Category Archives: Progress Report

Inching Ahead

A friend once asked me as I was drawing, “How in the world do you do that?”

“About one quarter inch at a time”, was my smarty-pants answer.

April is almost history, and I do believe I will meet my quota. This is in spite of a Big Birthday for my Little Mama, a 4-day camping trip to Montana de Oro, a visit by my Adobe InDesign coach from Seattle, an odd job, and a visit by 2 other friends. Bring on the fans – my pencils are smokin’!

(Hey Mr. Google, if you are spying on my blog, this is a pencil drawing of a Wilsonia cabin for the upcoming book The Cabins of Wilsonia.)

If you’d like to comment but it won’t behave, please email me via the contact page. I am beginning to wonder if the thing is broken. . .

Silence and Solitude in the Studio

My studio is a tiny building on the property where my house is. It used to belong to Mr. Clayton Sheesley (the father of Wilsonia cabin owners Gene and Bob), who built clocks. He planed his wood where I draw – in the large front door and out the large back door, which I had removed when the building was remodeled for my studio.

I have this idea that if I paint murals on the outbuildings, people won’t notice their shabby condition. Besides, I think it is fun to be hit with a surprise when the door is opened!

This is how the interior looks when it is all cleaned up the for the biennial Three Rivers Studio Tour.

But I digress. I work in solitude, but not usually in silence. For several weeks, I was unable to get the internet in the studio, so it has been silent.

But, I am not alone.

Perkins, my sweet kitty, has survived 14 years while witnessing the demise of 14 other cats. It’s rough on cats in my neighborhood. I’m no math whiz, but even I can see that we have averaged the loss of one cat per year. Last summer we lost Zeke and Kaweah. I’m starting to get a little weird about Perkins. (“Starting??”, I can hear my husband ask!)

That is drawing #133 in the foreground. I’m moving forward on The Cabins of Wilsonia. (I have to put the title of the book in the post so that Mr.Google can find it. Normally I wouldn’t be so repetitive. Blogging isn’t quite the same as regular writing because if one wants to be found by Mr. Google, one must follow his rules.)

New Month, New Drawing Quota

Because of life and some good things taking place in April, I only have 11 drawing days. With my self-imposed deadline of completing all the drawings for The Cabins of Wilsonia by the end of December, 2013, this is tricky.

Not to worry, Oh Gentle Blog Reader and Faithful Friend of Wilsonia! I knew this was coming so I drew like a crazy caffeinated drawing maniac in March. Not too caffeinated, because that would make my hand tremble. Just with a laser-like focus, an unceasing forward motion, a not-to-be-deterred determination.

Instead of completing 126 in March, I made it to #132. Still in the Ms – Manzanita Street is almost finished, Mason Street was begun in 2011 and will be completed in April, Lord willing, the creek, et cetera. . .

HEY, WILSONIA FOLKS, ANYONE WANT TO TELL ME WHAT THIS PENCIL DRAWING IS?? Don’t worry, I know, I’m just asking to see if you recognize it!

Reaching the (somewhat squishy) Goal

This is one of the earlier drawings. Before the book was designed, I knew this was a view that belonged in the book.

Now that I am into the 4th month of the ambitious goal to finish all the drawings in 2013, I am pleased to report that this definitely looks possible. 230+ drawings, begun in 2011, with 85 done at the beginning of 2012, needing 145 by the beginning of 2014. Probably even more than 145. . .

More? MORE?? Yes, because there are lots of little decorative touches that are not cabins. I haven’t figured out what they all will be or where they will go. Once the book is set up on Adobe InDesign, the gaps and hollow places will be visible. Then, in spite of thinking “Yippee Skippee, stick a fork in me, I am DONE!”, I will have to face the reality of more work ahead.

That’s okay. I love to draw.

You already knew that, right?

Redesigning

As I finish a page, I pull out my scrappy sketches to see what to do next. Since this book is being drawn and arranged alphabetically by street name, there aren’t any superfluous decisions about that.

But, I designed this awhile ago. As it progresses, I rethink the layout of the drawings. I rethink which views of which cabins belong in the book. Fortunately, I don’t rethink whether or not the book is going to happen – that is non-negotiable.

Now on Manzanita Street/Lane/Avenue/Road, (what are these things called??), I questioned my choices of cabins, views, details, and page layout. What was I thinking when I designed this? WAS I thinking??

Hmmm, perhaps it is time to show you an earlier pencil drawing from Mason Street/Drive/Road/Lane/Boulevard. (Just kidding about the Blvd. . . it is a cabin community, not a city!)

This is a most unusual chimney with a built in area for an outdoor fire too. I love shingle siding and stone work. The book will probably be heavily weighted in that direction. Just warning you all!

Pencil Drawing #117 is Finished!

Remember that I had to draw the dog before the fleas?

Here is the dog with all the fleas!

This is drawing #117. I don’t know what it is, but it is certainly interesting. It has history, lots of stories, but it isn’t talking. Sort of looks like a slave cabin. I know there were many Southern sympathizers in Tulare County during the War Between The States but I don’t believe there was slavery here.

To stay on schedule, #126 needs to be completed by March 31.

Questions, always more questions

Asking questions is a great way to learn.

Where can you learn more about this project, The Cabins of Wilsonia? Right here!

What is this little building?

Beats me!

Why are you drawing this book?

I love to draw.
I love to draw cabins.
The Cabins of Mineral King was a very enjoyable and rewarding project, and people have asked me to do the same for Wilsonia.
Cabin communities are treasures to be cherished, preserved and celebrated.

Where are you in the project?

Right on schedule! (thanks for asking, great question, and all the other automatic responses that interviewees give. . .)

Cranking up the Drawing Machine

I last reported to you on the book progress on February 26, saying that my quota for February had been met.

Perhaps you are wondering why I didn’t take the opportunity to get ahead a bit. This is a legitimate question, and I have 3 reasons for not forging ahead of schedule.

1. I went to Chicago on a 5 day trip. (Okay, I was only in Chicago itself for one short day, but if I said I went to Downers Grove, you might just say “Hunh?” Or perhaps you are more refined than that and might say “Where?”) You can read about it and even see photos on my other blog, beginning February 27.

2. It is time for me to complete some oil paintings for a request, a barter, and a gallery in Three Rivers (Colors has no website, but might be on Facebook, which I am not, so you are on your own there.)

3. My husband Michael (AKA Trail Guy) and I recently designed and ordered custom Mineral King tee shirts and they are now available! That has taken up some potential drawing time.

In other words, there is more to my life than drawing The Cabins of Wilsonia, and sometimes I have to do a bit of a juggling act.

But fear not – the drawing machine has been restarted! #116 is on the table.

Alta Through Laurel, Finished!

As I draw this book alphabetically street by street, I feel a sense of progress.

Duh.

This cabin looked boxy from the front. After I passed by it about the one thousandth time, I began noticing interesting details. Have you ever seen a cabin this shape before?

It is part of the book because I want both the typical and the atypical. Bet you can tell which category this drawing fits into.

This is #111.

Part of the fun of drawing a self-designed and self-published book is that I get to draw whatever strikes my fancy. NO ONE would ever commission me to draw this view of his cabin!! When people commission this California artist to draw their cabins, they choose the front. Always. No exceptions. Amen.

Being a California artist, nay, a California pencil artist, a cabin artist, Cabinart herself, sometimes I like to choose the offbeat, the unusual, the most interesting view, the unique. This pencil drawing qualifies for all of the aforementioned.

Book Report, Month #1

January is behind me, and I have completed 103 drawings.

Charming rustic door looks even better since I omitted the spider webs.

Not all in January! I can’t remember how many I had finished when the year began, but I think it was around 85. I’m just guessing, because I didn’t write it down. On the January 11 blog post, #86 is on the table.

With 11 months remaining to complete the drawings for the book (a self-imposed deadline), I need to do 11 or 12 per month. This is possible.

I won’t be showing you all the completed drawings, because I want to ignite your fascination trigger of mystique.

What sort of weirdo psychobabble is this? I’m reading a book called Fascinate by Sally Hogshead. Interesting information, great writer! Wish I was on the Amazon affiliate program and got $ for telling you to buy the book, but alas, I am just rambling because I’ve spent too many hours alone in the studio, many days without internet access (gasp of horror).

The Cabins of Wilsonia moves forward!