Edward Hopper Edward Hopper

above is Hopper's Pennsylvania Coal Town which I had

the privilege of seeing at The Farnsworth Museum ..long ago

and below is my photo of West Main Light

I may yet paint this place I pass in town and have photo'd under various conditions---when I see it with the shadow shapes, all I can think of is Edward Hopper, Edward Hopper, Edward Hopper----and a Maine artist, Murad Sayen----I share this shadow fascination with---what good company, eh wot?

Merry Christmas Over the Roads

Probably the only hand made card

of any size I will send out this year

will go to someone who will see the

glad tidings and

appreciate the heck out of it...

Inside is a poem I wrote

"CHICKEN GONE BANANAS"

During the Christmas rush it's nice

to be able to throw something together

with what you have in the fridge..

I used yesterday's roast chicken cut into chunks

and put them on a plate I just bought at

a Christmas Bazaar which needs

a pile of food on it to prevent

eyes from jumping around.

Then I spooned on some of CostCo's

Mango Salsa and since we're on

the Aruban route here...sliced on some bananas.

Hummmmmmmm.

all that's missing is steele drum music

and swaying trade breezes...

Guess Who (author)

from a photo I took that screamed

to be handled with care....

you might only look and feel his heated cold stare

I see a man who has been read

and quoted by some

throwing away what in a lifetime

not often will come

OLD TIN

(click on the picture to see it larger)

when reading the words, please insert "shelf"

where you think it ought to be--I forgot to...

I love this old tin with it's dings and

scrapes---been around a long time

I think. I have it my kitchen

where I have a lot of collected red things
.I don't remember where I picked it up but

I know the cover was almost welded on

it seemed...and you could shake and hear

something was in there...finally got it

off through sheer determination and

wondered just how old the tea leaves are.

I rubbed Vaseline on the cover edges and

set it back on the shelf. I was happy

to have it "fit" an Every Day Matters

drawing challenge. I have used mixed medias

in a Moleskine journal. I ought to brew a cup

just to read the leaves as my grand mother

was so expert at this, she'd have me all

wide eyed listening to her tales...

Celtic Snowballs

A hurried project for an ATC (Artist's

Trading Cards) group meet in two days.

I was to make a Winter Charm

I had no idea what to make And hadn't done

any loaded charm bracelets for a

couple years.

It was like beginning all over--real

dah moments for sure...

I have collected much I have hunted for

in barn sales and lots

of vintage jewelry

to look through

This is like looking over

buried treasure for me.

I did have all the tools necessary

and there are many which

might surprise some people... three

special wire tools, spacers, and Celtic

ones I especially like---extra long

wire to string them, special lying pad

to keep everything from rolling off

the table--
and to make

a nice finish, make a label and

insert in small bag ......Voila!

I am thankful I only have to make

nine of them.

"Cold Fish"

If you include photos in an e-mail

when asking for

a favor (this was asking for

the air conditioner to be removed

for the winter) it usually adds a smile instead

of a frown. The fish here is one I designed, where

one side is a sunfish and the other a starfish...

jewel toned blues and greens with

metallic copper touches. I love the red scarf

addition and may leave it on him

for awhile

(click on photo to see more detail)

THE HOLDING PATTERN

"The Holding Pattern"

Acrylic 16 by 20

************************

I have been lax about entering any photos
on this siteas I am doing nothing but paintings for
an exhibit in Eastport Maine next June.
I did journaling steady for a year and think
that it honed my observstions---I am so grateful
for all the helpful comments I received and
still look at your works when I am taking a breather.

The result of not having a model to pose for me is I am the one holding the huge fish--this is not a self portrait but rather how I feel bout parts of my life. Some of the symbolism relates to how I never want to let go of the Ireland Journey in my heart.

Eastport Battery and Custom View

This is a watercolor pencil 5 by 7 on watercolor paper

that is cold pressed but still got some texture---how I

do not like it---only Moleskine pages feel right to

me and accept the color much better
There may be somebody over there on Campobello

Island, Canada, thinking the same as I am..

"this is weird to see another country so close yet

you have to drive quite a ways to go over

with a passport" Also with all the gulls

all over Eastport I can merrily add them

whenever I feel like it and that's the truth..:-)

Good Morning !

A photo taken from the kitchen door in early am--

in Eastport where they are known

to be the first town to get the

sunrise on the eastern seaboard--
I had lost this site and may be back on..

I am trying to get a new photo up with this

attempt...it's been a month or so I think

that I was unable to get on...

A Pitcher Of Amber

I had been using the pitcher
for a photo shoot out on the deck
of a friends’ place in Vermont when
my granddaughter came to visit.
So it was a natural thing to
ask her to look through it for a
shot I loved . It was a snap decision to
either do the pitcher with her face
or the green Vermont trees in the

yard.for this EDM Challenge 224
The little scene is one I stopped the

car and backed up a bit to

get the only shot
between much foliage

"Trading Smiles"

EDM Challenge #232
Draw The Last Thing You Bought
*****************
First the puzzling twine
over the page relates
to the thought that we
are all tied to things that
impact our lives and
other's. This was my first
time in this store and the
clerk's friendly personality
was such a bonus. She asked
the question on the page and
I replied I might use the photo when
illustrating a journal page,,,so
smiles were exchanged and
life felt good.
The flowers were potted out front
and their purpleness
was so inviting to me.
The watermelons were piled in front
in great arrangements as
the store has very talented people
working for them.
Two purchases I came home
eager to try, were the Triple Ginger
bucket of cookies and bag of
Crystallized ginger, my grandmother
also called one her favorites

Draw "A Neighborhood Store" EDM Challenge 85

The Mill Pond Store has been by

the pond side for many years---

a Vampire film named Moonshine

was filmed here in recent years

and every noon the mill workers

line up to buy delicious sandwiches.

The wild geese are often fed by the

water's edge and are a sight to see .

I recall one year when sea gulls

were all over the pond. Each day

as I get my mail I have but to look over

my shoulder to this store that is

now featuring hand dipped huge

wafflecones. In the back, there is

now a room to read the paper which

is always left there for all to read,

eat or look out at the views of the

Hollow. Years ago I painted a sign

for them with Canada Geese on it that

seemS to be the most

famous thing I ever did around here.

Junk Draw Lion

Click to read the small lettering

"Fourth Colors"

It was extremely difficult for me

to leave this as soft as it is---but

I managed--I started with #2 Mirado

Black Warrior (a pretty macho name)

--which is a regular black color

barrel pencil--I just like it best

--- kept it pretty soft---erased a bit

---then washed it with plain water

as Kate had suggested at some

point in these weeks so the

pencil will be set.. It dried quickly

on the Moleskine page--then I

used F/C watercolor pencils and

waterbrush for the colors---

added a few 0.1 Micronpen lines.

with heavier Pitt Pen as an edge.

Finished with some more

colors with no water added

and some W/N Gouache white

touches. The roast beef sandwich is

wrapped in wax paper---the 3 blueberries

were a great compliment in flavor.

Another note: I cut the right side

of the plate off ---this makes the

viewers eye fill in what might

be there--maybe a glass of juice

or cup of tea--and thus the picture

seems larger than it is as it

grows in the viewers

mind...old Japanese theory--

"The Talk"

I think this is the last chance to

upload for a Kate's final 6th

class photo--I may be wrong--

For the class I added the words...

but for a painting

I would leave them out and

concentrate on the Post Office

building's details more

It appears

in my mind at odd moments

and there's no reason I

know of for that

---but there must be.

'Hang Six " ( Insect)

Part of the last class mixed media

pages. I added rubber stamped

lettering to the regular supplies I prefer.

The background yellows represent sunrise,

at the time this happened--but I think

this guy was still sleeping as

he stayed there quite awhile

You see his underneath as he hangs

on somehow and that's me not

dressed yet--just out in the kitchen

to make coffee.

"Is That You Lizzie ? "

"Is That You Lizzie?"

Here we have a double stories for this Lesson 6 page using mixed media. First is the Lizzy Borden (Missy Warden being my version's name)---personal reason for me to make up the poem I added to the page---it just made me think of Lizzy...then below that story is information from the man that carved the woman from Eastport Maine, Roland.

I was so interested in the Lucy Borden case ---read everything and went to Falls River to see what I could---twice, in fact---a weird thing happened the second time--in the museum where they had some of Lucy's things and case related items---I asked the woman who was the hostess in that room where the father's skull was that had been in the glass case the last time I was there--She replied: "It's odd you should ask that question, because a gentleman was here last week and asked the same question...but, we have never had the skull on display here".....
**********************************
and below Roland's account,
which seems to me would make
a darn good page with
the log's journey depicted....
**************************
This is a carving modeled after my daughter Nicole. Made in 1995. The carving is made from a 20 foot white Pine log which was loaded on a freighter destined for Turkey. It was part of an unstable pile of logs which the Captain instructed the crew push over board. They washed up behind my house most were only telephone pole quality except this one. I made 2 carvings from the log this one is the second I sold the first and hope to sell this one also. I found a 22 cal. bullet in this carving where her belt sash crosses. It took about a month to make. While not being totally repainted she has been touched up over the years She is not in the weather this year. She spends her day looking out at Water Street from my carving workshop window. Priced at $2,500---must pick up here at studio. Roland LaVallee, www.crowtracks.com

Since I always use mixed media, this is done with pencil, Pitt pen, watercolor pencils, waterbrushes, computer typed words, gluestick and a bit of Gesso. I took liberties with The Crow Track's house but the carved woman and urn of Lilies are pretty much true to what I saw.

"This Much !! "

Lesson 6--I tried a new paper

for the first time...

Legion Folio Tea Stain--it did receive

the watercolor pencils better and

smoother spreading but the surface

is quite a bit softer then the

Moleskine and harder to erase--

so you have to watch the pencil

pressure. I used pencil, Pittpens,

waterbrush, white Gesso. liner brush,

round brushes, UHU glue stick etc

---I glued the page into the Moleskine

and also the large lettering at

the top--so I could fiddle with

the placement. I am a Wallace

and Gromit fan and have a small

figurine collection--that's my

favorite old tea pot, faded pincushion

and beautiful roses I bought myself

"Just Us Chickens"

Only have one more week of class, where I have

done pages I never would have done according to

suggested subjects. Lesson 5 was

more or less, Fur, Feathers and Folks.
The smallest chicken here came to visit me

on my front porch from the neighbors up the road.

The big one lives at my daughters where

she has many free range chickens that are

harder to photo than the long legged one.

He is a Malay Rooster (in his cage....I changed

his color so he would show up) in a

huge New England Poultry show nearby.

Hundred of them all the colorful breeds

and the cream of the crop--all making their

clucks and cockadoodledos.. I felt I had

hit the jackpot for chicken photo ops....

*************

This is pencil, pen, watercolor

pencil, bit of gesso and waterbrushes in a

Moleskine sketch journal.

'Dog Lover and Door Knocker"

In Lesson 5 we have choices

of doing Fur, Feathers and Folks
Doing Folks is fun for me as long as I
don't have to be concerned with exact
likenesses---just catching the moment...

"Not The Dog I Thought She Was"

In this 5th class of 6, animals
were one of the subjects we could pick
to depict.
I made an error in describing this dog as
a Jack Russell terrier---then found out it is
an Italian Greyhound mix small terrier
Now the paws
MAY be a Border Collie's
I'm naming her Garbo and imagine
when her owner releases her she
will be off to the races!

"Only Two Petals Left"

The rain drops fall on the delicate Wild Rose

petals. They will fall off with a push from the field winds.

This is my Maine Ruga Rosa that so profusely blooms by

the coastal areas. It's scent is heavenly and later in

the Fall the pump rose hips grow right in the middle

where the petals were. I made Rose Hip jelly one

year that tasted rather medicinal. It was not a hit

with my family nor I.....

.

"Sally's Wig "

Journal page for a class to "examine a

flower"--what I could find in the yard,

was some Witch Grass that looked interesting

as I pulled it up, roots and all.

Or maybe it's Sally's Wig...named

after old Sally who daily fished on the

pier for Hiram's supper...

The gusty winds from the bay would

play havoc with her wig and by

days end it surely did resemble

this grass clump.

" My Menu Memos"

Click on photo to view larger
******************
Inspired by borromini bear's journal
page of Monday foods, I had fun doing this
and might do similar things every once in a while
for my journal as I think they are a hearty slice
of life............. and the pie WAS my

supper ..............

"FLAMEFACE"

Class work with the theme of flames--having
to use the watercolor pencils to achieve this
warm glow effect. On the left is a page
of colors tried before proceeding to
work on the candle holder.

"STONE WALL HANGOUT"

This second page on stones became

a companion piece for the next page,

although it did not start out

to be that at all. In the todo of

changing things around it became

either I make it so I like it or cover it

up with paper, which I started to

do and then thought

"Well, maybe I could just cover up the

bottom part and let's see what the

results will be from that move"

.....and so it became what it is---

"Rocks Around"

Done with watercolor pencils

for class where subject was rocks---any kind

from pebbles to the Grand Canyon. These

rocks were in a box upstairs under

a table until I had them thrown

under the rose bushes by the porch

where they probably feel better. Some

of my students bought them to me

knowing I would like them so they came

from all different places.

"And The Doctor Said"

I did not put this up before as I wondered
how the Dr. would react to this page
done after a check up with him--finally after 10 whole months
I took it to the office yesterday at another check up---and he
said, he thought it looked like him and made a copy
of it he liked it so much---I was relieved...

**************

check out my class Flickr Site

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ejmordasky

"The Great Canoe Launch"

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE LARGER

"The Great Canoe Launch"
Originally uploaded by ejmordasky

I'm still in a class, but here's one of the lessons ---we had to do a page with water being prominent in the scene. Not an easy thing to portray I think....

Basketball Hall Of Fame

Above is a photo I took as Kim drove by this place

on the highway---it surprised me that it was

clear at all.

****************************

Please click on the below address to see what's going on with my classes and leave any comments back on this site. You just click on comments--then write one and sign your name---then do nothing else but click on Anonymous and nothing else...... then click on Publish Your Comment---that's all---no need to fill in any other blanks---Thanks so very much ! Winna


http://www.flickr.com/photos/ejmordasky/

"What are Thumbnails?"

As a part of my classes I have done some"thumbnails",

which are small ideas worked out with pencil of

components I may use in a future journal spread.

I drove on a couple car/camera safaris looking

for a scenic spot where the eye would travel

into space --such as a meandering pathway--and

finally found a few unexpectedly close to home.

the thumbnails are done fast and small and help

an artist visualize different ways

of looking at the same scene....

SPECIAL TREASURES

Click on photo to read small print.

****************

Another Eastport memory that is

a treasure along with the things

I came upon that screamed, "Buy me!"

SPRAY BOTTLE DESIGN

Click on photo to see bigger

*****************

I found this page I hadn't ever posted

as it's a EDM Challenge to draw a spray bottle

I decided to post it rather late as it was done last Oct.

I think at the time if I had looked around

more I could have found other bottle's

that some artist designed, as all man made things are

....even animals design for their needs....

VIEW FROM IRA BLACKS

Here's another landscape in Eastport

Maine. I just had to open the kitchen door

to take a photo of the rooftops that are

down hill to another street--to the Bay.

As you watch you can see the mists lift,

the colors brighten and the far away

Campobello Island in Canada become clear

while right in front of you is a strong

sun light---a wild mix for the artist to

play with.

Where's Winna??????

Just to let you know I am busy with a class that will go on for quite awhile---I will still post here occasionally, but not as often---I'm working on one right now.... above see one of the scenes I am doing ---they are not my favorite thing to do but already I have taken some better photos while looking for sweeping vistas that aren't as popular here in Connecticut as they are out in them thar hills in the West where the wagon trains made nice meandering paths thru the scenes.....here we look down hill and see tree tops mostly---but hunting has opened up some new sights to me. I also enjoy others that are in the class, too.

By The Sea Studio

EDM # 184

Draw Something You've Always Wanted

(click photo to see text better)

********************

It's great to see somebody

make their dream come true.

I personally want the studio by the

sea but more barn sized

with a few comfort conveniences

I loved seeing this place

each day.

The Cat That Sat

EDM # 30

Draw A Chair

May 2009

******

Here we are in the

Slayter Memorial Museum's

dimly lit entry way,

encircled by

ancient Egyptian artifacts.

A stream of light falls on the

tiles and across a modernistic

folding chair...where

the cat chooses to sit.....

(see the heart?)

"If At First"

On my front porch the Robins

came again this year to try a

nest in the bull head bell ---it

seems the Mrs. doesn't like

me to come out the door but

otherwise she's content to

sit on her three blue eggs.

Thankful Ideas

EDM # 42 draw something

you are thankful for.....

**********************

From a set up in my

living room came this

journal spread....

A vintage checkerboard,

a phrenology head and a

shrimp boat model....

Faces In My Mind

Left click to be able to read the text.

***********************

Drawing faces from memory would

improve with practice I would imagine.

At any rate, I see what I saw in these

people and would never say

who is who to listen to the "no ways" from

people, who have their own ideas.

I will add that in the previous journal

page with the colored pencils in

the bowl---what I found that I had

lost was a tube of Raspberry

Lemonade Blast Blistex lip balm..

yummy!

Breakfast and Barnboards

EDM #18 Draw a view through the

window of just about anything

(left click on photo to see enlarged)

***************

Going out to breakfast with

Gail has been a highlight in my

life as we both bring show and tell

bags and catch up on our lives..

I also eat more than I ever do

at home and marvel that I

manage not to leave a crumb

on the plate. The time too

soon, comes for us to get in

our cars out in the parking lot by the

railroad tracks and as I head out

I see this great old barn and then

have to turn

right to go home. It always

reminds me of bygone days when

barns were the best things to work in,

to play in and to store things away. I'd

love to have one out in my yard right now.

"Yellow Is The Color:"

EDM #222

Draw your favorite drawing tool.

May 4 2009

**********************

I did this as quick as I could

with the #2 pencil as I sit with

many other art pencils

I own trying to vie

for number one position.

I have been in an "I

can't draw" funk and

needed to get this out fast

and now I do feel better.

Lost and Found

I added the above photo, so you can see

how adding names to small post its

and then folding them worked out..

This is what I keep my watercolor pencils

in and grab colors from

when doing a Artist's Journal page

. It came from Pier One a long time

ago and is a thick transparent

deep mylar type bowl

sectioned into four areas for an

assortment of dippers for salsa

that would be in the center part, where

I had inserted a jar that fits with a

dab of that blue tack it to keep

it stable......

.....and I bought two--the other for

the regular colored pencils. What

a surprise bonus for me to find

the "................" I had bought

months ago and lost it right off

quick---a frustrating hunt brought forth

no results. I guess if you

hang around long enough,

things turn up. Do you see it?

"I Remember Mama"

The French words say:

"This is a test page " in a journal I found up

in the studio that appeared to be like a

Moleskine with lines, which I had been

wanting to try, liking what I had seen

Katherin Jebsen-Marwedel do . So I did

testing on a full back door page and

this I Remember Mama on an 'up front' spread.

I found the Pitt pens did not bleed through,

and the waterpencils and water brush worked

ok, if you are sparing with the water

amount....but the page is a bit thinner

than the Moleskine and probably would

not bother a pencil or pen artist. Or

straight text journaler. I did have to go back

and add the lines that got lost in the colors.

So since I know I won't use this, I am offering it

as a freebee---leave a comment and when

the name is drawn after there's enough

interest, I will email the winner for the

address to mail it to...

Self Portrait EDM Challenge 56

I found this unposted challenge

done in pencil, when I decided I

better make a record

of what Challenges I have done..and where

they are located etc. It was tricky to

do this flipping through

4 different journals..but I'm glad

I didn't wait any longer. I am

accentuating the positives if possible--

for the negatives will wear you down.

The little Auburn Maine bottle

(where I grew up) I did on a seperate

piece of moleskine paper and

glued it where it would hide something

and improve the page. I did use a mirror and

a photo I had taken in a mirror while drawing

--even if I have

a photo, if I can see the thing or hold

it, helps me draw it the way I want to.

Maid Marian's Moons

I'm posting an Alphabet "M' page

let's see there's a faux Marble wall, Maple trees,

Mistletoe, Medallion, a memo, The Maid herself and

her Man and two Moons. Let's say the feather

came from a pheasant named Mortimer.

"V IS FOR VINTAGE" Part of the Process

Part of the Process

***************
At the top, you see the final scan below it,

and the first scan
of the Alphabet Journal Page "V is for Vintage"
I don't always do this, but just feel like it
sometimes. Here I have scanned
a first look at the colored with watercolor
pencils and applied with waterbrushes
journal page to "study" and
make decisions about how I will
finish it and liven it up with my watercolor

pncils and waterbrush.......
You may agree that the original scan
looks weak in color and values..
well, that's what I think
because I like the final
to have more punch...
Buying this old scrapbook in
my old home town was so
exciting to me--who made it and
what her life was like will remain a
mystery that I can imagine what
I like about.....

So far. in my Alphabet book.I have

done C, B, and S---now the V

....me thinks this'll take awhile.

It's cool not to have someone breathing

down my neck to hurry up :-) and

of all horrible things, trying to edit what I do.

At my age I can enjoy more I think.