Tuesday 8 February 2011

Looking closely







I have never been any good at drawing. In fact I have a real complex about it and if I am asked to draw anything at all I get into a 'state' and refuse. It has always been like this even in my days at school; in fact I do remember being ridiculed in art classes for my bad drawing so perhaps this is at the root of it all.

But I know there is another reason and it is not altogether unrelated to my post of yesterday, when I talked of slowing down my reading to one chapter a day. I do not have a lot of patience and I tend to want things finished yesterday, which means that I rarely look carefully. I have what my first husband used to call a 'butterfly mind' in that I am interested in everything but my mind tends to dart from one thing to another. If you relate this to drawing, which an artist once told me is ninety-eight percent looking and two percent putting pencil to paper, you can see why I am bad at it.

Today a petal fell off one of my cyclamen plants and as it lay on the window sill I saw just how beautiful the individual petal was - how it was an integral part of the whole plant and yet a thing of beauty in its own right. So I looked at a single petal on another cyclamen plant and then at a snowdrop, looking into the bowl where there is as much green as there is white.

Sadly I think it is a bit late to try and acquire this skill but at least I can appreciate what I have been missing.

17 comments:

jeanette from everton terrace said...

Never too late :)
I had to take drawing in college as it was a required class for my photo degree. I was kind of like the class mascot. If my assignment was anything close to recognizable, everyone would clap. The bar was much lower for me than everyone else. I am like you and was once referred to as a "moth" because I dart around as well, butterfly sounds so much nicer.

Bernie said...

Even just a little dabbling in art has halped me see the world in a whole new way. For that, I shall always be grateful and enriched in that I can see all the many colors in a field or in a tree. They are no longer just a green or brown but filled with many shades and kinds of color.

Sometimes when painting I surprise even myself. Fun!

Golden West said...

Your cyclamen plants are blooming so heartily in their tiny pots! Looks like you have the watering ratio down pat!

Heather said...

I am much the same with drawing Pat but do believe that we should draw each day in order to improve. Perhaps if we started by drawing just one petal instead of tackling the whole plant or even a flower, we would begin to get somewhere!

Liz said...

Weaver it's never to late to learn My mother took up art at 74 and she's loving it. I draw and long ago I was taught to observe everything as the basic shape. A quick scribble is just as much a masterpiece as a great painting is in a gallery. Give it a try.

Jo said...

I am most hopeless in creating art with pencil or music or paint or clay. I love to try, but I am such a good patron of the arts that I know how bad I am at it.

And so, I have come to accept the gift of being deeply appreciative of art...that's a worthy gift, as well, right? After all, any art needs its admirers.

You have noticed the artistic composition created by the cyclamen and the snowdrop blossoms. You've seen it and appreciated it. That's so much more than many others can do.

Your artistic gift may be in the artful way in which you arrange words and images on the virtual page.

Your work is creative, beautiful, and authentic. Great art always is.

angryparsnip said...

Even if you just draw for your self and if you get joy from putting pencil to paper then it is worth while.

I disliked my life drawing classes at school I always had a hard time then one day one of my teachers said to me "you see the flat shapes between the objects and a lighting bolt went off in my head and drawing was not a big deal anymore. I will never draw lifelike but I am secure in what I can do.

I am not a writer but I love writing haiku, I am sure that all of you at the poetry bus can do much better as seen in your writing posts. But I enjoy it and when I sit there and write it feels lovely.
and isn't that what matter the most ?

cheers, parsnip

Jeannette StG said...

Very interesting in the white little flower are that layer of green striped inside petals. (See, you have begun "looking") Being ridiculed as a child in anything, would set one up to be fearful of that subject!
I agree with the artist, 99% is work and practice. Some even say that there's not such a thing as "talent"!
And your cyclamen is stunning!

Bovey Belle said...

Another one here with a butterfly mind - I see it as a constructive thing though, shows a vibrant intellect (or so I say!)

I enjoy sketching, but don't get much time to settle down to it these days. I surprised myself recently though when I did a passing likeness of two racehorses jumping from a photo in the paper. Only "Copying", but better than nothing I suppose!

Sal said...

Although I am reasonably creative, I am not very good at drawing! I think I'll have to try and take the advice of another of your readers and aim to draw a little, each day.
I love Cyclamen. I bought one in Sainsburys, of all places, at Christmas and it's still going strong, in my lounge.
;-)

steven said...

weaver in my experience art is what you wish it to be. you used to post your collages and found objects here so you already know that. to draw or paint something that has the qualities of a photograph - well that's a different piece. i say go for it!! steven

Hildred said...

I think you have a great appreciation of art as expressed in music, words and painting, Pat, and as you reflect this awareness in your postings you inspire a lot of people. You should have no regrets about not being a great drawer!

Lisa said...

Two thoughts: First, NEVER too late (it is just when we decide to say "yes" - nothing to do with years) and second, you take great photographs - your petal is a testament to that. Thanks for a great post - so fun to read and reflect upon!

MorningAJ said...

My dad (who was a very talented amateur artist) always told me - draw what you see, not what you think. And he was right.

He also used to say that drawing was easy: "You just put a pencil to paper and move it around."

It took me years before I believed that one though. I've been taking part in an art challenge ever since I started blogging and I have to admit my technique has improved. Practice. You don't have to show anyone your results until you're happy with them.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thank you for the encouragement but I know I could not keep up the daily practice - so shall really never get any better.

Tess Kincaid said...

How lovely. I have quite forgotten the colors of spring. We still have a thick layer of snow cover in my neck of the woods. Not yet, but soon!

Crafty Green Poet said...

I can't draw either, apart from rabbits.