I only know of two bay windows on Wilsonia cabins. WAIT! I just thought of a third – it is on the newest cabin.
As I designed the book and chose the pictures to include, there was a continual balancing act between the common and the uncommon. Bay windows caught my eye because they are uncommon.
WAIT! I just thought of more: one on Cedar and one on Kaweah.
Here is one on Park and one on Tyndall.
The earlier schedule said I need to have 210 finished by November 1; the new schedule says 221 on November 1. Today is November 20 and I am on 222. That’s where the old schedule wanted me by December 1. So, according to the old schedule, I’m ahead, but by the new schedule, I’m really far behind.
It’s okay, it’s okay, it’s okay. Say a thing enough and it becomes the truth – works for politicians, sort of. . . advertisers too. Or, perhaps I’m like a cat purring to calm itself.
Been drawing as fast as my fat little fingers will go, among finishing some oil painting commissions, having a show, ordering a calendar, blogging, and packaging note cards.
This gable end looked so cute with its white curtains that I redesigned a page to fit it into the book. And that’s just one of the reasons I’m trying to catch up – way too much cuteness in Wilsonia, irresistible cuteness.
It’s okay, it’s okay, it’s okay.
At the beginning of 2013 I thought there were 230 drawings necessary for the upcoming book, The Cabins of Wilsonia. (Sorry to sound so repetitious – it is supposed to help Google locate this blog for people seeking info on Wilsonia, cabins and the upcoming book.)
85 of those 230 were finished, so it seemed possible to complete the remaining 145 within the next 12 months.
Then I redesigned and recounted.
This drawing is a result of redesigning. I thought the page was complete, and then I saw this very interesting view of a gable. It has some weird things on the front – horizontal bars with weird loopy metal deals hanging off the bars. Unidentified items present challenges – put them on and risk getting them wrong because I don’t know what they are or leave them off and have the cabin look wrong to the cabin owner? In this case I chose the first option.
The book currently requires about 270 drawings, and as of November 1, I had 45 left to complete. This is twice the number I expected to have by that date. I’m not going to make my deadline of December 31. If this was a job, would I quit? If this was a job, would I get fired?? If this was a job, would I be able to ask for more time or more help or to hire an assistant?
At least the number is down to 2 digits. Maybe I can have them finished by the end of January 2014.
“Snuff”? Really?
Funny how many cliches we throw around without a clear understanding of their meanings. I could Google it, but I’d rather continue with this post.
It is almost impossible to proofread one’s own writing; likewise, it is hard to honestly critique one’s own artwork.
When I showed this next picture to my students, 2 of them said, “Does that bear have a black eye?”
I dunno. It’s in shadow, and I was on auto-pilot or cruise-control or something equally brainless.
I tried to fix it. Not sure I succeeded. It’s lighter now, and if I hadn’t mentioned it to you, you probably wouldn’t have noticed. I’m not taking it back to show those picky people again, so there! (I bet that’s how they feel when I hold their feet to the fire, figuratively speaking. . .)
I showed this drawing to my students. Several of them said, “What’s on that door?”
Ummm, a reflection? What I saw in the photo? (Have you noticed how many people speak with question marks these days?)
(Incidentally, I was listening to the audio book Wild, by Cheryl Strayed at the time of this drawing. Funny how a listening to a book can be remembered this way. . .)
I redrew it, using another photo and just taking some artistic license (that means I made up a few things.)
Phew – this time it passed!
Not this year, but maybe next year, depending on the response. I didn’t mean to tease you!
Hmmm, this would make a good calendar page. . .
This year I have a calendar with my photos of the most beautiful places in Tulare County. It is selling well – $15 includes tax and shipping. You can see and order one here.
Calendars are risky business for two main reasons:
1. Short window of selling time
2. There are zillions of freebies out there.
As I puzzled over whether or not to make and sell a calendar this year, one idea was to feature the Wilsonia cabins on each page. Photography won out, but I’m still mulling over the feasibility of a Wilsonia cabin drawing calendar.
P.S. I just found another cabin with a bay window – it is on President’s Lane!
I haven’t talked too much about the fact that I teach people to draw. These are semi-private lessons, 4 people at a time, one hour per week in Exeter. This has been happening for 20 years, and through the years I have learned how important it is to be honest. If we who draw can’t tell each other the truth about our work, who else will? And because we all want to improve (yeppers, even me, the Teacher), we need to hear from one another. Critiquing one’s own work is very very difficult – sort of like trying to proofread one’s own writing.
I showed this drawing to my students:
One of them said, “It looks like you just scribbled in the background”.
True, I did. I scribble in all the backgrounds. However, it usually looks like a forest, not scribbles.
I don’t let them get away with something that looks sloppy or scribbled, so they don’t let me either!
I redid it. Can you tell the difference? (The background, not the cabin.)
In my previous schedule to complete the 230 drawings by January 1, I was meant to have 208 finished by the end of October. Might make that, might not. Not even going to address the problem with the new schedule to complete 270 drawing this year. Ain’t gonna happen.
What, me discouraged? Nope! I’m still moving ahead. As my husband likes to point out, “It is a self-imposed deadline!” This is true. However, as a self-employed person, who else will impose a schedule if not me?
On the other hand, this means as I adjust the design of the book, I can also adjust the schedule of completion.
Now that my explanations (excuses?) have been made, have a look at a few recently completed drawings. (Hey Mr. Google, I’m talking about pencil drawings for the upcoming book The Cabins of Wilsonia.)
In spite of varied political opinions, most of us with private inholdings or other interests in the National Parks can agree that shutting the parks makes no sense.
Much of what the government does makes no sense to me. If it were run like a private business, it would be bankrupt. Oh. Never mind. It makes no sense any way it gets examined.
There are 12 cabins still standing in Wilsonia that were sold to the government. They now sit empty, neglected, useless, abandoned, falling down, looking sad, of no use to anyone – not private folks, not the government, not park employees, not concessionaires, no one.
As someone who owns a cabin (in Mineral King), who loves cabins (my business name is “Cabin Art”!) and is devoting several years of my life to documenting the cabins of Wilsonia, this makes me sad, puzzled, baffled, and frustrated. As a self-employed, tax paying citizen, it infuriates me! (But, I will conduct myself with dignity here.)
What a waste. The only people who benefited from the sale of this cabin were the sellers. That strikes me as a fairly short-sighted decision on the part of all involved. I have a lot to say about the matter, but since this blog is primarily about drawing a book on the cabins of Wilsonia, I’ll hold back.
Thanks for stopping by. I hope this post wasn’t too off-putting.
As the book grows, so does my other work. Another commission came for another cabin on another street that has already been completely designed and drawn. No problem! Drawing cabins in pencil is what I do and have done since 1985. Really! (No, I wasn’t 5 years old at the time, but thanks for thinking I’m just a youngster.)
Once again we began with photos, and from these, I made 3 sketches. There was a question of which might be the best angle of the cabin, and sketches seem to be more helpful in deciding than photos.
I had to remove many trees in order to be able to see the cabin, but don’t worry because it was a figurative removal, not a literal one. (Has anyone besides me noticed how many people misuse the word “literally” these days?? “He literally shot himself in the foot.” Really? Can he walk any more?)
B was the choice. Bet you are wondering which sketch is B, since there is no B on the page of sketches. (It is the one that isn’t A or C.)
I waited awhile to begin. There is a large painting on the easel, 2 other commission drawings, and then, of course there is The Book with its revised and loaded up schedule. Finally, I decided it wasn’t going to draw itself, so this is what I did:
Next, I wait to hear from the customers. If they are pleased, I will be pleased and I will spray fix it so it doesn’t smear. If they want changes, I won’t be as pleased, but I will do my best. It will be me that I am displeased with for not getting it right the first time, not the customers.