Laurelines

Funny little glimpses of Austin, Texas.

I have some more sketches of Austin from this last week, but this is the first installment. These sights won't be listed in Fodor's or on TripAdvisor, of course, especially the boy-peeing-in-a-tub fountain at Spider House Café. The next set is perhaps odder. We'll let you be the judge

Grackles are everywhere in Austin and they are rude boids. My new shirt did not escape untainted by grackle leavings, if you get my drift. This is one of many occupational hazards of the outdoor sketcher.

February sketching

I've been doing a lot of drawing lately, partly in compensation for the fact that my week in water painting has been less than successful. That's okay! We soldier on. 

Here are a couple recent sketches and there's another bakery one at Urban Sketchers. I try not to repeat myself on these group blogs, but it's hard to produce enough that's worth making public for Laurelines and the two group ones without some double dipping. You will forgive moi, I trust. Do check out the wedding cakes sketch at Urban Sketcher!

Return to watery images

Two recent paintings based on sketches and photos from Iceland. The first painting is twice the size, in each dimension, of the second one. The wider surface of the first one makes the kind of movement I want to convey a bit easier to create. Typepad's image limitations make posting images of markedly horizontal paintings a real challenge. 

I've had to post a much smaller version of the second painting than I normally would, to give you a sense of proper scale. For larger versions of both, please see Watermarks, one of the group blogs I participate in.

I'm a locavore, and so is Miz Alston

I shop local and I shop fresh. At Tom Robinson's Seafood the other day, I met a mother and daughter who'd driven from another town 30 miles away, so they, too, could buy fish that you can actually taste!  We made our choices from among those pictured below.  

More images in a related post at Urban Sketchers!

Laurelines aloft!

My blog has been coursing through the cyber ether lately. Here are three sightings, in reverse chronological order.

 First, on the website and newsletter of my friend, renowned painter and writer Kate/Cathy Johnson: Cathy Johnson's Art Tip #86 "...There are any number of reasons for an artist to keep a blog....  It's good to share daily sketching or painting, projects you set for yourself, exchanges, challenges, a learning or a teaching situation.

You can explore a theme, like my friend Laura Frankstone, who set herself a theme for a solid year, a different one each month, then the next year explored the concept of water, throughout the year. It was fascinating to travel along with her, and she and her readers and fans all benefitted from her exercise -- and her generous sharing of herself and her talents... ." 

There's more, including my thoughts on keeping an art blog, after four years at it! You'll want to follow Kate's series on art blogging. Gabi Campanario, Seattle illustrator and the genius behind Urban Sketchers, that worldwide art blog phenomenon, will be one of her interviewees!

An unsolicited review of my blog appeared last week on Loveart-gallery.com, based in the UK. Here's a bit of it:

"Laura Frankstone is an artist, based in North Carolina. Frankstone uses her art blog to chronicle her work, and provide some insight into underlying developmental process. We think this works so well because Frankstone continually draws and paints moments in her life. Expect to see everyday moments, such as a visit to the hairdresser, mixed in with events like the birth of Frankstone’s grandson. In keeping with the personal approach Frankstone adopts, she also uses her art blog as a form of diary. The diary aspect is particularly interesting when Frankstone is travelling (a relatively regular occurrence). For us, Laurelines is one of the very best (Making a Mark being another example) resources for an aspiring drawer. The positive personality of Frankstone, and the insight she provides, combine to make this art blog highly motivational... .

  And last month, Laurelines was featured on Andy Hayes' lively,fun travel blog, Sharing Experiences. Andy, based in Edinburgh, is a travel expert and I'm a travel fiend, so it's not surprising that we connected in cyberspace! Here's how, in his words: "

"Who doesn’t love a great art. But what about travel art? I googled travel art but most of the results are about the art of travel. Not exactly the same thing. However, in previous searching of the ‘net I was delighted to come across the paintings of Laura Murphy Frankstone, a fellow travel aficionado and painting genius! Here’s one of her works, representing Iceland.  I just love how the sketch tells such a story - with the visual cues and the notes - I feel like I was looking over Laura’s shoulder as she was furious scribbling away in her notepad right there at the dinner table. Lunch at Fjoruhusid cafe, Hellnar, Iceland (If you click on the image, it will open up larger for a better view. By the way, I love the fact that she points out the butter there in the corner. I bet it’s salty. Yum!) Laura has loads of other great sketches, from Gaudi architecture in Barcelona to faces in cafes in Paris. What a nice way to share your experiences, eh? "

Thanks to Kate, William, and Andy for your support! Hope you'll all check out the good work that they're doing as well.

Cooking with gas!

I've been having the best week ever---not because everything I'm trying to do is working, but because I finally have the time to paint and draw in a sustained way! Plus, I did a 4-plus mile power walk yesterday! I'm banned from the gym by my doctor until March, so walking will have to suffice as my way to stay sane-ish and non-corpulent. I went uphill and down, pumping arms, and breathing frosty breaths for over an hour last night!

And I'm not too discouraged that two of the three watery paintings I'm working on look like mud at this point--I'll figure 'em out. It's just a matter of keeping on. And I will.

Here are two recent sketches, scenes from my town. 

The bar scene was done with Pitt Big Brush Pens, which I love! I took some with me to Bruges last month. Click back to see the hotel bar/library sketch and the carved figures sketch posted in January, if you like---they're also done with these pens. Certain pens, pencils, brushes really affect one's style and these pens are a case in point. About the second sketch: Tom Robinson' Seafood is a wonderful local establishment. I'm going tomorrow to sketch the interior and the fishmonger! I should have some water paintings to show you before very long, too, so there'll be lots to see, the good Lord willing and the creek not rising!