May 3, 2010

• I Have a Secret

  What kind of a secret? 

  Well, let me tell you.

                        
                                                 Chirper enjoyed the sketches, too!

  I became interested in pencil drawings of portraits, when I was in the first year of high school.  Waaaaaaay back when!

  I sat next to a friend in my English class who sketched (so easily) portraits of faces.  I quickly became consumed with a passion for portrait sketching.

                    

  I mainly drew them in high school, but after moving to Oklahoma (and bringing my art supplies with me) I did a few more, when I was a little older.  Then, the high powered job came, and after that – the new babies, and the drawing stopped.

                     

  Most of my “models” were from magazines.  The cosmetic ads were the best because of the glamorous make up and the interesting depth the make up gave the model’s eyes.  That was in the days of B-I-G hair, which was also fun to draw.

                     

  That said, I recently came across my bent up and ripped art work, when we moved the bedroom furniture so the painter could paint.  There is was . . . under the bed. 

  I carried it to the formal living room sofa with all of the books from my bedroom shelves.  The mess sat there for almost a week. 

  The girls looked through it a bit and said, “Oh Momma, this is really good!”  But, coming from a child, I didn’t pay much attention to the flattery.

                  

  The painter noticed the drawings and was very complimentary, not believing I’d never had lessons.

                            
                                   Actor Robert Wagner – the man I had a crush on for 30 years!!!

  After putting the furniture back, I figured I needed to find a better way to store my ancient drawings.  So, all of them have been sitting on top of my dresser, waiting for me to create a safer place for them. 

  This weekend, friend (Margaret) and her daughter (Shannon) stopped by to pick up some books I was giving Shannon.  While showing Margaret the newly painted rooms, she noticed the artwork on the dresser and asked if it was mine.

                    
                                                                           I Dream of Genie
                                                                             Barbara Eden 

  She told me Shannon’s artwork had placed 5th out of hundreds of entries. 

  I explained I never had art lessons and my confidence level would keep me from ever being competitive. 

  The artsy things I create, I do for enjoyment – not for competition.

                       
                                         My mother’s portrait of my cousin, Claire.
                                  The cousin Rissy’s is named after – Marissa Claire.

  I was always very relaxed when I sketched, even though I bent over the paper for hours and hours. 

  My Mom helped me a bit.  She *had* taken art lessons.

  And, my friend in high school, Janell, also helped me a bit. 

  However, most of my learning was by trial and error.

                                        
                                                                   My friend from high school, Janell.

  I looked at the art again, this morning, and can’t believe I did the work I did when I was younger. 

  I’m not sure I could come close to making a portrait come to life, if I were paid millions of dollars to do it today. 

  Who knows maybe I could.

         
                                  Davey Jones from the music rock group, The Monkees

  
  I still have paper left and all of my old pencils and erasers.  It wouldn’t cost anything to try.

  Maybe I should try.

  Be Blessed  ~

  • 11:32 am
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