Drawing and Painting with ME Carsley

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  • Works in Progress
  • Workshops Resource Pages
    • Printmaking Instruction
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    • Secondary Student Course Information
    • Student Work Examples
    • Enrichments
    • Handwriting Clinic
  • Blog
  • About ME
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Inspiration and Where to Find It

Romare Bearden Exhibit at the Lewis Museum

2/28/2019

 
Picture
A small watercolor portrait of the artist Romare Bearden inspired by his earlier works.

"Most artists take some place, and like a flower, they sink roots looking for universal implications."

This week I had the opportunity to first the Reginald Lewis Museum in Baltimore Md for the first time.  As part of my school's Harlem Renaissance Teaching Team.  This course is our school's first class to be developed to be taken entirely on line. Divided into four sections: Literature, History, Music and Visual Arts, it has been incredible fun learning had a single subject through the different lenses for my colleagues.  
At the museum we were given a tour of the current Romare Bearden exhibit by the museum director, Ms. Jaqueline Copeland, who is a Harlem Renaissance expert and teaches a comprehensive college course on the subject
Link to Exhibit Information
It was an amazingly informative afternoon with regards to developing my visual arts curriculum. But, as an artist myself, and new to printmaking I was amazed at his interest in so many subjects from the religious, to classic literature themes, to poignant domestic scenes, all framed within the African American experience.  I was also stuck at how he was constantly looking at art and experimenting with his own work.  He was amazingly productive and often his techniques highly complex requiring a great deal of technical skill.  It was inspiring too to discover that he never quit his day job being a social worker.  I think my biggest take aways were the gestures of his figures as well as the use of line and planes of color.  I know I'll be digesting what I saw and heard for many days to come!  My favorite images from the exhibit, all screen prints, are below:

Basic Book Binding

2/28/2019

 
Picture
Completed book with cover.
Last week I had the opportunity to attend a basic book binding workshop. The workshop instructor was the experienced artist, book binder, and calligrapher, Joan B. Machinchick.  What I truly appreciated was the workshop pamphlet that Ms. Machinchick created for each student, complete with Japanese Stab binding!  This was most appreciated because I often find that in note taking during workshops I often miss an important part of the demonstration.  This way I could just listen and watch.  Under her guidance, we created simple two signature sketchbooks using marbled paper as the cover.  The project is shown here:

February 14th, 2019

2/14/2019

 

Medieval Initial Letter Workshop

2/14/2019

 
My design based on a number of different references from various French and English illuminated manuscript styles, decoration, and fonts.  I first sketched it in pencil.  Then, using transfer paper traced the final image on to 90 lb. watercolor paper.  This was a cold press, however, in the future I will use hot press to insure as smooth a paper surface as possible in order to capture the detail and such a small scale.  Note this image is only 4" tall!  The gild was a liquid decorative gold paint applied with a watercolor paint brush.  However, I have used real sizing and faux gold leaf.  This process is faster more convenient for capturing small detailed areas.  Also, the liquid leaf does not demand the expertise necessary for applying gold leaf well.  The final was painted in watercolor and then outlined in India ink.
Recently, I had the good fortune to attend an afternoon workshop with the wonderfully talented artist, Jean Brinton Jaecks to design and paint an initial letter in the style of medieval manuscripts. This workshop was part of the Mitchell Gallery's (on the St. John's College Campus, Annapolis, MD) latest exhibit "Painted Pages."  To see more about the exhibit click here:
Painted Pages Exhibit at Mitchell Gallery
The images on top are my project.  The gallery of images below that are the step by step workshop demonstration.  Ms. Jaecks used watercolor pencil. I am hoping to create more images based on these techniques, so stay tuned!

Art with a Message at The Fashion Institute in NYC

2/14/2019

 
In my own work I seldom, if ever, find inspiration in societal observation or headline news. However, I greatly admire those who can and do employ their art in a meaningful manner as statement with regards to powerful social commentary and in sharing their personal experiences and musings of their own conscious. The recent Faculty Student Show at the Fashion Institute had several moving pieces that I wanted to share.  I hope you find the work and artists' statements as the wonderful examples of the power of art to inspire compassion and understanding that I did!  

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