December 23

Today, December 23, is very rainy and windy in the Boston suburbs. I'll try to go out to draw but I'm not sure what will come of it. Here are some drawings from this date from years past. If I don't write again in the next few days, I send you holiday greetings and good wishes in most of the things you do. I find that keeping Nature observation sustains a feeling of serenity and engagement at all times. And I wish for you, similar emotions and states of mind in the New Year and beyond.

12-23-21-ducks02

12-23-21-ducks01

12-23-20-island02

12-23-20-island01

12-23-19-reflections

 

A Murder of Crows

 

10-03-21-crow01

09-17-16-crow

04-04-22-crow

04-24-22-crow

12-05-22-crow

08-10-22-crows

10-20-22-crows

09-07-22-crow

Black Ink

 I really enjoy drawing in brush and ink. It's fast and expressive with little margin for inattention. I'm inspired by many artists and artworks across time and space and cultures. Frequently, the great comic book artists hover in my subconscious: Will Eisner and Jacques Tardi, and others whose names I can't recall right now. Strangely too, the soft charcoal renderings of George Seurat and the moody charcoal seascapes of Emily Nelligan.

11-18-22-swans
pastel, ink

11-18-22-dam
ink, charcoal

02-22-22-geese01
ink

03-04-22-hawk01
ink, charcoal

Robin and crabapples

 The robins have returned and are thinking about the winter ahead.

11-07-22-robin
ink, charcoal

Blogging

 I'm sorry I've been lax in keeping up this blog. My efforts have instead been directed towards a printed version, sort of. Each year, I've compiled four complete quarterly collections of all my nature drawings. At the end of the year I make an additional summary of the entire year. These books include some narrative context or a description of what is happening in my natural world. They are available to buy, on-demand here. 

Below is a photo of last year's collection:

2021 Observations: four quarters and one summary

I've been following this strategy for six or seven years and it has affected the way that I work. I anticipate the page turns of the book and try to include surprising subjects (a deer wading in the river) or choice of color or media (ink, pastel!). I try to follow short story lines such as the daily observations of a family of ducklings. I hope this makes these collections interesting to whoever might take an interest after I am gone or have moved on to some other pursuit.

But in the spirit of blogging, here are a few sketches from the past week. I'll try to get back in the habit. Thanks for reading.

10-15-22-heron02

10-04-22-plants

10-13-22-geese

10-13-22-island

10-17-22-willow

Beware of Swans!

Swans, celebrated in fiction and myth for ages, are actually quite territorial and aggressive beasts.

The oft-told fable of the swan who gave the scorpion a ride across the lake is a conversation starter for folks coping from the abuse of a narcissist. I think though, if the fable writer had actually known a real swan she would know that the bird would have snatched the scorpion right off and flung it into the lake to drown before it could fulfill its predictable destiny. So there!

I don't know about you but I stay clear of both critters!

03-27-22-swan02

08-12-22-swans04

08-12-22-swans03

08-12-22-swans02

08-11-22-swans02

08-11-22-swans01

 

Fluctuations

With the escalating opinions surrounding the fate of the South Natick Dam on the Charles River, critics on both sides of the mention how low the river is now. As if this is the fate of our "jewel" should the spillway be removed or the dam repaired.

People forget that last year the river was at near record levels of flooding all summer long. Look at this view of the river from July 14, 2021. The island was inundated most of the season and into mid-November. The animals stayed away in droves. It just wasn't safe. Camera crews filmed the spectacle.

photo by Davood Shaheen

I'm glad I keep these sketches because they record the unpredictable fluctuations of the river level. The low water now seems "normal" and the birds are taking advantage of the small pools, the tasty algal slime on the spillway, and the many bare rocks on which to perch. A little family of mallards is calling a stranded plank on top of the spillway its designated safe-place for the babies to nap and preen. 

I've enjoyed the low water because I like to draw the birds, as you can see below. It's a lovely spot to forget your cares for a little while regardless how much water flows under the bridge.

Mallards in the shallows
08-16-15

09-11-20

A mourning dove foraging in the newly exposed mud
06-12-22

Geese and mallards in the shallows
07-22-22

Geese on the rocks at the base of the spillway
07-22-22

The rocks at the base of the spillway
07-07-22

08-17-20

08-26-15

09-04-12

 

Summer Exhibit

 If any of you live in the Boston area, I am showing twelve drawings and paintings at the Bacon Free Library which is located next to the Charles River where I have spent many mornings drawing my "Robservations." Below are some of the works on view. More info about the exhibit is here.

Library address & hours:

58 Eliot St, Natick MA 01760
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday: 9:30- 5:30.
Tuesday: 9:30- 7:00.

05-13-18-park

04-09-19-goose-03

12-22-18-bridge

08-05-18-ducks02

08-05-18-driftwood

05-30-22-cattails

05-23-22-cattails

05-25-22-island

08-22-11sandpiper

01-17-19-island02

07-16-12-geese

07-24-15-geese