Where it's _at

Three more animals...I guess these have officially become a series.

Lupine

I guess a wolf seemed like the logical step after drawing so many sheep in Scotland.

Scottish Sketching

I've just gotten back from a 10 day trip to Scotland. Here are a few sketches...

Scotland has a lot of sheep. I have learned that sheep enjoy 3 things: 1. Grass, 2. Chillaxing, and 3. Standing in the middle of the road, completely unfazed by cars and their horns.



We spent several days of the trip on the Isle of Skye, which was an absolutely breathtaking place. This is a sketch done during the midpoint of a 12 mile hike through the forest, along the coast, and into the mountains. It started raining halfway through this drawing (this happened a lot).



The next day, we took another hike out to the lighthouse on Neist Point, the western most tip of the Isle of Skye, which can only be reached on foot.



It started raining again while I did this quick sketch of Dunvegan Castle.



Most of our time in Scotland was spent with the incredibly lovely Sylvia Simon, and this is a drawing done inside her walled garden in Strathtay. I had never seen this flower before, but it is called crocosmia, and it grows like you would not believe in Scotland. I actually spotted it growing in the wild in a few places.

Ca-Caw

This is a personal piece that I have no doubt comes from my recent rediscovered love for "Six Feet Under"...I have always loved the crow in the opening credits almost as much as I adore the Fishers.

We Know We Belong to the Land

I've spent the last few days visiting my family. I'm from a small town in Oklahoma where my parents raise quarter horses. Here are a few members of the herd. I wish I'd had a chance to draw all 37 of them.

Neda Agha-Soltan

On June 20th, 2009, Neda Agha-Soltan was shot and killed by government snipers during a protest of the Iranian election. Her death was filmed and photographed by fellow protestors, with footage and pictures quickly making their way to YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. Her death has in many ways provided a rallying cry for Iranians, despite the fact that the government has declared mourning and prayer for Neda illegal. She has become a symbol of the hundreds of people who have lost their lives standing up for what the believe in during this tumultuous time. The name "Neda" means "voice" or "calling" in Persian, and she has been referred to as the "voice of Iran".

Her story has struck a chord with me in many different ways, especially since we were born in the same year, and I felt strongly compelled to make a portrait of her. Though her death was horrific and far too soon, it has made a huge impact around the world. She is a martyr in the truest sense of the word. Here's to the people of Iran. Stay strong.

FIT Sketching, the Sequel

We went back for another sketch night at the old alma mater on Thursday evening. Two nights of long figure drawing sessions in one week was a total luxury, and I was so glad to be able to take advantage of such lovely opportunities. Here are a couple of drawings from Thursday...Thanks to my partner in crime Stephen Gardner for keeping everything in check and for bringing such great music along. If only I could draw from four models to Mazzy Star every night...