and if the flowers are in bloom

 I'm playing catch up at the moment. Not on the drawing front (I have NOT stopped drawing recently) but on all the other things that go along with that. Like blogging. These are a couple more drawings from last weekends sketch crawl in Buxton. And very shortly I'll post the drawings from this weekends sketch crawl in Chesterfield. Our group seems to have a very busy schedule because there's more planned for next weekend. Phew. Exhausting, but great too.

I did this little one in the Buxton Museum and Art Gallery where I held my exhibition last year. This is of the mantelpiece in the Victorian room. At least I think it's the Victorian room. But don't listen to me I seem to think everything old is Victorian. I have no idea why.

kings of the mountains

 Since I got less scared about drawing outdoors a whole new world of subject matter has opened up to me. It was bad enough when I was having my attention caught by all the indoor potential drawings, but Holy Smoke, there's now drawing opportunities EVERYWHERE I look.

Here's some of the chimney pots on our row of houses. I love chimney pots, they have so much character. Plus, with houses as old as ours, the pots have been added and replaced over the decades (centuries even) so that every chimney is different from it's neighbour.

 These aren't the greatest drawings or journal spreads that I've made but I was just getting to grips with this subject matter. I was just getting my pen around chimney pots. To be honest too, I actually made these drawings from the comfort of my armchair. They are a selections of the chimneys that I can see from my window. Well, it was VERY windy.

just to get close to

I've often been asked about how I choose the things that I draw. The answer is I'm really not sure, I sometimes think that they choose me. Somebody once asked me if I see everything around me as a possible drawing. Well, I think I see the things that have potential. I have this huge mental list of subject matter; the things I see and think 'now that would make a good drawing' but I reckon about 95% will never make it onto paper.

Then there are things that persist. They make it difficult to say no. Like this telegraph pole. It just kept standing in front of me. Standing there, where I park, tempting me every time I got in or out of the car. Yesterday, I gave in. I'm not sure how I feel about the result but I'm sure it's not the only telegraph pole that will catch my eye.

It takes all sorts.