 60 votes in people's choice for Arts Access Australia prize. A big number. Goodwilll is wonderful. I'd pay back my special thanks to others by art work!

Yey!! Indeed! I've got a fantastic opportunity to contribute to Arts Access Australia.  Friends!! Accessible Arts NSW will use my work "Melancholic Beer" to promote the Arts Activated Conference on 30, 31st, October, Chatswood in Sydney. I'm so happy~~!! Great honour!! Friends, pinch me! Am I still smiling? "Cheers, Friends," I want to share this joy with all the supporters. Not melancholic at all. What a positive outcome! (*Wow, my head's in a cloud?!)

People say with a big smile, "Sadami, you're so positive!" Yes, I am! I've learned "Be what I am fully" from this disability and psychology at uni. The most beauty of what I've learned in psychology is "proper self-understanding." It builds up self-esteem and genuine confidence. Also, "love yourself properly" gives a person the ability to accept/love others properly, too.

It's not easy to look at oneself objectively. Set back and find what I did. Of course, I found disappointed things, nice things etc. Then, I begin to dig deep why I felt so? Of course, it could be painful to face  real what I am = what disappoints me? Although it took time to do it, it was worth spending time. If so, I dig deep more.  I began to understand why I felt/behaved so. Deep self-understanding enables me to perceive my value system.

Furthermore, I found my value system was quite tough and narrow. I've realized the strengths and the weaknesses are the coin's head and tail (*think of this; Sadami is Sadami. You're looking at the same person from different angles). A judgemental view is subjective and up to an individual value system.

Now, I've begun to love what I am in a realistic way. I did not turn away from "what I am" at all. "Despite the facts, I still love myself," could be a more appropriate statement, at last. The key is how we look at ourselves. 

The precious paradox is, once a person accepts who she is, she begins to change in a positive way. Liberation begins.
I've learned that "pushing oneself too much," and "demanding oneself" changes nothing. Or it may damage a person's self-esteem and destroy her confidence completely.   

Today, I love this disabled leg so much. Thus, this is not a disablity any more. It's part of me! This ability has actually matured me as a person and an artist. I've met  many people with leukemia, cancer and other chronic conditions at hospital. I met paralympians in a stadium. As far as I know all of them embracing their lives instead of complaining about unchangeable conditions. Awesome. They became my wonderful role models. Friends, that's the way! Embrace yourself properly and kindly. 

So, with all my heart, I'd say, "Please love yourself properly. You're special and precious on the earth!"
In my eyes, anyone is shining. Everyone has unique beauty.
Find it, let it shine. In drawings, I want to depict my findings or your beauties on papers.

Friends, Happy Painting!! Have a nice week!

1)AAA uses "Melancholic Beer" 2)Self Acceptance & "This" ability

1)Finalist for AAA Prize 2)Daffodils Sold!

London Paralympics excites me so much! Yey!! (*Can you remember once I sketched Australian paralympians?)

Now, great news. My work, "Melancholic Beer" is running as a finalist for Arts Access Australia prize ($5,000) and People's choice ($1,000).  Some people have already voted for me --- I'd really appreciate kindness. Very encouraging. In response to your vote, I'll keep up creating good work! Run, Sadami, run!

AAA prize is the only national art prize for people with disability. Wow, all shortlisted work is powerful and evocative. Level is high. What an honour that I could get in! Very happy!

But winning is not all. I always try comps to challenge myself. Also, I make new nice friends through comps.

Indeed, I'm really looking forward to

Desire and Destination: ArtsActivated Conference 

to meet other artists, staff and involved people in Chatswood Concourse in October. Furthermore, AAA kindly offer their website for artists to show art works. Other artists' stories really lift me up.

Here's my section.

Joint it and maximize opportunities, if you're eligible!

Another good news! 
My work, "daffodils" was sold at Victoria Cancer Council annual exhibition in Melbourne. So happy I could contribute to VCC. The theme is "strength." Here's the shortlisted work(pdf).  Each work is very touchy. Oh..., people create art work in really a narrow margin between life and death. Their work teaches me how precious our every moment is. I heartily hope my work will bring others strength, hope and joy.

So, Friends, if you have anyone involved with disabilities or cancer, please pass this post and encourage them to join these organizations. Anyone deserves to be happy. Let's enjoy life fully!

Oh, yes, one more good news. 

I've been challenging walking with a new orthotics, a new brace/splint and new red feminine shoes. (*Orthotics = shoe sole. Splint=brace to hold a leg). This splint -- light, flexible, strong -- serves very well! The best one I ever tried before. Now, it allows me to put on girly shoes. Yey!
Even though my case is very difficult to organize a best-fit orthotics,  the podiatrist has been working hard for these years. 
I will never give up.

Of course, sometimes, I feel life is hard. But I'm busy with being happy and working on art. So, I tell negative feelings/thoughts etc, "I don't have time to play with you," and shut a door.ʚ(ˆ◡ˆ)ɞ  

I've learned this paradox. Hope never leaves us -- Hope requires one condition; have "guts" to keep it. I have guts and I know your cheers are my energy. Thanks millions!

Friends, have a wonderful week. Happy Painting!!

1)Finalist for AAA Prize 2)Daffodils Sold!

Robin Norling's Tips for Life Drawing

I'm developing characters for a picture book project = Lots of research and reviewing my thousands of sketches etc. We have a life drawing class in Monday evenings. 

By the way, often people ask me about drawing skills, particularly, how to draw figures. So, this week, I'll pass on you the tips for life drawing. Let's share them! 

 This wonderful knowledge was from Robin Norling's   drawing class in NSW Art Gallery that I bumped in 1997. Robin is a very famous artist and well-respected lecturer, ( *I, about to be a uni mature student, did not know his name at that time). He kindly included me, a wondering sheep. A given hand-out was spot-on that enlightened me. His humour shone through.

Here we go! 

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●Drawing is a communication. It has a language! ●Learning the language of drawing enables you to express your perceptions & sensibilities. ●By learning to “read” the drawings of others, we increase our visual language. ●“He who listens most speaks best.”

●Commence your drawing with the simplest possible statement / gesture. For example,

(Don’t try to sew the buttons on before you have cut out the material for the shirt!)
●Proceed by modifying the first statement in very simple ways.

(If you find drawing difficult, you are attempting too much too soon!)

●Take account of “flattening.”

●Respond dramatically – Don’t underplay your reaction of the essence of the model.

●Make marks only when you have something to say. (Otherwise it becomes scribble.)

●Artists’ drawings are generally concerned with formal issues : movement, structure, volume, space, light, proportion, surface,  etc.(Rather than knees and nipples!)

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When Robin looked at my drawings and me, he said with a biiig smile, "You're enjoying it!" Yes, I was so happy to play with charcoal on big papers, ah, heaven! "You're ok," he added. His confident say puzzled me. I asked, "Why?"
"You like drawing and you're enjoying it," said Robin, smiling back at me. I see. Joy must come first. I felt what a nice teacher he was!! 
(*Years later, when I got into art and googled his name, oh, my, I got so surprised! What a lucky girl I was!) 

Indeed, I've carried out what Robin taught in the pamphlet since 1997. Still that pamphlet shines on me from the drawing board in a studio.  I'd say special thanks to him one day, if I could see him.

In addition, I'm a self-taught artist who did not try Art school. Instead of Art school, I've been keen on learning about art at anytime and anywhere. I've watched other artists' demos, joined workshops, read books and so ons. As far as I know, many wonderful artists are self-taught and hard workers. I also believe in people's good will. If you work hard, certainly, nice people will come up and help you like Robin did it for me.


So, Friends, don't lose your heart at the tough time. Enjoy drawing!
Drawing skills take time, years to learn it. But a small everyday effort makes a huge difference in the future. Let us keep up!    
Friends, Happy Painting!!

Robin Norling's Tips for Life Drawing