Tag: memories

mixed flower sketch

Small Travel Break

mixed flower sketch
©2017 Carolyn A Pappas, Medley of Flowers at the Party (8/20/2017). Ink and watercolor in large moleskine.
mixed flower sketch
©2017 Carolyn A Pappas, Evening Sketching at the End of the Party (8/20/2017). Ink and watercolor in large moleskine.

I had a chance to travel to Pennsylvania for my childhood friend Gwenn’s engagement party (watch a cute video of her engagement story here). I haven’t been to visit for 10 years, so it was really nice to see a lot of people and places that I remember. I sketched a selection of flowers from the arrangements at the party in ink and added watercolor at home.

I read Austin Kleon’s Steal Like an Artist on the drive down to Pennsylvania and the followup Show Your Work! on the drive back to Massachusetts. I highly recommend both as they were quick, yet power-packed reads. There was more information in Steal Like an Artist that was new to me. I found myself using the highlight feature on my Kindle often as I was reading. Since I have gotten back home, various concepts from these books have often come to mind.

new guinea impatiens drawing

One Year Ago Today: New Guinea Impatiens

new guinea impatiens drawing
©2016 Carolyn A Pappas, New Guinea Impatiens (8/4/2016). Colored pens, watercolor and rubber stamping in large moleskine.
This was a disjointed sketchbook page, as life got in the way as it often does. I remember going out into the back garden to sketch after a rough day at work due to short staffing. Midway through my drawing, the day caught up with me and I became so fatigued that I had to go inside to sleep. Two days later, I remembered my unfinished page and went out into the garden early in the morning to finish it off.

lake horizon sketch

One Year Ago Today: Nothing to do but Relax

lake horizon sketch
©2016 Carolyn A Pappas, Slow Sketch (5/10/2016). Ink in large moleskine.

What is the good of your stars and trees, your sunrise and the wind, if they do not enter into our daily lives? -E. M. Forster

I’m looking back into my sketchbook from one year ago today. I made this little sketch while sitting on the wall by the shoreline looking out over the lake. The weather was very pleasant and I remember taking my time making the individual marks with the pen. On that day I had no commitments and nothing special to do. It was lovely.

red moleskine

A Well Used Book

red moleskineI always get a feeling of accomplishment when I finish a sketchbook, especially one that has been in progress for the better part of two years. I am so happy to move on from my red large moleskine. It was an unexpected gift that I originally began hesitantly. It wasn’t until about a year ago that I really got into a groove and began filling it up with more vigor. When I flip through the pages, I also see a real progression in my level of artistic risk taking, which pleases me.

Oftentimes, finishing a sketchbook coincides with moving onto a new season of my life. I have the rest of the summer before I start school again and I’m hoping to break in my new sketchbook by then.

box of sketchbooks

What to do with old sketchbooks?

box of sketchbooks
Box of Old Sketchbooks. Photograph ©2014 Carolyn A Pappas.

Right now I am in the process of decluttering my space and getting rid of a lot of my possessions in preparation for a move and renovation. I have a banker’s box full of old sketchbooks going back all the way to 1997. I have held onto my sketchbooks and carried them from place to place for years now, but I no longer have the room for them and I’ve decided I must take drastic measures. I have decided to scan and/or photograph all of my sketchbooks and then dispose of the originals. Read more