I was at Chestnut Hill College on March 9, yesterday, to do a session of poetry writing. (Look here to read about the Installment Plan Poetry Marathon I am doing, and why I was at this location).
Long story short, I hadn’t realized the school was on spring break and I got there before the library opened, being on holiday hours. So I sat outside with my sketchbook in a pleasant sunny morning and here is what I came up with.
This sketchbook travels with me in my red and black plaid bag (on that day sharing it with a thesaurus and a rhyming dictionary. Sitting and drawing like this is a refuge for me – a way to create my own space in crowded or disorienting circumstances. The peaceful college campus certainly was not pressing in on me, but the disruption in my schedule could have gotten to me. I am glad I have learned to turn to art or poetry-writing in these situations. Amazing what a difference a pen and paper make.
Chestnut Hill College, Logue Library, pen and ink, 8″ x 8″. March 2017.
This sketchbook endures a lot. I noticed that once again I’ve spilled something on it – the bottom right corner area, this time. I think it’s one of those protein drinks I carry around. Must remember to be more careful!
Hi Claudia, I really like this. Laura
Thank you. I love this library and the college is very nice to let the public use it. I even have a library card here. Anyway, I have been trying to do more sketching (I say more, but really it’s a new thing for me) and it just seemed a perfect time to do this building’s portrait!
Well, you seem to do it beautifully.
Instead of picking up the iPhone, you’re drawing this lovely building. Love this!
What a successful double use of your creative skills. It is good to be able to disappear into your sketching, a very useful ability.
Thank you. It’s a new way of looking at things, to draw them.
Thank you. It never occurred to me to spend the time with the phone (could be my age, I do not have any trouble whipping out a book to read pretty much anywhere). I will say that drawing allows me to withdraw and go inward and yet be very present, if this makes any sense, and for that, I really value it, no matter how good or bad any drawing is that I do.
Yes, I easily get overwhelmed when too much is going on (can be going on inside my head, too, and in fact usually is…) I find doing art in any form helps me stay cohered and drawing especially so, since it requires being present in the scene, but making sense of it from within, so that I can keep adding lines. Plus it is very portable. Not like collage or even painting.
You inspire me.
Thank you. Makes my day to hear this. Thank you.
Great depth and wonderful architectural details on this drawing.
Lovely sketch work!
Thank you. I like this building; it’s been very kind to me, and I hope this portrait does it justice.
Thank you. It is really soothing to search out the details in a building; there is always more to find, and then more detail inside that, and so on. A process that keeps on surprising, when you try to observe like that, and that’s why I am liking drawing, I think. Not for the end product but for the way I get there.
Yes, I agree, I think drawing requires you to be ‘really there’, but at the same time cuts out all the noise.