Here are a handful of recent sketches; another glimpse of process. They’re the best reflection of what’s going on for me at the moment. You’re seeing these in the raw, i.e. photos of rough sketches (no clean-up or refinement) on journal pages with only extraneous background cropped.
These two were from video screen shots. I’d like more live figure drawing from a model, but it seems there isn't a group in Las Cruces. Maybe I'll have to start one. Hmmm.
Girl Gazing Graphite
Fancy Dress Graphite and Ink
Three Women Graphite
This combines three stylistic interpretations of model, Maye Musk; singer, Beyonce; and painter, Akiane. Why these women? No special reason, except I wanted the lines of the clothing to flow and harmonize at the bottom and these worked. I’ll see where it goes.
Las Cruces Entrance Graphite, Ink, and Watercolor
This is an unusual-for-me tiny architectural sketch of a local building.
The following three are successive stages of a recent piece, still in progress.
#1 Memory of Kathmandu Graphite
#2 Memory of Kathmandu Graphite and Ink
#3 Memory of Kathmandu Acrylic Ink and Pen
Memory of Kathmandu brings to mind a past life recollection and this poem written quite a while ago.
Memory of Kathmandu
by Jaswant Khalsa
A story of courage, a tale of love
A riveting regale of fire in the eyes
And steel in the step
Of determined arms and out flung hands
Of a race nearly lost but clearly won
A race that only I run.
Leaping in an endless sky of silver clouds
I don the Magician’s velvet robe
Of shimmering black and diamonds
and cloak the earth
In flowers that flourish amid raindrops
And snowflakes enamored of the wind.
My snow white steed
Carries me on iridescent wings
Over impenetrable mountain passes
Where I hear the song of peasant folk
The chimes of steeples thin on high
And bells on the ankles of maidens
As I hold to its mane
Through treacherous storms
Hair whipped by tempestuous winds
My imperishable heart beats on.
Through the rising Himalayas
Over the temples of Kathmandu
Summer and winter meet outside of time.
The soft satin of newborn skin
Wraps ‘round the fear of disappearing
As it vanishes in the night.
The cries of coming into the world
And the silence of leaving are one.
As always, thank you for your interest. Happy Holidays. Love and Peace prevail, in the New Year and always.