Botanical Odds and Ends from the current sketchbook (#160)

Little things sometimes seep in between bigger things - and little drawings fill the margins of my days and sketchbooks. This batch is from the last month or so - a collection of little botanical notes of treasures that I picked up here and there. When in doubt of what to draw - look in your pockets - there is a chance that little something from the recent walk is there waiting for you! 

A Surprise New Garden

I have a new addition to my list of places where there is always something to sketch. I was introduced to it by a friend when giant purple candelabras of Pride of Madeira were in high bloom. I found some really interesting juxtapositions of plants in this garden and some amazing workspaces that I want to come back and draw. 

Later I had a chance to stop by to look at one part of the garden with two different sets of tools (dual marker with two purple colors and my modified parallel pen with black ink) and then a direct gouache. In both of these sketches, my interest was to show how many different foliages are there in one little space. 

Museum Visit: Ruth Asawa's Retrospective

There is a wonderful (and large) retrospective of Ruth Asawa's work in SF MoMA (one of my "I want to see in 2025"). This exhibit makes a fair attempt at showing works of someone who had a very prolific 60 years of making art of all sorts. It was not an easy task to put it together and it is quite possible that several separate exhibits would be a much better solution. I probably would not visit them all through. But I would love to look at room after room of sketchbooks.  Or an exhibit of only paper sculptures? I would love to have a day of visiting a garden and the house. The faces installation in the Cantor Art Museum at Stanford is always worth a visit (they were not part of this retrospective however were mentioned). But that is an interesting project - uniting many years of artist's work and life in a community. The wired sculptures that are considered the most recognized pieces created by Asawa took many rooms and could be a separate art show as well. As usual - being in their presence was different from looking at them in a book - I spent quite some time watching people dance to them, kids try and draw every coil and I tried to film some moving shadows. Then there are public art projects. And teaching, and work with kids. And then there are some wonderful prints! In short - there is a lot to embrace if you are trying to make (or look at) a retrospective of Ruth Asawa! more notes in my sketches :)

People Sketching: Protests

Earlier this spring I wrote that a lot of people sketching is happening for me this year and promised to share more - this is the second installment from the "people sketching in 2025"  

This year one of my new constant sources for figure and crowd sketching is drawing during protests. Demonstrations are happening throughout the United States every week, and participation rates are growing. On June 14th more than 2000 "No Kings" protests happened throughout the USA, with several millions of people in attendance. The "No Kings" protests addressed a growing concern over diminishing democracy and the growth of the authoritarian behavior of the current administration.

I was there with the thousands of my neighbors and drew some of them. It was a very friendly, peaceful crowd - people were bringing water for each other and for the pets, people were singing and chanting and sharing chairs and supporting each other. They had all sorts of messages about freedom and democracy for all - it was an example of a functioning society. 

Below are my sketches from other protests. 

Democracy exists only as long as we take part in it - by not being indifferent: voting, attending city council meetings, knowing your rights and exercising them, making signs about an issue that is important to you, and showing them - in a window, on your shirt, during a protest. Make a call to your elected official, write them an email - make your voice heard. 

Here is how to place a call (or email) to your representative - it takes 5 minutes:
https://5calls.org/

Here are some of my five favorite signs from the protests so far:
First Amendment - Use it or Lose it
Only You Can Prevent Fascist Liars
Fight Truth Decay
Science Saves Lives
Justice For All

Reading Notes: Thinking on Paper

I've read a couple of books recently that are a perfect companion for each other. Both are "spiraling out" books - meaning you start reading a book and it sends you on a hunt for more books, authors, ideas etc. - my favorite kind of book but also the most complex kinds of books because it is really hard to finish them :) These two are

The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper by Roland Allen and 

Remarkable Diaries: The World's Greatest Diaries, Journals, Notebooks, & Letters (DK History Changers)