Studio 2

Another continuation of my travel moleskine sketchbook that I took throughout Key West, The Bahamas, and a few other places.

There was this network of rusty, algae-covered pipes with other equally-icky looking cords running underneath of the front porch of the floating house we were staying on in Key West. I would find myself staring at them for a few reasons:

1: There were some really cool fish swimming down at the bottom everyday, and I wanted to feed them. They don’t like bread, or cat food. But they do like Frito’s.

2: In looking at the fish, I noticed the shells, and a few critters.  Now not only would I look for fish every morning, but now I was looking for crabs too! (You’ll see later in the sketchbook series, that I am a master land-crab catcher. They cannot hide from me.)

3. The way that all of these delicate shells had fused themselves to the surrounding structures over time was quite beautiful.  So one sunny morning after my typical third cup of coffee, I decided to sit in the sun with the chilly morning and give these guys the attention that my inner-nerd thought that they deserved.

Drawing while travelling, or rather, just making the time to draw subject matter that appears in my life, regularly, has been incredibly inspiring. Sometimes after drawing all day my brain will feel exhausted- it’s getting it’s workout trying to wrap my mind around the things that we see, and translating that into something real and recognizable on paper. But after it’s all done, elation is the only thing that follows. Drawing helps deepen my memories. Not only do I remember the things that I saw, but I remember the chilly breeze, the ocean air, Ava pissing off grandpa and subsequently going on a walk with dad ;), the sun shining on my legs… I remember the actual moment of living.

I think that has a lot to do with my lack of interest in photography as of late- I want to actually experience what is happening around me, rather than continually looking through a lens to find the “best shot”. Often times I would be walking around, looking, taking everything in, and I’d point out something really interesting for Awesome Boyfriend to shoot, that he didn’t notice was there- because he was busy shooting something else. I felt like he was missing the essence of the event, because he was trying to capture the essence of the event. Does that make sense?

Shh. Don’t tell him I said that.

I am also reminded that, I can draw things!  I actually have skills! 😀

Another observational-travel-type blog: John Hobbie’s Painting Excursion Across Hong Kong : This artist lives in Honk Kong, and goes out everyday to paint or draw. He renders his images beautifully, and intricately. Flower markets, boats docking at the harbor, the busy marketplace, crowds…you name it, and he’s drawing it. His sketchbook got me totally pumped before I left for this trip.

A funny little blurb about drawing and photography: I Wouldn’t Shoot if I Knew How to Draw