There was one installation that got me staying to be with it for quite a while, out of the several art exhibits at the prison. The simplest one, by Matt and John Stemler, ‘Juxtapositions’, sought to create a sort of indoor horizon using plaster that had fallen from the cell walls. It was captivating and defined the space in an interesting way. I might write something more about it later, or attempt a review. Hope you enjoy the pictures, I think they came out really well.
…and the right way up…
A copy of a Louise Bourgeois painting, Femme Maison. While I was drawing it, it got me thinking about painting again and making things. It’s not an amazing drawing, but the fact that I am drawing at all and enjoying it is fantastic to me! And I’ve started thinking about how to make my drawings better now – things like varying the types of marks and proportions of things and wondering about how to translate these into painting or making of some sort. I met a woman on the subway yesterday when I was reading my drawing book, and ok, she thought I was 17 and told me to get my ‘mom’ to look into scholarship programs for art schools, but encouragingly, she told me to follow my dreams of art. However cheesy that sounds, it’s the first time I’ve thought seriously about going back to art school for a long time. I’m enjoying my History of Art studies though and the discipline and strategies I am learning. Maybe when I’m Dr. Becky then I will feel ready for the studio side of things. And by then I’ll be drawing and painting (and more) like a pro!
The original Louise Bourgeois painting alongside a couple of others.
But my camera battery died (not very good at recharging those things on time) and now it’s Saturday… Things I love Thursday is a thing that Gala Darling (interesting blogging entrepreneur writer) does, where she celebrates her life with a list of things she’s grateful for every week (this is hers from last week: TiLT 10 July 2008). So here’s my first go at this, to try and get my gratitude flowing…
Wearing my beautiful shoes that Richard gave me – in the daytime! Makes me feel all long-legged and gorgeous and reminds me that I have friends that care about me when I am feeling rubbish… Richard sent me them when I got beat-up last year. It’s nice to have Richard to talk to about art too sometimes.
Colourful buildings! Philadelphia has lots of colourful architecture and murals and different kinds of buildings next to each other which is nice to try and compose photos of.
The lovely fake flowers that Becca has left behind as well as the nice desk they are sitting on that I will use for copious scholarly musings.
Learning to draw! The Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain book is inspiring and useful and is helping to make the nerve-wracking blank page kind of exciting. Yay! Still doing upside-down drawings but also the one pictured is a childhood landscape, where you had to look back and try to draw what you used to draw as a five or six year old. It was funny because I had such a block on it and then as soon as I put pen to paper I remembered I always drew suns with sunglasses and a smiley face, and then quite a few bits came back to me! Maybe I will write a whole post on it soon…
This is a double one – Mike and smoothies. Mike for listening carefully, accepting me for who I am and sending me cheerful texts. Smoothies for the fact that I’ve eaten (and it feels like eating) about one every day this week (except not today), all different flavours, mango, citrus, berries, bananas, passion fruit, pomegranate and they seem to give me energy to do my studying, which I’m finding hard work but totally worth it at the moment.
Hee hee, a cheeky one… the taste of full fat milk in my coffee, because the only shop in my area that sells soya milk was closed. Any excuse!
And finally… the Fresh Grocer in West Philly. Lovely fresh produce and tofu things and Green and Blacks chocolate and soya yoghurt (the weird American kind but better than nothing).
Looking forward to next week’s list 
I’ve been doing some exercises from the Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain book. I quite like how this one came out. You had to copy a Picasso drawing upside-down so that you’re focusing on the shapes and angles and lines rather than the actual idea of it being…
…a man in a chair! I like it… it makes me feel excited about the possibilities of learning to draw
After Ad Reinhardt’s Red Painting, 1950. I feel so much more myself after having done some drawing. This is going to be an everyday thing from now on and it’s kind of a mess right now but I will improve.
