colleenc
Well-known member
Thanks Ken,o
I was going to blog the Birds in Art 2009 show for the group here, but couldn't get BF to let me log on so will try to give you a condensed version here.
Thursday we arrived at 7pm after starting out at 4:30 am. Toured the bar one round to look for Wes Hyde, a 3 times attendee and one of this years poster selections. Gave him a big hug ( he was a main factor in me entering, but that's another story) and went to bed.
Friday 8am, sitting the the lobby and I saw LJ walk right in the door with his scope and tripod, he'd already been out sketching, I would have fainted but was already sitting down. He said HI to my sister, who came with me to the show.
10am we got on the bus to go to an event, lunch at the country club and then a private viewing LJ said hello to ME! I couldn't even talk, just nodded my head.
12pm, at lunch one of the "old timers" Mary who'd been to the show many times, and knew I was star struck, hauled me over to introduce LJ to me, saying here is a big fan of your Lars. OMG he stood up and I came to just above his belt level. Mary told me to take my book so I could get an autograph, don't even remember what I said but it wasn't anything brilliant for sure, he touched my shoulder and I didn't shower that night to make sure it didn't wash off, I wondered if it might improve my drawing somehow. I was just glowing and everyone was having a good laugh at my groupie state. Couldn't help it just sat down and became an idiot...." I just talked to LJ" I blathered.
See the theme here? My sister wrote far more sensible descriptions of the time, which I will post on another message. After a grueling day( for me) of the private show, the opening with major gala guests, and a fab dinner with all of them with two artists per table and all the guests around. I went home and completly crashed, I did not pass the bar, but the more sturdy types did go in after, I also had the great privilege of talking to John Busby that day, a truly wonderful and gentle man, and thanking him for the doing the Drawing Birds book which has given me so much guidance, he signed my book and I signed his
Sunday was the opening for the public, my feet were taking a beating by then, and local art lovers came and asked for my autograph and told me about their turkey experiences. Turns out some toms can be agressive if raised around people and one dairy farmer used to intimidate hers, with a leaf rake, the kind with a big spread out rake, eventually she ate him as he couldn't be trusted with kids visiting. I rode on the bus with LJ and his wife, still trying not not stare at him too much, my gosh he's really big and tall and his hands are huge, his wife is a perfect nordic match for him, and they make a lovely couple.
Sunday John Busby gave a great talk on the "Subtleties of Sketching" which will be a DVD from the Woodson if you want to see it. So inspiring and full of humor, and he gently chided and encouraged the US artists to do more field sketching as so many here work only from photos. His show of work was a joy to see, I love the gannets most I think.
Finally Sunday afternoon they put us all on 2 buses and took us up north to a beautiful lake and the summer home of the family, gave us free run, free drinks, a really good BBQ and all afternoon to hang out with each other, go boating( I took out a kayak and managed not to drown) and out to bird watch some bald eagles who nest there. Some played croquet, some tennis, some fished, what ever you wanted was offered so graciously, and miracle of miracles, it was perfect weather, which apparently seldom happens. the highlight of the day and maybe of the whole time, was I chanced to walk by as LJ, and Barry Van Dusen were looking over LJ's sketchbook work since he came to the US this trip, by now being a bit more used to his presence, I asked if I could join them and look, though it took some guts to do this, I'm so glad I managed it, as what followed will stay with me for a long time.
First I got to touch the actual paper he uses and see how the book is bound, it's quite wonderful paper pretty stiff probably like a good, sized, 90# paper, then I got to see all the sketches he worked up of some Am Eiders, and I forget the smaller one, and listen to he and Barry talk about the birds and what they discovered, the final was a 2 page wc LJ had just finished, of the lake, so I could see what the actual scene was and how he translated it. Barry and I talked over some of the subtleties of his line and his watercolor techniques, and I feel I really learned by seeing the book. Then Barry shared his latest sketchbook from a trip he took to Israel, for AFN. Barry's work is very precise lines and very different than LJ, but his lines are so descriptive nonetheless. About this time John Busby came over and the three of them were talking about the sketchbooks and some of the AFN trips they'd been on..
It was just a dream to be there and hear all that, I asked permission to have my sister take an unobtrusive picture of them and me, cause I knew without it I would just think I dreamed it. I will post this right on my easel and have it for inspiration. Just to remind me, no matter what happens, one time my work was actually hanging in the same show as LJ, John Busby, John Seery-Lester, Robert Bateman, Carl Brenders, Chris Bacon, Guy Coheleach, Daniel Smith, Maynard Reece and my favorite pastel artist Dino Paravano, (tho in this show he had a wonderful oil) and other world class artists from around the world.
The way the artists are treated at this show is just beyond words, every little detail attended to by the staff and we are so welcomed and honored, there is not another show anywhere that treats the artists like they do for this one according to all I spoke to who for sure know, as they are the ones invited to all of the big wildlife shows around. So I am back with stars in my eyes, and inspiration bubbling over. To be really truthful, tho my work was fine, and held it's own, when I looked at the very best work, some known artists, and some first timers like me, I can see I have a long way to go yet and so I'm going to get right to work.
No way I could ever describe how fantastic the whole thing was. This is the first real show I've ever entered ( tho I did have a work in the Pastel Journal top 100 2 years ago, they don't have a show) So I guess I started with the best, and this year being the one that honored Busby drew some amazing people to come in person.....Sometimes the blessings in life come so big it's hard to hold it all, and gratitude is just too small a word for what I feel.
Pics,
group shot, I'm standing behind John Busby seated at far left,
Hazelhurst where we gathered at the last day
All the Masters present at the show
incl Chris Bacon, John Busby and Lars Jonsson
Entrance to Woodson Art Museum, one of the Masters walking by
with turkey sculpture at the right, did I tell you turkeys are my favorite bird?:-O( that's the bird I did for the show)
An experience of a lifetime for sure!
I was going to blog the Birds in Art 2009 show for the group here, but couldn't get BF to let me log on so will try to give you a condensed version here.
Thursday we arrived at 7pm after starting out at 4:30 am. Toured the bar one round to look for Wes Hyde, a 3 times attendee and one of this years poster selections. Gave him a big hug ( he was a main factor in me entering, but that's another story) and went to bed.
Friday 8am, sitting the the lobby and I saw LJ walk right in the door with his scope and tripod, he'd already been out sketching, I would have fainted but was already sitting down. He said HI to my sister, who came with me to the show.
10am we got on the bus to go to an event, lunch at the country club and then a private viewing LJ said hello to ME! I couldn't even talk, just nodded my head.
12pm, at lunch one of the "old timers" Mary who'd been to the show many times, and knew I was star struck, hauled me over to introduce LJ to me, saying here is a big fan of your Lars. OMG he stood up and I came to just above his belt level. Mary told me to take my book so I could get an autograph, don't even remember what I said but it wasn't anything brilliant for sure, he touched my shoulder and I didn't shower that night to make sure it didn't wash off, I wondered if it might improve my drawing somehow. I was just glowing and everyone was having a good laugh at my groupie state. Couldn't help it just sat down and became an idiot...." I just talked to LJ" I blathered.
See the theme here? My sister wrote far more sensible descriptions of the time, which I will post on another message. After a grueling day( for me) of the private show, the opening with major gala guests, and a fab dinner with all of them with two artists per table and all the guests around. I went home and completly crashed, I did not pass the bar, but the more sturdy types did go in after, I also had the great privilege of talking to John Busby that day, a truly wonderful and gentle man, and thanking him for the doing the Drawing Birds book which has given me so much guidance, he signed my book and I signed his
Sunday was the opening for the public, my feet were taking a beating by then, and local art lovers came and asked for my autograph and told me about their turkey experiences. Turns out some toms can be agressive if raised around people and one dairy farmer used to intimidate hers, with a leaf rake, the kind with a big spread out rake, eventually she ate him as he couldn't be trusted with kids visiting. I rode on the bus with LJ and his wife, still trying not not stare at him too much, my gosh he's really big and tall and his hands are huge, his wife is a perfect nordic match for him, and they make a lovely couple.
Sunday John Busby gave a great talk on the "Subtleties of Sketching" which will be a DVD from the Woodson if you want to see it. So inspiring and full of humor, and he gently chided and encouraged the US artists to do more field sketching as so many here work only from photos. His show of work was a joy to see, I love the gannets most I think.
Finally Sunday afternoon they put us all on 2 buses and took us up north to a beautiful lake and the summer home of the family, gave us free run, free drinks, a really good BBQ and all afternoon to hang out with each other, go boating( I took out a kayak and managed not to drown) and out to bird watch some bald eagles who nest there. Some played croquet, some tennis, some fished, what ever you wanted was offered so graciously, and miracle of miracles, it was perfect weather, which apparently seldom happens. the highlight of the day and maybe of the whole time, was I chanced to walk by as LJ, and Barry Van Dusen were looking over LJ's sketchbook work since he came to the US this trip, by now being a bit more used to his presence, I asked if I could join them and look, though it took some guts to do this, I'm so glad I managed it, as what followed will stay with me for a long time.
First I got to touch the actual paper he uses and see how the book is bound, it's quite wonderful paper pretty stiff probably like a good, sized, 90# paper, then I got to see all the sketches he worked up of some Am Eiders, and I forget the smaller one, and listen to he and Barry talk about the birds and what they discovered, the final was a 2 page wc LJ had just finished, of the lake, so I could see what the actual scene was and how he translated it. Barry and I talked over some of the subtleties of his line and his watercolor techniques, and I feel I really learned by seeing the book. Then Barry shared his latest sketchbook from a trip he took to Israel, for AFN. Barry's work is very precise lines and very different than LJ, but his lines are so descriptive nonetheless. About this time John Busby came over and the three of them were talking about the sketchbooks and some of the AFN trips they'd been on..
It was just a dream to be there and hear all that, I asked permission to have my sister take an unobtrusive picture of them and me, cause I knew without it I would just think I dreamed it. I will post this right on my easel and have it for inspiration. Just to remind me, no matter what happens, one time my work was actually hanging in the same show as LJ, John Busby, John Seery-Lester, Robert Bateman, Carl Brenders, Chris Bacon, Guy Coheleach, Daniel Smith, Maynard Reece and my favorite pastel artist Dino Paravano, (tho in this show he had a wonderful oil) and other world class artists from around the world.
The way the artists are treated at this show is just beyond words, every little detail attended to by the staff and we are so welcomed and honored, there is not another show anywhere that treats the artists like they do for this one according to all I spoke to who for sure know, as they are the ones invited to all of the big wildlife shows around. So I am back with stars in my eyes, and inspiration bubbling over. To be really truthful, tho my work was fine, and held it's own, when I looked at the very best work, some known artists, and some first timers like me, I can see I have a long way to go yet and so I'm going to get right to work.
No way I could ever describe how fantastic the whole thing was. This is the first real show I've ever entered ( tho I did have a work in the Pastel Journal top 100 2 years ago, they don't have a show) So I guess I started with the best, and this year being the one that honored Busby drew some amazing people to come in person.....Sometimes the blessings in life come so big it's hard to hold it all, and gratitude is just too small a word for what I feel.
Pics,
group shot, I'm standing behind John Busby seated at far left,
Hazelhurst where we gathered at the last day
All the Masters present at the show
incl Chris Bacon, John Busby and Lars Jonsson
Entrance to Woodson Art Museum, one of the Masters walking by
with turkey sculpture at the right, did I tell you turkeys are my favorite bird?:-O( that's the bird I did for the show)
An experience of a lifetime for sure!
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