Love Affair with Black and White

In the early 70's a friend asked if I would like to take a drawing class with her.  It was just 6 weeks, an evening adult ed class, entitled "Anyone Can Draw".  It was one of the best decisions I ever made.
The 25-30 attendees  aged from 17 to 70+.  We all had to introduce ourselves and tell why we were taking the class.   Almost everyone thought they had no artistic skill or talent.  (I knew I could draw; after all, I had Winky Dink and my kneaded eraser, but I had never taken an art class.)
The young teacher started us all with the same project; a still life, one small box on top of a large one.  We were to draw it paying attention to size and perspective.  Then light and dark sides.  What she emphasized was "seeing"~paying attention.
At the end of every session there was a "critique".  She collected everyone's work and clipped them to a wire that was hung across the front of the room.  What an "eye-opening" (pardon the pun) experience this was.  There were 25 drawings of 2 boxes.  All the same but different.  I would say every person left that night with more confidence than when they arrived.
The following classes followed the same format.  Sometimes when we arrived there would be 5 or 6 objects on our work tables (rocks, leaves, pods etc.).  We would each one and that would be the subject for the night.
We drew with line or value or mass only; then again with all 3...again teaching us "to see".
After 6 weeks, what we learned was that we could draw, anything, and that each one of us had our own style.  It was so apparent when the papers were hung,  you could always tell who had done the drawing.
(The above drawing was copied from a photograph on the cover of a National Geographic magazine.  I've since learned about copyright laws and never use other's work..but I am very proud of this drawing......it "set me free".)

A favorite book about "seeing" is  Frederick Franck's  "Zen Seeing, Zen Drawing".

It Began with Two

These are the earliest pieces of my art  and the first pieces  that I matted and framed.  They were created while I was still in high school (after the pastel project in art class).   At that time, I knew nothing about archival materials.  I just went to a craft store and bought  cheap mats and standard black metal frames.   These 2 pastels, both  8" x 10",   now hang in my Mother's house.  I have since framed them with nicer frames.

As best as I can recall, the scenes were probably copied from photos in magazines.  There were not titled.

I have no other pieces of my "early" art so these are real treasures.  I don't know why I didn't think more about saving what I created.   At some point, I did purchase a large portfolio and did keep sketches that I thought were "good"; but after 40 years and more moves than I can remember, it too has disappeared.

When Art Found Me

I spent a long time thinking about this quote and art as a part of my life; when did I start drawing, when did art begin to “interest” me. As I began to recall specific events, I realized that art has been a part of my life for almost 60 years; beginning with the “Magic Screen” from Winky Dink & You.
(I Googled Winky Dink and found that this 1950's Saturday morning kid’s show impacted many an artist’s life!)
Another early influence was the John Gnagy program Learn To Draw. I was given the art kit as a gift and drew along each week. (Each time I use my kneaded eraser, I think of this show.) I also Googled John Gnagy and found that the drawing sets are still being sold. The website created by his daughter includes YouTube presentations of the original TV programs. http://tseymour.com/gnagy.html

I grew up in a small town, art wasn’t a big part of our school curriculum.  I don’t remember much of anything that I might have been taught except for one high school class. When I compare my art classes to what my daughter’s included, I was quite jealous. (I never heard of batik 50 years ago.) In high school, one of the classes included a lesson using pastels; another medium I never heard of. I loved it. This is when art became something that I was interested in.
My real regret was that no one took much interest in art or encouraged my talent or interest. There was no mention of art school, art careers, or creating a portfolio.. In other words, no one took art seriously. It was just a hobby.

I bought a set of pastels at the local stationery supply store. I had that set for the best part of 4 decades. My first creations were made with those pastels.