This morning found me thinking about what to write. It's a busy time and trying to find some 'me time' has been difficult with no respite in sight for the near future.

However a couple of things have changed;

I resigned from a committee at the Wellington Artists Gallery

and from the Critique Group at the Photographers Guild.

However I did replace them with a new group, I joined the KW Urban Sketchers group. A loosely knit group of people who share a common thread, the love of drawing, painting and sketching.

The manifesto is simple:

We draw on location, indoors or out, capturing what we see from direct observation.

Our drawings tell the story of our surroundings, the places we live and where we travel.

Our drawings are a record of time and place.

We are truthful to the scenes we witness.

We use any kind of media and cherish our individual styles.

We support each other and draw together.

As I try to grow as an artist, recovering that which was lost so many years ago this seemed like a good trade.

Things change and we change.

Some things had to be given up to allow other things to grow...

I have just finished reading :The Tree's in my Forest” By Bernd Heinrich.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Trees-Forest-Bernd-Heinrich/dp/0060929421

Although it is about tree's and a forest, literally . The analogy between our lives and his forest are quite clear, or where too me...

Tree seedlings can sit dormant or growing very slowly for years, until conditions change, allowing them to reach for the sun and grow.

A tree crashes to earth as a result of old age, high winds or Ice. In doing so it relinquishes its hold on the canopy space.

Sunlight floods the forest floor and the sleepy seedlings reach for the skies..

In my case the tree's that fell were the committee's. In their removal a space opened up for this fledgling artist to reach for the sky.

Well that's the general idea, now where is my pencil and sketchpad ? ….

“Sometimes, to pursue a new idea, the artist must forfeit his deposit on an old idea”. ~Robert Brault

Procrastination - That dirty word..

“Procrastination” has become a dirty word.
A procrastinator has become a sloth, a ne'er-do-well, someone not to be trusted.

However there was a time when we all took the time to “ponder” to “mull it over”, to “evaluate”, “ruminate”, “throw it against the wall and see what sticks”  and in doing so we often come up with the correct choice.

Now instant decisions are the norm..
Well knee jerk reactions can start wars …

So what is the alternative?
Procrastinate!
If a decision doesn't have to be made today, right now, this instant and lets face it most don't, then put it off until it has to be made.

The “back burner” is where our mind still works on things subconsciously. “Sleeping on it” allows us to focus on what is really important...

“Relaxing”, “enjoying” or busily doing “nothing at all”

Oh I know there are times when we have to decide and decide quickly but I wonder how many of the day to day decisions fall into that category?

The British Army adage, the six “p's” hold true.
P!ss Poor Planning Produces Poor Performance

Or if you are of a more delicate nature, the 7 P's ..
Proper Prior Planning Prevents Pitifully Poor Performance

So ask yourself, how can you plan if you need a decision RIGHT NOW! ??

After a morning spent in the joyful pursuit of doing nothing, during the time that I set aside for myself and I might add, jealously guard. No tougher decision was made other than where to sit and what to draw and the world did not come to an end because of it ....

“One of the symptoms of an approaching nervous breakdown is the belief that one's work is terribly important.” ~Bertrand Russell

https://secure.flickr.com/photos/ajn_photography/14756048875/in/photostream/

Lets talk about barns...
You see them everywhere around here in what was once a bucolic setting.
Unfortunately the trend is buy the land, tear down the barn, either quickly or leave the old place to slowly crumble as the years roll on.
Demolition by neglect

As a lover of all things 'old', some call me a 'Luddite', I hate to see this happening. What is worse I hate it when I watch and old place always thinking 'I should record this place before its gone. Because it surely will be gone' and I wait, putting off the visit as if I had all the time in the world.
Then, one day I drive by and there is a pile of burning rubble … too late.

Last week I read an article on the Urban Sketchers website, “A Farewell to Barns” it seems others are of the same mind.

http://www.urbansketchers.org/2014/07/a-farewell-to-barns.html

I made a suggestion to my friends to visit two such places nearby.

On Saturday morning we set off for the first location. As it turned out we did not reach the second location as time flew by and real world issues forced us back to reality. We packed up and headed downtown to our favourite watering hole ..OX for tea, croissants and banter before heading back to tackle the remainder of the day.

All-in-all a great morning, the weather guys were wrong (again) about the rain and thunderstorms and we had a warm, peaceful morning sitting in the shade and managed to record one old barn and outbuildings for posterity.

Sometimes 'simple' is all you need.

“Beware the barrenness of a busy life”. ~Socrates

www.flickr.com/photos/ajn_photography/14698545952

Yesterday was 'a walk in the woods ' day.

At this time of year it should have been called a 'three doses of DEET' day!

The place, Scottsdale Farm and the wonderful meandering trails there. However it was hard to concentrate or to stop for as soon as we did we were engulfed in a swarm of bloodthirsty mosquitoes.

Incessant buzzing in my ears, tapping on my face, getting in behind my glasses. The constant, never ending onslaught made concentration difficult if not impossible.

Then there was one of those moments, we walked into a small valley and it was like walking back in time. To a time long ago when dinosaurs ruled and everything was ten times bigger than what we know and expect. The valley floor covered in waist deep jewelweed massive ancient Ash, Maple and Beech trees reached for the sky and the forest floor not covered with the jewelweed had a new coat, of young tree's.

The ice storm(s) of last winter had caused much damage to the canopy. So much so that more light was pouring in to those area's that for so long had been in deep shade. It doesn't take Mother Nature long to seize on an opportunity, the tree's began to sprout dozens if not hundreds of tiny tree's began the race to the light.

For those that look and see it was an amazing sight to behold.

But ...

… “Why didn't Noah swat those two mosquitoes”? ~Author Unknown

The long and scary road back ...

 https://secure.flickr.com/photos/ajn_photography/14399752419/

As you probably know these past few months I have been trying to strengthen my drawing and sketching skills having hung up my pens, pencils and brushes many years ago.

Laast week I uploaded a pen and ink sketch of Goldie Mill here in Guelph.

My friend Connie added a comment or was it a challenge ?

“Are you going to make a painting of this”? She asked.

I said no but after a series of sketches at home I used a brush pen and added watercolour to it.

Then I redrew the scene once again this time on Aquarelle watercolour paper and pulled out my brushes …

The attached photo is the result “one small step for a man, one giant leap …. for me” :-)

After another quiet morning spent in the marsh at Valens Conservation Area I must admit that this sketching stuff is becoming addictive. Yes I had my camera, yes I made a few images but the overpowering serenity that one feels when just sitting, watching and listening is like a drug.

“We live in a very tense society. We are pulled apart... and we all need to learn how to pull ourselves together.... I think that at least part of the answer lies in solitude”. ~Helen Hayes

https://secure.flickr.com/photos/ajn_photography/14346203980/

Yesterday I went to Goldie Mill Park here in Guelph.

“Nothing too unusual about that, Alan out for a walk on a Saturday morning” they say.

But this one was different in a couple of ways, firstly I was alone, the normal 'motley cew' scattered to the ends of the Earth well if you call Tobermory the ends of the earth and Helvetica (Confoederatio Helvetica) which is a bit further.

Non-the-less I was inspired by Patrick's sketches sent to tease us as he literally 'wanders abroad', old towns rendered with a loving hand no not with a tourists view and a camera but with an artists view and a pad of paper and a pen.

Where can I find such a place, close to home to scratch the itch implanted by these sketches?

I thought about it for quite a while and as sleep came on Friday evening “Goldie Mill” popped into my head.

So bright and early off I went.

The car parked, the bag recovered from the trunk like so many other times, but this time it was different. This time the bag contained pens, pencils and sketch books.

I went in search of the scene …

In a shady spot I unfolded my ridiculously expensive seat and made myself comfortable for what would be the first of three drawings worked up over the next couple of hours.

People came and went, some stopped to chat briefly one asked if she could look at what I was drawing.

A totally different experience than hiding behind a lens.

As the sun rose higher and the day warmed my hands did as they were bidden and the pen moved more gracefully.

The focus narrowed.

Time passed quickly as it always does in these instances.

But in the end a quiet satisfaction and a smile...

Time to pack up and head home..

This was so different than my usual outing and looking back I can still hear the birds, the cheery “morning” from passers by, the breeze in the tree's and feel the sun on my back.

“The artist's world is limitless. It can be found anywhere, far from where he lives or a few feet away. It is always on his doorstep”. ~Paul Strand

The journey, not the destination..

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ajn_photography/14397577836/ 

Yesterday was a fine day for a long walk. Just as well because the trail I was on was not the one I thought it was!

Oh well I was out and about on a great morning with good company so does it really matter where you are?

The 'Forks of the Credit' waterfalls, bridges and ruins were the destination which we never found even by going in the front way but a two hour walk along half remembered trails passed so quickly and enjoyably.

We may not have found what we went out to find but we found new things, places and spaces.

Surely that is all that is important, after all its not the destination but the journey and this journey ended with the promise to return, because …

… “In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks”. ~John Muir