[L, diary, ephēmeris] 1) BLOG

A couple of months ago, another longtime artist friend and his wife re-connected, via  email.  A highly skilled artist, illustrator, calligrapher (a you-name-it-he/they-can-do-it couple), Phil mentioned that every Friday he sketches with a group using watercolors.  I asked to see some of his work, which he said was posted to their  Facebook group, Urban Sketchers of Southern Oregon. Unfortunately it was a closed group, but without hesitation Phil graciously allowed me to join. Such an exciting opportunity for my small group of students to see so much variety of technique and perspective!

The site was filled with Victorian mansions, cathedral-like French architecture, evocative glimpses of cozy tables by winter windows and artfully-cluttered kitchen shelves; portraits of well-fed pets/ historical storefronts/ delicate bridges/ modern libraries and delightful gingerbread cottages. Admittedly, the array of styles and skills dazed us as well as inspired, but did not intimidate. Yes, there was an initial caution within our first sketches.  But, it was the support of seeing their work accepted alongside the 'grown ups' that made the kid's sketching progress amazing.

In this early portrait of the student artists, their work on the wall behind them, came the first example of how transformative the experience was for the shyest of the students.

There are five girls, but six paintings displayed for their second session of sketching.

These two belong to Resty Joy, who had already begun to cringe and resist the inclusion of her first attempt, the week prior, to draw a Golden Trumpet flower. I asked her to seriously compare the  two efforts. Still writhing at having to expose any thing she creates, under insistance she finally SAW the immense increase in skill she'd mastered between these first and second efforts. Suddenly she broke into a HUGE smile of recognition...there was acceptance in her eyes when she turned to look up.  Pride!

Truly a watershed moment.  Increasingly, encouraged by studying the online sketches of the group, her previously hesitant, faint drawings and murky blending of watercolors began to expand and take on the wondrous, stained glass qualities inherent to watercolor paints--and BIG drawings, they were, too! 

There is more to share with you, the work of the other students, also, along with further generosities from the group of urban sketchers.

Happily, they have now become PUBLIC as URBAN SKETCHERS OF ASHLAND...please follow the link to see more of their work?  It would be wonderful if did that and returned to this site to post any comments you'd like for me to share with the group.

Better yet...JOIN us in the group, if inspired by their work, too!