Climate Conversation Tree Number 21 - Its BIG!

This is the 21st drawing in my Climate Conversation tree series and it is very large. It is six by three feet in size on paper. I began this drawing by going into the woods near Penland and finding this very scared tree. I rolled the paper into thirds and rubbed different parts of the tree. Then I came back into my studio and used the marks provided by the tree to add details and contrast. 

So it is representational of a real tree, but the interior marks become very abstract. 

Drawing 15 Complete!

This is drawing 15 in the Tree Series I am working on. It is part of a future exhibit I am calling Climate Conversations. This is 22 x 30 on printing paper. 

The left edge of the tree is almost lost and very light in value. The tree has a very scarred texture. Looks like many nails were driven into the tree in the past. Many circular marks as well that I found fascinating. This was a combination of trees on the Penland Property. 

Tree Series: Drawing 14 Complete!

Here is Tree Series Drawing 14! While I was at Penland School of Arts & Craft in the NC Mountains this summer I began expanding and experimenting with my Tree Series. For this drawing I choose to use a very textured and lightly colored paper. All previous drawings in this seresin had been on white, 18 x 24 sketch paper. 

I took the paper into the woods near Spruce Pine NC and rubbed it onto a tree in several places. Then I went back to my studio and enhanced the natural texture. I decided to show the most detail in the middle of the tree trunk and allow the details to fade toward the edges. 

Penland School of Art & Craft is amazing!

I took an experimental drawing class with Harriet Hoover at Penland this summer. It was an amazing class. Penland has a tremendous reputation for arts instruction and it lived up to it! Here are a few of the pieces I drew during my two weeks there. More to come. 

Experimented with paper, this is parchment. 

A few of the tree drawing together on a wall. The larger one is 6 feet tall. 

Very textured paper. Concentrated the darker values and detail in the center, then there is less value contrast and detail as you move out. 

This is very thin paper. The light areas are full of texture.