Melon Man

Melon Man   charcoal and conte on Rives BFK   27.5 x 21

Each Wednesday I trudge on up to our township center to the farmers' market.  I use the term loosely, as there are usually only 3 booths...a gal who bakes scrumptious cookies, a guy who sharpens knives......and the melon man whose booth offers up luscious late-summer produce...a vast array of peaches, squash, sweet onions and much much more.  He was less than thrilled when I asked him to pose with one of his melons.  But, despite my trepidation in asking him, I knew that I would be able to invest myself in this project, as we have a shared experience....him as a seller, and me as a hiker with a backpack heavy with produce.

I began by taping off the right hand side of paper, knowing that I want to create a split visual.  I worked on his figure first of all, which, for the most part, is composed of large and simple shapes.  My next step was to turn the support 90 degrees to the right.  In the taped off area, I created a melon patch.  This part happened quite easily, as I was charmed by the rhythms of the leaves...and the counterspaces that occurred as a result.  In the final stage of the work, I removed the tape and began to integrate the two parts into a "oneness" that satisfied  my sense of aesthetic.  I am quite pleased, as this project offered up a satisfying mix of challenge and fun.  I began by using vine charcoal, then threw conte crayon in the mix, as well as some broad swipes of green pastel...just enough for a color suggestion.

This project renewed my love of drawing (as most of my time is spent painting), as well as renewing my love of conte crayon.

Come October, I will miss my Wednesday treks to the township park.

Ben

Ben   vine charcoal and conte crayon on paper   20.5 x 12

Bassham is an Emeritus Professor of Art History at Kent State University and one of my colleagues at Group Ten Gallery in Kent.  A few Saturdays ago, during our drawing exhibition, Ben agreed to sit for me while on duty.  My drawing, done in vine charcoal, was fairly complete after a couple of hours.  Actually, it might have been finished at that point...everything was in the right place.  I wished, however, to take the drawing to more completion, which is always risky, as too many details tend to detract from, and take power away from, the spirit of the work.  On the other hand, it can also lead to a more creative work, as contemplation allows for more push and pull, as I make decisions about which information is more significant.  (there is an absolute flood of information in the human face).  I also wanted to try my hand at suggesting his horn-rimmed glasses and his tiny-checked wool sportcoat.  Conte crayon was used for those passages.  A charcoal pencil, which allows for more concentrated dark marks, was used here and there for punctuation. A photo reference was used for this final session at home. I am pleased with this work.  Thank you, Ben!

A Place

A Place   vine charcoal on paper   15 x 21

Drawing is a wonderful way to spend time.  Drawings help one to refine draftspersonship, and to explore all of the design elements and principles without the sometimes confusing elements of color and color relationships.  Drawings are faster and can be left for a period of time without fear of the drying up of materials.  As with any endeavor, the complexity of drawing slowly reveals itself, the more we practice it.  Vine charcoal is a softer material which allows for a slower contemplation of the subject matter.  Yet, it is not capable of the darkest darks which are possible with charcoal sticks.  Charcoal sticks are appropriate, in my opinion, for a bold and sure, as well as minimal, application.  Too much stick charcoal without a sure goal, can yield a muddied work, as removal of the charcoal becomes next to impossible.  Conte crayons are wonderful, yet cannot be easily smudged or moved around.  Papers matter as well.  A paper with much texture results in a drawing where texture reigns....good if that is your goal.  And yet a plate surface does not provide an absorption of the pigment. Newsprint quickly turns to acid. One figures all of this out as one continues to draw.

"A Place" was drawn from light to dark, similar to a watercolor process, where whites are cherished and left untouched.  I started with vine charcoal to move around the paper....it is relatively forgiving.  Darker darks were added later with charcoal pencils and sticks.  My eraser(kneaded)was used as a tool in order to achieve a push::pull relationship.  This application, I believe, was appropriate for this subject matter.  My use of materials might change given another subject, another desired effect.  Although I have many drawing papers, I chose a sheet out of a pad of Strathmore 400 series 90# drawing paper and am quite happy with the result.  This paper would not stand up to a more aggressive application.

"A Place" reveals a place at the table, a place of acceptance and of comfort.  I don't think that there could be a more important thing to have...a place.  I wish it for all.