So here it is – my very first blog post!
The intention is to do at least one blog post per month. Not entirely sure what I’m going to write about yet – how this endeavour will evolve, only time will tell! I must admit I am rather apprehensive about the whole thing. Why would people want to read my blog post? What am I going to write about? What if it is just plain stupid or boring – or both?
An ‘influencer’ I am not! This term does not sit well with me as I would never be so presumptuous as to think I actually have the power to ‘mould’ the thoughts and ideas of others.
But enough of that, let’s get this blog going!
Urban Sketching after the Lockdown
Yesterday we, the Urban Sketchers Johannesburg, had our first real, physical sketch event since the start of Lockdown in March! It was a glorious spring day at Delta Park, next to Victory Park, Craighall and Blairgowrie in Johannesburg. We all sat spread out next to the Bird Sanctuary and sketched to our hearts’ delight. How wonderful to return to normality and see some of our ‘old’ sketching buddies – and even one new sketcher as well! See one of my sketches on the left.
The story behind “Arty-Chooks”
During the Lockdown, the Urban Sketchers did some virtual sketching in and around our own homes to try and keep the momentum going. It wasn’t the same as sketching on location of course, and it certainly wasn’t easy.
The annual “Sketch-a-Chicken” Week ran from 22 – 28 March this year, but of course we couldn’t go hunting for chickens to sketch during that time. I decided to challenge myself to do little sketches of chickens as they may have been portrayed by famous artists – as if they had participated in the event. These are not strickly speaking urban sketches though, as they were not done on location or even from life – but rather from reference material and imagination. So that is how my “Arty-Chooks” series came into being!
I had so much fun with the sketches that I just couldn’t stop when the week was over! So now I have a collection of 29 chicken sketches (and counting..) that you can see on my “Shop” page. You can buy the downloadable pdf files if you want to print on your home printer – or get printed at a print shop, and get them framed or block-mounted to hang on your walls.
Or you can simply browse through them and just enjoy! And while you are at it, have a look at the rest of my website pages and galleries.
Thank you for visiting and reading this post!
Can’t wait for the next instalment!!
Thank you so much for your positive feedback Jeannie!
Loved reading this Leonora! Would be awesome to know things like, what you take in your art bag on an urban sketch adventure…like your go-to art supplies 🙂 You’re so great, I am looking forward to reading ALL your MANY blog posts x
Thank you so much for your positive feedback Amy-Jany! And for your suggestions, I will certainly include a post on my sketching supplies soon!
Stunning ou dame! Jy is n voorbeeld vir ons eerstejaars!
He he, baie dankie eerstejaartjie!!
Am very very impressed. Lovely works!
Thank you so much Taiwo!
Wow! what a wonderful Web page and I loved your blog, looking forward to the next one.
Thank you so much Gail!
So proud of you with the website. Your Blog is great and of course I am a fan of your chickens!
Thank you so much Ann, so glad to know the chickens bring joy to people
As a consumer of your art (and an avid fan since the mid 1990’s when I first was introduced to your incredible talent through your ceramics), I am so excited you have taken this next step – it will surely keep me even closer to your beautiful works as I experience your experiences through your web-page and blog. Mooi so Leonora – so so trots op jou.
Thank you very much Alba, your support has been really valuable to me over the years!