Haiti
I had some laptop trouble (still not resolved) and a job interview, but today I’m back on the noun schedule!
Haiti has been on my mind these last couple of days, so I have preempted today’s noun to post art for Haiti. I have plans to post this art for sale at Zazzle and will update this post when I do so.
Medium: Adobe Illustrator
A Night That Says Ni
Word of the day: Nickel
Medium: Prismacolor colored pencils
When I did a little research about nickel, I was reminded that on the periodic table, nickel is Ni. I also confirmed what I once read in a book, that nickel is an important element when determining if a material or object came from a meteorite. Thus the subject and name of today’s piece: A Night That Says Ni.
I confess that I was thinking particularly about my friend Wyatt when I came up with today’s idea. He enjoys astronomy and has had the privilege to view a very active meteor shower.
Incidentally, the evening I stood outside and told my parents (on my cell phone) that I had a funny feeling that I was going to be laid off (which came true), I happened to turn and look up at exactly the right moment to see a bright, long-tailed shooting star above my condo. It was gorgeous: bright enough to be seen in the city, and big enough to leave a sparkling trail.
For anyone who doesn’t know the reference, check out The Knights Who Say “Ni” — an important part of the movie ”Monty Python and the Holy Grail.”
People
People
Medium: Prismacolor pen and marker
The word “people” strikes me as being very impersonal and general.
Think of how we often hear the word used:
“people gathered at City Hall yesterday . . .”
“the people responsible for this act . . .”
“many people are wondering . . .”
What comes to mind? For me, it’s a crowd where no one person stands out, just lots of humans all together.
It made me think of how easy it is to lump a particular types of people into one general category. Today’s art sprang from the admittedly classic idea of unemployment lines. Folks down on their luck or struggling to make a living are part of just one disenfranchised group that can become anonymous when they are only seen as en mass, as “people” instead of individuals.
To be fair, “people” can refer to a group of individuals who share a common history, culture, citizenship, or ethnicity. “The American people,” for instance. In that case, the term is a source of pride, I think, and a statement of unity. I wonder what it says that this definition didn’t occur to me until late in the day?
Girl skipping
Girl
Medium: Pencil
I couldn’t think of anything more girlie than skipping (with the possible exception of bows on hair clips). Rooted around for a good reference photo on deviantArt. Haven’t sketched in a while, so using the pencil was a bit awkward at first. I decided to make this more gestural to allow for my rusty skills. Faces were never my strong suit either. Overall, I’m content with how it turned out.
Umbrellas
Word of the day: Umbrella
Medium: Origami paper and pipestem cleaners
These umbrellas are based on a craft project to make cocktail umbrellas for a patio party.
The original pattern called for bamboo skewers instead of pipestem cleaners, with a bead glued on the tip that pokes through the top of the umbrella. I thought these sparkly pipestem cleaners would be more fun. I simply curled up the end of the wire to make a “bead.”
I traced a bowl on the paper as a pattern. Most are custard cup size. ;) Then I trimmed some of the edges to make them more interesting.
After putting these together, I realized they needed a vase for display. Happily, my JoyCats vase holds them perfectly and adds a nice bit of whimsy.
Speaking of cats, my (real) cat seemed interested in these as I wrapped the stems together and the tops were waving around in the air. File this one away as an easy cat toy!
But I like them best in the vase. There’s something Seuss-ian about the way they spread out. Vase and umbrellas are now perched on top of my dark red bookcase.
You know, this is fun!
