Latest from the Pleasant Grove Portrait Session

15" x 11" Charcoal on Gray Paper

This is a charcoal drawing made a week ago from life at Casey Childs studio. It was drawn with charcoal pencils and a little bit of "white charcoal" on gray paper. 

I saw a Thanksgiving-themed poll posted on line yesterday. It was asking readers what they were most thankful for. For choices it listed things like: Health, Family, Friends, Church, Freedom, etc. I had a hard time choosing, so I didn't. I'm very thankful for everything the poll listed. 

Since this blog is largely about drawing and painting, I could add those two things to my list of things to be thankful for. I'm thankful for continuing opportunities to attend drawing sessions to build drawing skills. Oh - and the outdoors. I'm so thankful for wild places where I can go hike and paint!

For more about drawing sessions, go to "Labels" on the side bar and click on "sketching" or "drawing."

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

This Evening, November 20th at 6:00 PM!

This evening at Evergreen Gallery in Salt Lake City a new group show opens. This blog is in a string of portrait drawings recently, but if you want to see some of my newest plein air landscapes, come to the show!

The Studio Owner's Friend

11" x 15" Charcoal and "White Charcoal" on Grey Paper

Last Week I attended an event hosted by the Center for Academic Study and Naturalist Painting (CAS) in Springville. Painters were invited to a presentation of art supplies by the Trekell Company. There was lots of good food (of which I had way too much!) After the presentation was a free portrait session. The man who sat for us is one of the friends of the painter who runs CAS. I was certainly interested in the art supplies, and thoroughly enjoyed the food, but the portrait session was the main draw (no pun intended) for me. I love drawing people, specially from life. The picture above shows the drawing I made of the model that evening.

For more about drawing sessions, go to "Labels" on the side bar and click on "sketching" or "drawing."

A New Group Exhibit Coming Up!

This coming Friday, November 20th, a new group exhibit will open at The Evergreen Gallery, 3295 South, 2000 East in Salt Lake City. Some of my newer plein air paintings will be in the show. Come enjoy the show, and maybe do some early Christmas shopping for gifts that can't be found in any big department store!

Young Woman from Russia

12" x 9" Charcoal on Paper

The models who have sat in the various portrait sessions I've attended over the years have come from all around the world. Probably most of the models have been locals, but a large percentage of them have come from other places, drawn to Utah for a variety of reasons. 

They've come from Mexico, Guatemala, the Caribbean, Peru, Bolivia, Brasil, and other South American countries. They've come from Hawaii, New Zealand, and other Polynesian cultures. Others have been from Japan, Korea, China, Mongolia, and India. Some have come from various West African nations and Europe. Not to mention - or maybe to especially mention - the Navajo, Sioux, Kiowa and other Native American tribes who have been represented in the different studios I've drawn in. This week has provided me with another opportunity to draw someone from Russia. 

The wide variety of nationalities, races and customs presented in the portrait sessions I've attended have been important to learning to draw individuals. To me, the individual is more important than the "ideal" that some painters pursue. It's the variety of individuals that bring a variety of good to the world.

For more about drawing sessions, go to "Labels" on the side bar and click on "sketching" or "drawing."

A Recent Pastel Portrait Sketch

12" x 9" Pastel on Coated Paper

Running a little bit late posting on this blog! Here's a pastel portrait sketch I did last month at the portrait session in Pleasant Grove. It started out as a charcoal study, but color found it's way onto the drawing. It was drawn with charcoal, Faber Castell Polychromos hard pastels and conte pastel pencils on Art Spectrum Colourfix pastel paper. Hope you enjoy it!

For more about drawing sessions, go to "Labels" on the side bar and click on "sketching" or "drawing."