Studio

Just a very quick sketch of the Third-Year Architecture Studio at the University of Idaho. My students are working on developing structural ideas for an Aquatic Center project, and while they're cranking out some drawings, I thought I might crank out a drawing. The space was just re-painted over the holiday break, and it's now very very beige. It should only be a small matter of time before they start adding graffiti and posters and what not. But for now it's beige. To paraphrase from Spinal Tap, "How much more beige can it be? And the answer is ... none ... none more beige."

Figure Drawing

I finally got into the habit of attending a weekly figure drawing session during the past few months, and decided to upload some of my efforts. (More examples are on my Flickr page. UPDATE: Flickr made me mark these as "restricted" - apparently a few were a bit too anatomically correct. sheeesh.) It takes more discipline than I usually have to make it to the sessions, especially because they take place on Saturday afternoons, when I'm ordinarily puttering around the house trying to avoid doing anything productive. But figure drawing is so worthwhile. It's easily the most challenging subject matter I've ever tried to draw, and it forces me to see light and form in a more subtle way than I do when sketching architecture. The sessions are on hiatus until mid-February, and I'm already eager to get back into it. In the meantime, I'm trying to study the subject a bit more ... I picked up "Figure Drawing" by Nathan Goldstein in a used bookstore last week, and I look forward to applying some of his teaching. At the same time, one of the things I enjoy about figure drawing is learning to simply trust my eyes, rather than over-analyze the human figure or try to become an expert on anatomy.

Sisters' Brew - Moscow, ID

It doesn't feel much like winter, so I rode the scooter down to the coffeeshop to do a little work. Sisters' Brew has become one of my favorite places to hang out - not that there are very many places to hang out in this little town. It's warm and cozy and the coffee is top-notch. And it's been a little while since I actually took some time to do some drawing just for the fun of it.

Prichard Gallery Exhibit

I neglected to post about this before the holidays, but I have several sketches in our annual College of Art & Architecture Faculty Exhibit, which runs from December 11 through January 17 in the Prichard Art Gallery here in Moscow, ID. It's always a fun exhibit, with a wide variety of work, and I'm always very happy and honored to contribute. Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera with me at the opening reception ... it would have been nice to get a shot or two with the gallery full of people.