Meditations

In these trying times when so much about our world is unsure and makes no sense, I have decided that one of the few things that does make sense is continuing to work in the studio. I have begun working on some very small drawings – all 4″ x 4″ – that are related to the soft pastels, but I am using wax oil crayons, water-soluble wax oil crayons, and some graphite. They are small experiments, but even more, they are meditations that are helping to keep me grounded in strange times. Here are a few:

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Tiny

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A shift in scale can offer unexpected surprises and challenges. This soft pastel drawing is 3 x 3 inches and continues the body of larger pieces completed this summer. I began to make these tiny versions in response to artspace’s Think Small 7! invitational (on view through December 22 at artspace). The Schmincke pastels I am using are incredibly soft, luminous, and pigment-rich, and on such an intimate scale they allow for the creation of tiny gems…if I am up to the challenge. The nine square inches demand a certain economy and careful attention to every bit of that tiny space. After making the first couple of drawings, I must admit I am addicted! Thank you artspace!

Talk

 

Her Silent Night and Track by Kathleen Markowitz

There is  a lot to see at the Richmond Public Library Main Branch; fifty-five or so drawings, paintings, photographs, and mixed media pieces are hanging in the show Herald1 which runs until October 29. The opening last week was so well attended that is was difficult to see the artwork for the guests. David R. White conceived the show, curated the artists, and continues to direct the exhibition. The exhibiting artists include six painters (Andras Bality, Brad Birchett, Kathleen Markowitz, Sarah Masters, Elaine Rogers, and Diego Sanchez) and six photographers (Tom Chambers, Pam Fox, John Heroy, Anne Savedge, Medford Taylor, and David R. White). This Saturday, September 14 at 3:15 the artists will be at the library to speak about their work and answer questions. It is a busy weekend in Richmond, but try to make time to stop in.