Tag Archives: drawing

Back and Forth

The more I juggle between stitched pieces and drawings, the more I appreciate the power of their influence upon each other.

Stage One

I thought it might be interesting to see 5 stages of both a drawing and a stitched piece, side-by-side as they progress. The drawing begins with a very hard lead so I’m afraid it’s a challenge to see here, a fact amplified by its reduced size. You can see its details much more clearly in this post.

It’s definitely an ongoing challenge to give each its due in a given week, and I’m sure that fact delays my progress in each. But the strong similarity between the way an image is built in one discipline really helps me work through the hurdles I encounter within the other.

Stage 2

The drawing is 24 x 18 inches, whereas this stitched piece is about 10 inches square

The upside is it’s a two-way street: having two objectives may slow me down, but working both mediums in tandem ultimately seems to push me further than if I were pursuing only one.

Stage 3

I like working in layers because it lets me build up an image gradually.

I’ve written before about artists I admire who work across disciplines, but only by doing so myself have I been able to truly see the returns materialize.

Stage 4

There is definitely a lot to be said for the oomph of color that comes easily with dyes and thread. Yet I am also attracted to the subtlety of line which I feel conveys just as much, albeit with a quieter voice.

Advantages weave back and forth between the two, each lending a fresh perspective on the qualities that interest me: texture, color, value, pattern…and not to be forgotten, all-important composition – whether encased in an imaginary frame defined by the edges of the paper or within a framework of shibori pattern that is as much a part of the overall piece as the subject.

Stage 5

And then you reach a point where it feels like everything that can be, has been said.

Katharine

Katharine     ©2019 Elizabeth Fram 24 x 18 inches, Graphite and Verithin pencil on paper

Finished

June’s Trophy   ©2019 Elizabeth Fram, 10 x 10 in., Stitched-resist dye and embroidery on silk

Summer Reading:
I love the premise behind this list of 20 books featuring seasoned female protagonists from Modern Mrs. Darcy.  I’ve read and enjoyed a handful of them, so I know her recommendations are reliable.

My mother was a great reader and an inveterate article-clipper, as perhaps yours is, or may have been, as well. She never missed an opportunity to share something she found interesting or that she thought I should read. And it seems I have inherited that gene, as my kids will attest. But the happy flip side of that is they also share articles and book titles with me!
If you’re looking to liberate yourself by taking control of your devices, rather than letting them control you, check out Cal Newport’s Digital Minimalism, courtesy of my son. It’s a speedy read, but very wise and equally as worthwhile.

 

Another Week

I love reading about how other artists organize and manage their practice and in that spirit thought I would share the variety of things I’ve been working on Monday through Wednesday  of this week. If for no other reason, it’ll show you that I usually toggle back and forth between several things at once.

Monday = life drawing and whatever else I can squeeze in.

Life Drawing

©2018 Elizabeth Fram, 20 x 18 inches, Graphite on paper

I post this blog on Thursdays. It publishes immediately but is sent out through the wonders of Mailchimp to my mailing list at 4am on Friday mornings. This is why those of you who have subscribed can read it with your morning coffee every week. I have found that setting up and keeping a schedule is the key ingredient that has allowed me to post consistently each week for almost four years. And while my schedule of stitching and drawing is a little more flexible, it is the same devotion to consistency that results in a sense of accomplishment.

Lobster detail

This week that “squeezed in” Monday project was working on the lobster piece

I try not to think too much about the next week’s post over the weekend other than to keep my eyes and ears open for new ideas. But each week unfolds the same way: Mondays are for entertaining various possibilities for that week’s post, Tuesdays I compose a draft, Wednesdays are devoted to polishing, and I publish on Thursday. Depending on the week, any of those steps can run very smoothly or be quite laborious, which makes it easy to see how blog-writing has become an all-consuming profession for some.

Tuesday = the start of a new drawing and the final touches on the lobster piece which will still need to be framed.

Succulent

©2018 Elizabeth Fram, Unfinished, 8.5 x 8 inches, Graphite and colored pencil on paper

I started Eye of the Needle as a means of better articulating my practice and of opening the door to a conversation with other artists and with anyone who might be interested in what goes on behind my artistic curtain, so to speak. It has given back to me more than I could have imagined on both counts.

Lobster full

©2018 Elizabeth Fram, approx 20 x 27 inches, Stitched-resist dye and embroidery on silk

One unexpected discovery is that the time spent writing often spurs ideas for the practical side of whatever I’m currently working on, and while I’m stitching I can sometimes work out the wrinkles of my post that week. Drawing is in a whole different league though because it requires being constantly engaged in the process at hand, with moment by moment decisions necessary.

Wednesday = experimenting to create a shaped resisted area before folding, stitching and dyeing a new piece. The shape below is cut from cotton cloth, and I stitched a duplicate directly underneath it on the other side of the silk – hoping that since cotton won’t absorb the dyes I use that I might have at least the shadow of this shape remaining after stitching and dyeing the silk.

Cotton Resist

Cotton resist basted in place

Fold and stitch

Piece folded, stitched, and dyed. The lighter area is the cotton which has barely absorbed any of the dye

New Piece

The results didn’t turn out anything like I hoped – let alone expected. I’m thinking now about my next move.

The images of this week’s work are an example of the variety of things I’m juggling at any given time. Believe it or not, they all feed into each other, although sometimes I wish my various disciplines developed in a straighter line. As you can perhaps imagine, sometimes my practice feels a bit disjointed, but I have come to understand and trust how the three legs of the stool – writing, drawing, and stitching – have become equally necessary to each other.

Remains

Remains ©2018 Elizabeth Fram, 11 x 8.5, Ink on paper

My son just gave me a copy of the book Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown. I’m looking forward to seeing what ideas it may have to help me to pull these elements together more tightly.

 

 

L’Arte di Firenze

This is a post of images, so get yourself a drink of choice and settle in.

When we last visited Italy a dozen years ago, our days revolved around its magnificent sights, its food, wine, and the camaraderie of our traveling companions. This time around included all of the same, yet with the distinct benefit of also being able to devote a large chunk of time on our own, immersed in the artistic treasure trove that is Florence.

Despite factors being such that we visited during peak tourist season, crowds never really seemed to be an issue — the only time we had to wait in line was to get into the Uffizi, and even then for only about 20 minutes. I mostly credit that ease to having the Firenze card which allows easy and swift access to most museums and sites. Keep it in mind if you’re planning a trip in the future.

Now for a bit of armchair travel…here is a taste of the art of Florence and Ravenna as I saw it, divided into digestible sections. As you can see, those divisions are somewhat arbitrary as they all seem to overlap in one way or another. Such is the beauty of art.

 

Pattern

San Lorenzo

Basilica di San Lorenzo    This cathedral’s relatively stark (certainly in comparison with the Duomo) facade is heightened by its stonework relief in tandem with the sun.

Baptistry floor

Baptistry of San Giovanni   Marble flooring

Carpet of Stone

Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra (Domus of the Stone Carpets)     This important archeological project in Ravenna unearthed a complex of buildings dating back to the Roman Republic through Byzantine times, including a small palace where every floor was covered with marble mosaics. After being restored, the ‘carpets’ of stone were placed back to their original collocation in an underground room that can be entered from the Church of Sant’Eufemia.

Palazzo Vecchio ceiling

Palazzo Vecchio ceiling

Color

Mauseleum Galla Placidia

Mauseleum Galla Placidia, Ravenna       Low light made photographing these stunning glass mosaics incredibly challenging. I think my husband did an admirable job here. All “windows” were filled with alabaster, an example of which you can see on the left side of this picture, with the figure almost pointing to it à la Carol Merrill. A close-up below.

Alabaster

Alabaster window panel within Mauseleum Galla Placidia

Glass shop

On the more contemporary side, the colors inside this closed shop drew me like a magnet.

Street Art

Clet Abraham

I read about Clet Abraham before we left, so had my eyes peeled for his street art from the get-go. We weren’t disappointed. You can follow him on instagram @cletabraham

Clet Abraham

Another Abraham piece – photo courtesy of my husband

Michelangelo portrait

Even Michelangelo made street art … or at least that’s the legend about this carved portrait on the front wall of the Palazzo Vecchio. I read several stories about it: Popular urban legend has it that it was Michelangelo Buonarroti who created the portrait after taking on a bet that he would be able to do it with his back turned towards the wall, without looking at what he was doing. Another story tells how Michelangelo passed the Palazzo Vecchio one day and under the Loggia dei Lanzi he spotted a man in the pillory who owed him money. He asked the guard who was watching the unfortunate for how much longer the punishment would last and the guard answered: “Not long enough”. To make sure that the Florentine people would remember the criminal for a long time, he chiseled the man’s face on the wall of Palazzo Vecchio.

Swim Mask

Once we began noticing them, these images of classical figures with swim masks cropped up all over, and not just in Florence. I was able to find this interview with the anonymous artist.

Humanity

Portrait of an old man

Portrait of an Old Man, last quarter of the 15th century, Fresco on tile. Attribution swings between Filippino Lippi and Domenico Ghirlandaio.            Despite his attire, this man looks so contemporary to me, the warmth of his skin tones and kindly eyes speak across the centuries.

Calder face

Alexander Calder      We came across two exhibits in the Palazzo Medici Riccardi that were a total surprise, and happily so. This wire sculpture of Alexander Calder’s, not unlike the facade of San Lorenzo,  was dependent on shadow for full effect.

Sofonisba Anguissola

Self-Portrait of Sofonisba Anguissola, 1552-3.      In light of Reclamation, the ongoing exhibit at the Helen Day Art Center, which I wrote about here,  it was so lovely to see a female painter among the sea of male artists at the Uffizi. Anguissola’s father supported her passion for painting, as well as that of her four sisters who were also painters.

Pang Maokun

Pang Maokun, “Salotto di Diego Velasquez”, 2017     The other surprise exhibition at the Palazzo Medici Riccardi was a series of paintings by Chinese artist Pang Maokun. His sense of humor, weaving traditional references with a contemporary twist, is delightful.

Ermine

Pang Maokun, “Dama con l’ermellino”, 2017.       If this piece looks vaguely familiar, your memory isn’t fooling you. Here’s a link to da Vinci’s original.

 

Drawing

Maokun Drawing Pairs

Pang Maokun.    It was so interesting to see this series of drawings, copies of master works combined with contemporary portraits, set in pairs, and hung so that if you stood to the right only the contemporary portraits were visible, while standing to the left revealed only the copies.

Rider

Pang Maokun.     Another wonderful drawing of facility and humor.

Calder Poster

Alexander Calder      This sketch outlines Calder’s idea for a poster announcing his sculptural gift “Teodelapio” to the city of Spoleto.

It’s humbling to include these, but a section on drawing wouldn’t be complete without the addition of several of my sketches, made along the way.

YUL

Waiting at the Gate ©2018 Elizabeth Fram, 5 x 8 inches, Pen and colored pencil.   I look forward to that first sketch of every trip, often done while waiting to board the plane.

Tickets

Biglietti ©2018 Elizabeth Fram 5 x 8 inches, Pen and colored pencil.         Sketching takes the sting out of waiting, this time at the Roma Termini train station

Plaza Santo Spirito

Plaza Santo Spirito ©2018 Elizabeth Fram, 10 x 8 inches, Pen and colored pencil. Lunchtime at an osteria before heading to Capella Brancacci to see the famed frescoes by Masolino da Panacale, Masaccio, and Filippino Lippi

Sabine Women

Kidnapping of the Sabine Women by Giambologna, Loggia dei Lanzi   ©2018 Elizabeth Fram, 8 x 5 inches, Pen and colored pencil.        There aren’t words to express the experience of sketching one of the world’s most famous sculptures from an outdoor cafe, in one of the world’s most iconic places (Piazza della Signoria), while sipping a Campari soda.

Textiles

Blue Woven Gargoyle

The Palazzo Medici Riccardi had rooms filled with tapestries. They were huge and so finely woven that it is hard to imagine their production. Most of their colors have faded away. I think of blue as being among the most fugitive of colors, but was very interested to see that it was one of the few that remained in many of these pieces. Do any of you have an explanation? This small corner of a much larger work displays a glimmer of its former brilliance.

Red and Gold

As the following pictures show, the ecclesiastic textiles showcased at the Opera del Duomo Museum were sumptuous and beyond imagining. These are from the 18th century.

Embroidered Flowers

Thinking of the strong lighting and magnifying glasses I need for my own work, I couldn’t help but feel for the eyesight of the artists who made these extraordinary pieces.

Embroidered Iris

 

Gozzoli’s Procession of the Magi

I have saved the best for last. If there is one single work of art that stands out among all the many masterpieces and historical treasures we saw, it would be Benozzo Gozzoli’s Procession of the Magi in the tiny and spectacular Medici Chapel within the Palazzo Medici Riccardi.  I can’t begin to do it justice with words, and am still awestruck by the fact that we had this little jewel box all to ourselves, left to marvel at its vibrant colors and striking details in peace and quiet.

Journey of the Magi

Procession of the Magi, Benozzo Gozzoli, Medici Chapel 1459-61

Bird and ankles

This is one section that I could get close enough to for a detail shot. I have lightened this image hoping to make it clearer for you to see. I was amazed by the glazes and layers of color, and the ability to follow the ancient brushstrokes.

Journey

The glory of these paintings doesn’t begin to translate through my photos. The gold glimmers and the landscape seems to breathe with the life of its flora and fauna. Each person is an individual portrait with personality, cheeks glowing with life. There are no windows. Imagine the wonder of sitting in this room in flickering candlelight.

Please, take the time to read more and to see much better images (the frescos are so high up, there was no way to get a photo that isn’t distorted), through this information page on the Traveling in Tuscany website.

To sum it up, if there is one word to best describe the sights of our week, it would have to be “rich”. And I’ll just leave it at that.

And I can’t let you go without mentioning that I just installed my exhibit “Being Home” at The Kendal Gallery of Kendal at Hanover, 80 Lyme Road, Hanover, NH. The show is open daily and will be up through the month of August. I hope you might consider stopping in should you be near there.

Cut-off detail

Cut-Off, detail ©2017 Elizabeth Fram, 14 x 11 inches, Stitched-resist dye and embroidery on silk.

 

Dog Daze

Looking back over posts from the past couple of months, I see it’s been a while since Quinn has made an appearance here. Despite the regularity of my weekly life drawing sessions, she’s still my most faithful and readily available model. It is the rare week that I don’t try to capture her in at least one or two sketches.

Multiple tries

© Elizabeth Fram, 11 x 8.5 inches, Pen & ink on paper.                                                   Some days she’s particularly restless, which means numerous false starts before turning the page to start again.

Try Again

©Elizabeth Fram, 11 x 8.5 inches, Pen & ink on paper.                                                Other days she’s the cooperative one but I’m the problem, in need of many searching tries to get the lines where they should be.

Left facing

©Elizabeth Fram, 11 x 8.5 inches, Pen & ink on paper

Green Man

©Elizabeth Fram, 5 x 8 inches, Graphite on paper

Minimal

© Elizabeth Fram, 11 x 8.5 inches, Pen & ink on paper

Pattern Pooch

©Elizabeth Fram, 8.5 x 11 inches, Pen & ink on paper

Unsurprisingly, I tend to be drawn to work that includes a creature of some sort. If you are also a member of that camp, take a look at the art resources for animal lovers listed below.

  • Susan Hertel (1930-1993), an artist I had never heard of before coming across a retrospective catalogue of her paintings while vacationing in New Mexico years ago. I was immediately smitten with her compositions, her rich use of pattern, and her portrayal of her animals (horses, dogs & cats), an element integral to both her work and her life.
  • Lark Book’s 500 Animals in Clay is a delightful compendium of beautifully, and often humorously, crafted representations of the animal kingdom.
  • Mr. Finch, of Mr. Finch Textile Art, fabricates stunning pieces that are a combination of the magic of fairytales with a touch of Darwin.
  • BONUS: David Hockney’s paintings of his beloved dachshunds.

Perennial Inspiration

I don’t remember exactly when it was I bought Sara Midda’s 1981 book In and Out of the Garden, but it must not have been too long after it came out. Years before I was able to have a garden of my own, that little book has graced my bookshelf in all our many homes, serving as an inspiration and a reminder of the universal beauty and solace to be found in the magic that results from adding seeds to soil.

Scissors Detail 1

Stitching in progress, detail      ©2017 Elizabeth Fram                                                                    The idea of including and concentrating on an area of tone-on-tone cropped up while working on the piece previous to this one.

The main draw for me is Midda’s tiny watercolor images, luminescent and charming. Paired with her hand-lettered text of quotes, historical facts, poetry, and recipes, I have always found a gentle delight in reading and rereading this book that underscores much of the way the world of horticulture captures the imaginations of those of us inclined to garden.

Scissors Detail 2

Detail      ©2017 Elizabeth Fram                                                                  The scissors remain more sketchily defined as a foil to the heavily stitched areas above and below them.

In 1990 she followed up with Sara Midda’s South of France – A Sketchbook, and in 2014 A Bowl of Olives: On Food and Memory was released. I was quick to buy copies of each as soon as I learned it was out, happy to become re-immersed in Midda’s eye for the details that honor the essence of the unsung elements that surround us, things we tend to take for granted but which give such a strong sense of place and moment. All three books are meditations of a sort, quiet picture books with “more”. To some degree I am sure appreciation for her observations have had some lasting sway on my own choice of subjects.

Scissors Detail 3

Detail      ©2017 Elizabeth Fram                                                                  In the end, I think it’s the “conversation” between the diversity of pattern, evident in both the stitching and the stitched-resist pattern, that pulls the piece together, making it whole.

Despite looking, I haven’t had much luck learning more about Sara Midda. There is relatively little information about her on the web other than a few promotional articles and blog posts marking the release of each book. Disappointingly, she doesn’t seem to have ever had a website. So I was thrilled to discover that Danny Gregory* conducted a 40 minute video interview with her on his Sketchbook Club blog last week. How lovely it is to hear her talk about her process and the history of these books. Outwardly quiet and gentle, just like her art, it was one of those rare occasions when all elements seemed to add up.

Scissors Unframed

Divide and Conquer, unframed     ©2017 Elizabeth Fram                  Stitched-resist dye and embroidery on silk

Have you had a similar experience with a book that has had a lasting impact on you? Please fill us in…

*I credit Danny Gregory’s book Everyday Matters and his original blog of the same name as being the instigation behind spurring me to commit to drawing regularly. I have no doubt his welcoming and encouraging approach, pointing out the huge benefits to be gleaned from drawing, regardless of ability or experience, has been one of the main driving forces behind awakening or reinvigorating the desire to draw for thousands of people. If you aren’t familiar with him, check out his site.

Seasonal Change as Incentive

After weeks of chill and rain and oogling other folks’ pictures on Instagram of gardens and trees that have long since come to life, the leaves are finally filling in and spots of color are beginning to bloom on our hill. I think it’s safe to say that, almost five full months into 2017, spring has finally taken root in Vermont.

The external changes of the seasons also tend to have an impact on me internally, so seasonal change-over invariably becomes a time for re-evaluating and rebooting work patterns. While posing the question of whether there are ways to improve isn’t a guarantee of definitive answers, I still think it’s healthy, and invariably productive, to at least take stock of studio habits at several points during the year. Juggling various goals and aspirations is an ongoing process requiring a certain level of flexibility, so there is much to be said for working to build habits that can improve efficiency, leaving time for change.

Stacked

Stacked     ©2017 Elizabeth Fram                       Though not yet framed, this piece is complete.

If you haven’t already read Charles Duhigg’s 2012 book The Power of Habit – Why We Do What We Do in Life and Businessit’s worth picking up from your library. The case studies he covers, both corporate and individual, are fascinating in their own right, but of course the real value of the book is in understanding the possibilities for applying his findings to our own habits and the ways we might want to change or develop them. What I found most compelling is the importance of belief (that the habit can become fully established) and the necessity of community, even just one other person, in fostering both the essential element of belief and, ultimately, success.

When I decided to recommit myself to drawing at the beginning of 2015, the most helpful advice I received was to incorporate it into my routine as a habit, relying on a self-determined trigger to spur myself into action at a regular time every day. Starting slowly with very short sessions allowed for gradually expanding both the time and scope devoted to each sketch…to the point where now I miss drawing and even feel something of a sense of guilt on the days I can’t fit it in.

Stacked, detail

Stacked, detail      ©2017 Elizabeth Fram                                                   If you compare this to the last shot from last week’s post, you’ll see the predicted changes I couldn’t resist.

If you are trying to make regular time for a new element in your creative practice, check out Ingrid Sundberg’s video, a step-by-step outline about building an early morning writing habit. While Sundberg’s recommendations are geared toward writing, her method is very similar to what was recommended to me for committing to daily drawing, and can easily be adjusted to fit whatever habit you may want to develop. Both approaches coincide with the core of what Charles Duhigg suggests in The Power of Habit.

Is there something that you’ve been wanting to build into a new habit? If so, take advantage of the change in season and give it a shot.

Words to Draw By

One can travel this world and see nothing. To achieve understanding it is necessary not to see many things, but to look hard at what you do see.     ~ Georgio Morandi

In the Sink

In the Sink      ©2017 Elizabeth Fram

Drawing is rather like playing chess: your mind races ahead of the moves that you eventually make.     ~ David Hockney

Tools

Kitchen Tools     ©2017 Elizabeth Fram

Drawing is not what one sees, but what one can make others see.     ~Edgar Degas

Wine Sugar Cookie Jar

Wine, Sugar Bowl, Cookie Jar      ©2017 Elizabeth Fram

I have learned that what I have not drawn, I have never really seen.     ~ Frederick Franck

Finished!

Well, almost. I still have to stretch and frame this piece, but for all intents and purposes it is complete.

It Isn’t That Simple     ©2016 Elizabeth Fram

With the holidays fast approaching, there hasn’t been much time for writing and I’m scrambling to fit in everything that needs to be done. A quick drawing session at the end of the day is the best remedy I know for slowing down and relaxing into the moment.

Napping     ©2016 Elizabeth Fram                                                Soluble ink and waterbrush

I’m sure your schedule runneth over as well. However, in an effort to bring some cheer, I’d like to share Alexander Unger’s claymation short  that I found on Colossal. (Turn your volume up so you get the full effect). I hope that it will give you an enjoyable mini-break in the midst of all your festive preparations. If it makes you smile and forget your to-do list even briefly, I will have been successful.

It Isn’t That Simple     ©2016 Elizabeth Fram

Enjoy the special moments of the days ahead.

Back to the Drawing Board

Not much for you to read this busy week — instead I’m relying mostly on images to share my thoughts and progression.

1

I’ve continued to explore along the theme of positive and negative, but have stepped briefly away from painting on silk, reverting instead to pencil on Dura-Lar.

2

3

I felt like I needed to move back a bit, trusting that it would ultimately help to push me forward.

4

In doing so, the complexity of color is removed in favor of value alone.

5

7

I like the way the translucency of the Dura-Lar facilitates the idea of positive vs negative in terms of depth, but by using layers that are so obviously flat.

4

It’s another way to elicit the visual shift between image and surface that I find so fascinating.

6

Relaxed Presence

This week I came across a very enlightening short interview between James Fallows of The Atlantic and longtime tech executive, Linda Stone. I think you might enjoy it:  “The Art of Staying Focused in a Distracting World”.

Desk Cup

Desk Cup     ©2015 Elizabeth Fram

It resonated with me as I am forever trying to navigate my way through constant distractions. I fully own that I rely increasingly on technology to achieve my goals, but I’m not necessarily happy about it. Reading this piece drilled home yet another reason that I am so grateful to be able to spend a portion of each day thinking about and making art.

Lola Nap

Lola Nap     ©2015 Elizabeth Fram

Even though Stone doesn’t specifically refer to art-making in her theory, I think the process of creation falls within the same framework as the other skills she does mention. It too allows and encourages one to be fully engaged, while at the same time promoting a deep sense of relaxation.

April Woods

April Woods     ©2015 Elizabeth Fram

I made a promise to myself last January that I would try to draw every day. As the weeks have turned into months, I’ve come to realize that this daily practice, usually anywhere from 10 to 45 minutes, not only gives me a chance to work on and improve my capabilities, but quite unexpectedly has turned out to be what one might term something akin to a form of yoga.

Hands

Hands: blind contour drawing     ©2015 Elizabeth Fram

By approaching this exercise as a “practice”, there is no pressure to come out with a polished finished product. The reward is in merely showing up. While paying close attention to the physical details of whatever I’m drawing (in yoga terms, being “mindful”), an interesting by-product is that the process is incredibly restful and restorative. I’m reaping benefits on a number of levels.  For instance, I am making new discoveries in the reciprocity of mark-making between my drawings and my textile work. I am seeing improvement and gaining confidence in my draughtsmanship; unsuccessful attempts don’t discourage me because I know I’ll be back at it the next day. I get a true sense of accomplishment in knowing that I am following through on my New Year’s promise.  And finally, my time spent drawing is an oasis that has no bearing on how the rest of my day turned out — in the studio or otherwise… it just is.

Pepper

Pepper     ©2015 Elizabeth Fram

That’s a pretty satisfactory return on a very modest investment. I encourage you to try it.