Friday, May 23, 2014

New directions...

While I have never been one to take direction very well, if I do strike out in a different one I do it with a vengeance.
Having decided to take advantage of this beautiful weather (somewhat akin to "The Medieval Warm Period") and being of reasonably sound mind and limb, I have been doing a lot of outdoor sketching and life drawing which has in turn gotten me out of the house. I almost feel the need to capitalize that statement, for years my kids have viewed my hermit like existence as a case of agoraphobia, not taking into account the fact that with limited energy, the job of raising kids and running a house took priority over coffee mornings and the other social pursuits that nice middle class ladies indulge in (tennis anyone?).
Well...I have been to two coffee mornings this week! (admittedly one was morning tea in aid of cancer research) and I find them to be a very strange and discomfiting experience. I took along my sketchbook to the first one and happily drew my soy latte and Portuguese tart before eating them.
This morning I sketched a local landmark very near my house (1,800 steps away to be precise, I counted them) the "TUFF'N UP  Boxing Gym, Don't get Hit, get Fit". I drive past this little rusted corrugated iron shed almost every day and the sign still makes me chuckle.
Not particularly happy with the result but here it is anyway. I did feel the  need to draw it as I suspect it will soon make way for a new development in this growing area.
There have been other directions but they are subjects for another day.
I do need to get my etegami, blogging etc back in the picture, I am feeling the lack.....

8 comments:

  1. Hi, Oregame, your humour is lovely. The work is very beautiful!! Cheers, Sadami

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ah, Sadami, I can only dream of having your skill with watercolours!

      Delete
  2. I think this is excellent -- I love that there's a "Tuff'n Up Gym," it would be sad to see it go. This has inspired me to try to go out and draw similar establishments in DC that will likely fall to new developments.

    One question, are you discomfited by the coffee mornings, or by the act of sketching in public? I am very much afraid to draw outside -- I feel I'm not very good, and I hate the idea of someone looking over my shoulder. I do more secret sketching, or take photos and draw later. I need to get over it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Maybe I am just not a Cafe Society kind of gal but I do feel that sitting chatting is nicer in ones own nest! I am getting better about drawing in public, frankly most people avoid eye contact ( am I that scary?). Anyway it is fun so enclose yourself in your little "cone of silence"and go for it!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love to see the new paths you are taking. Sketching out in public is something I've never had the courage to do (and being an obvious foreigner in Japan is guaranteed to attract unwanted attention), but you give me courage to try to find a way to do it that isn't too painful (both literally and figuratively). It would be a crime not to take advantage of our very brief warm season in Hokkaido. Will have to give this lots of thought....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes Debbie this old dog is trying to learn a few new tricks, it helps when sketching outdoors that as a woman you become invisible after a certain age! Have you investigated a ride on contrivance to get you out more? You could decorate it and really get some attention!

      Delete
  5. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Why it's absolutely gorgeous! The subject, the colour, the warm light, and those lovely shadows on the wall. Wish I'd done it.
    From the above comments, I guess we all need to tuff'n up and get out there! Less consternation, more creation! (Not as snappy as 'don't get hit, get fit' ...)

    ReplyDelete