Edward Lear's Legacy

Corsica. Edward Lear

Edward Lear's birthday is in May, so before the month ends, thought I'd add a tribute. 

Especially since his works have influenced me all my life.

One night, talking with some young artists, the mention of limericks brought some 

confusion to their faces. Lear's name didn't seem to ring any bells either.

I sure hope Lear's work is not fading into obscurity.

I love it partly because it was so diverse. He painted drop-dead 

watercolor landscapes like the one above.

Toucan. Edward Lear

His paintings of birds--well, in comparison, I never did understand the appeal of Audubon.

His self-portraits, and "silly" drawings--I'd give a lot to have this kind of genius...

...and the kind that could write nonsense this sublime.

Nowadays it seems that artists must squash any diversity and 

limit their output to a single style if they are to receive any notice or reward. 

Glad Edward Lear's times were not so limiting.

Happy Birth-month, Mr. Lear!

Once Upon a Time

Lisbeth Zwerger. From Hansel and Gretel.
(Ms. Zwerger's work, across the board, is incredible.)

I'm celebrating some pictures I love from a different, but fairly recent time in
the history of literature.

Alice and Martin Provensen. From The Provensen's Book of Fairytales.
(A true classic. Which of their books isn't?)

I'm also complaining.
Now, I'm normally not one to cry and moan over the lost "good old days". Most of them were good only in time-mellowed and mangled memory--not in reality.

But still, pull up your chair and let me tell you a story:

Once upon a time there were children's book publishers in the U.S. that truly focused on children and literature. That's no fairy tale. Those houses hired and respected editors like Ursula Nordstrom, Charlotte Zolotow, and Margery Cuyler. Publishers allowed those editors the freedom and the time to nurture authors and artists like the young Maurice Sendak, Trina Schart Hyman, Chuck Mikolaycak, and Syd Hoff.

Charles Mikolaycak. From The Highwayman.
(An amazing book with stunning pictures, as are all of Mikolaycak's books.)

It was a time before tabloid-kings had bought up the great publishing houses and turned many children's book departments into money-losing ventures that made books into toys and venerated
celebrity rather than art. 

It was a time when many authors and illustrators could make a living out of the craft they
loved and spent years to develop.

Trina Schart Hyman. From Little Red Riding Hood.
(Ms. Hyman was seriously one of the best. Do yourself a favor and check out all of her works.)

It was a time when children's books actually generated more income than the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. It was a time when making literature for children could be a
vocational, life-long career, not just a hobby.

It was a time when children's book publishers actually promoted the books that writers and illustrators made. (Yes Virginia, once upon a time authors and illustrators didn't have to do it all at their own expense.) It was a time when visionary-but-poor writers and illustrators actually had a chance to cultivate and establish their craft.

Tomie dePaola. From The Clown of God.
(DePaola's books are bursting with "heart")

It was a time when devoted and loving book illustrators and writers, not
hate-radio personalities, won awards.

Don't get me wrong, there are many wonderful new books out there for
children I'm sure, but things have changed big-time. I don't see that it's for the better.
Not for writers and illustrators, and especially not for kids and literature.

On that note, I'll leave you with a link to a wonderful interview with the late,
modern genius; Maurice Sendak:
http://publishingperspectives.com/2012/11/maurice-sendak-publishing-is-such-an-outrageously-stupid-profession/ 

And thanks for reading.

Reading vs. Seeing

Back in art school, used bookstores were pretty much the only places to find great instruction books from the early part of the 20th century.  Even some of the standards--those by the greats like Andrew Loomis--had yet to be re-issued.

Luckily, there must have been quite a few artists in Denver who had personal libraries. These ended up in old bookstores that were scattered over the city; and as many as I could afford landed in my bookcase.

I've owned, read, and re-read John Vanderpoel's The Human Figure since art school. 

The key to this one, like to many older art instruction volumes is in the reading. These days, there's much visual information from which to learn, and it is awesome, but sometimes there are riches to be discovered in the texts--often taken right from the lectures--of great teachers like Vanderpoel. Check out the following excerpt:

The inner corner of the eye is farther forward than the outer, so that a section of the exposed portion of the eyeball from corner to corner would slope backward from the center of the face; this enables the eyes to swing sidewise for observation without turning the head. The outer corner also is somewhat higher than the inner.

My powers of observation were not keen enough to give me this kind of info. 

How many times did I hear a teacher say "Just draw what you see."?  

How many times is it still said in art classes? It sets my teeth on edge! 

Maybe some artists can learn that way, but I had to hear or read this stuff before I could 

actually observe it. And frankly, that information wasn't being offered in any 

of my college art classes.

So I found it in old books. And I try to pass it on when I teach.

The Dover paperback edition of Vanderpoel's book is identical to mine, 

with the exception of the cool cover and this decorative title page.

http://store.doverpublications.com/0486204324.html

I still haunt the few remaining used bookstores in the city, and there are still treasures to be 

found in them for a lot less than online sources. And it helps to actually read them.

Thanks for reading this!

For more information on John Vanderpoel:

http://vanderpoelartmuseum.org/

Pen and Ink (Plus a Franken-Creature Sequence)

http://tomsarmo.blogspot.com/

Frank-in-Progress.

I'm smitten with pen and ink. Always have been. Nothing gets me to the state of 

total creative awareness like the zen act of making repetitive lines with pen and ink. 

Time stops, the outside world disappears, and I don't care that my studio is in chaos.

Really, most times the studio is pretty neat, 

but working towards a show deadline has me more 

concerned with production than clutter. Plus, it's not fair that in some 

past posts, the studio has appeared mostly organized.  

This messed up work-space brings me to the real point of this post: Pen and ink!

On the drawing table is this book:

This version, published in 1930, was found it in a used book store a few months ago, and it is stunning! My go-to volume when I want to explore and revitalize my pen-work. I've owned the newer edition of it (titled Rendering in Pen and Ink) since art school, but this old fellow trumps that one with more illustrations and thorough discussion.

Sorry about the phone pics, but I wasn't about to cram this onto my scanner.

Here are the end papers. Yes, admittedly, I am an old-book nerd. 

As a kid, fascinated with line, I studied Tenniel's illustrations for the Alice books, Dore's illustrations--especially those from The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, and the works of John Leech. Like Franklin Booth, I mistakenly thought those engravings were pen and ink drawings. Unlike Franklin Booth's beautiful renderings, my resulting works are far from elegant and controlled. Random and spontaneous they are, and quickly drawn...

 ...like this detail shows.

Still, revisiting Arthur Guptill's book put me in the mood to explore, so the following 

Frankenstein's Creature-sequence shows a bit more self-control. Not that I like it any better, it's just different.

The extent of my thumbnail output for this one.

http://tomsarmo.blogspot.com/

An in-progress detail.

http://tomsarmo.blogspot.com/

Same detail with a warm acrylic wash and some highlight-lifting...

http://tomsarmo.blogspot.com/

...and some strengthened highlights with white gouache.

http://tomsarmo.blogspot.com/

Finally, a bit of acrylic ink for color.

Granted, the ink-line application is only slightly less random and unruly than usual, but it was a blast to do, 

and I learned a lot.

Thanks--as always-- for reading!

Ruth Charlton's Ceramics

via www.tomsarmo.blogspot.com

Wall hanging by Ruth Charlton. Collection the author.

Ruth Charlton is an extraordinary artist. Little figures and faces are a great love of mine, and her versions affect me like winds blowing from the middle ages, heaving up memories I can't possibly have had (unless I'm remembering snippets of past lives).

No matter. What is important is the quality and the spirit of the works--always expressive and unique. 

I study them constantly and wanted to know more about them and their creator. 

Happily, Ruth graciously agreed to an interview. Her works, down-to-earth responses, and wisdom are a treat! (Links to her works and shop follow.)

Background:

Me: What, if any, formal training did you have that prepared you for the work you do?

Ruth: A foundation course followed by a 3 year degree course in ceramics at Bath Academy of Art

Work habits:

Me: How integral is sketching to your creative life? You drew before ceramics, do you keep drawing sketchbooks now?

Ruth: Sketching is not such an integral part of my creative life as it used to be.  I tend to sketch people when I am at craft fairs or away from home visiting museums.  I have always been more of a one for observational drawings rather than drawing from my imagination.

Me: Is art-making your job, or do you also relax with it? I guess I’m asking if it suffuses your entire life with enjoyment, or would you rather have a break from it (ie. gardening or hiking, etc.) on your free time?

Ruth: Making art is my job but it is such a rewarding and pleasurable thing to spend your time doing that it never feels like a job.

 

Me: Have you found social media useful for more than marketing and promotion? If so, can you elaborate?

Ruth: Living with my family in a fairly remote area of the UK, I have found social media invaluable and I love the direct feedback you get from customers and people who like your work.  Before the internet, people would buy my work from galleries or exhibitions and, unless you had a good relationship with the gallery owner, it felt quite impersonal. It is good to be more in control of the relationship you have, as an artist, with the public.

Me: Which social media do you prefer: Facebook, blogs, Pinterest, etc.?

Ruth: I know that I should be trying out different types of social media but I have only used Facebook so far.  I have thought about doing a blog but, to be honest, my day-to-day life is not really that interesting! I enjoy looking at things other people put on Pinterest.

Me: Do you teach classes/workshops? If so, could you describe your favorite types of workshops to teach?

Ruth: I run a weekly pottery class in a centre for adults with learning difficulties which is fun and not too stressful and they have a kiln on site.  I am always in two minds whether to run pottery workshops because, unlike other subjects, on top of the preparation they involve a lot of work outside of the teaching - lifting and carrying clay/finishing off the work/firing it at home and getting it back to people - which is a shame because I do enjoy seeing other people benefit from taking time out from their busy lives to work with their hands and create something.

Me: What are your favourite types of workshops?

  

Ruth: Working with children.

Your art works:

Me: Most fascinating to me--your wonderful pieces seem to breathe with an other-worldly spirit. Is there a conscious effort to infuse this, or does the spirit they contain emerge spontaneously as you create them?

Ruth: The latter, I would say.

 Me: What pressures, if any, (from within and without) do you feel most when it comes to art-making?

Ruth: My main problem, in the past, has been fighting back negative thoughts. I have always worried that I should be doing something more socially useful and not so self indulgent. Once you overcome that hurdle, there is always the feeling that the work you make has to sell, or appeal to someone other than yourself, otherwise why are you making it? I overcome this one by making a range of work that has more popular appeal like the climbers, brooches and tealight holders (which I still enjoy making) and developing my one-of-a-kind pieces for my own satisfaction and if they sell that is a bonus.

Garden Sculptures drying

A finished Garden Sculpture

Inspiration:

Me: Which artists and/or artworks from the past and present are you most drawn to and/or inspired by?

Ruth: In the past -  Edward Burne-Jones. Giacometti, Durer, Hogarth, Rodin, Heath Robinson, Mad magazine, Marvel comics, Tolkien’s ‘Lord of the Rings’ (I am ashamed not to have any women’s names in amongst this lot)

Present - Ron Mueck, Claire Curneen, Grayson Pery, Viola Frey, Aggie Zed, Sophie Favre and Jacqueline Hurlbert.

   

Me: Tough (maybe stupid) question, but what’s the single, most important well you draw from that stimulates your imagination--the thing you’d choose if you had to do away with everything else?

Ruth: That is a toughie and I am not sure I can get to the bottom of that one. I don’t know if I can say that the clay is my inspiration because of the way it moves under my hands.  I usually have some sort of idea of what I am going to make when I start but things just develop along the way.  It’s a bit similar to an author saying that the characters just evolve as they write and then they are surprised by the result. 

Me: Any words of wisdom you'd share?

Ruth: I think you’ve come to the wrong place for that!

Me: Haha--okay!  Ruth, have you had or do you have a day-job that supports your art? There seems to be a rather new, sort of pushy trend toward getting people to “quit the day job” especially on sites like Etsy, etc. What’s your take on this?

Ruth: Well, I have always had a bit of an alternative lifestyle.  I had jobs going through school and college but when I graduated there was a recession here in the UK and not too many full-time jobs for a graduating ceramics student. I lived in London for seven years working on a mural painting scheme and volunteering at an arts centre. I moved up to the Lake District with my partner in the ‘80s and was a stay-at-home mum bringing up our four children in a barn we have converted ourselves over the years as and when we could afford to work on it. While the kids were young, we made our income from selling climbers made from plaster. I made the originals, Kevin made rubber moulds and poured the plaster and I painted them. Since the youngest started at school, I have been making ceramics again and, with a bit of teaching and my husband’s pension, we manage to get by on very little which would not suit most people. 

Apart from it being fairly unrealistic to expect to earn a good living from selling art, especially at the beginning, I am not sure the lifestyle would suit everyone.  If you live miles from anywhere like us, you can get very isolated. I guess the ideal is to work part-time so that you have something to fall back on in the lean times and see have more contact with other people. It seems to me that the only people who can afford to give up the day job are people who have worked and built up a good pension or young people with a lot of energy and financial support from their families.

Me: Any advice for people considering a career in the ceramic arts?

Ruth: I am not sure if this is advice, but if you can afford the materials and the firing costs, the ceramic arts offer a diverse range of applications and art forms to explore.  After all these years of making ceramics, it is still exciting to open the kiln and see what comes out.  One thing it does teach you is patience - it takes a long time to develop your own style and be happy with the results.

Thanks Ruth, for taking the time to do the interview and allowing me to post this feature!

See more of Ruth Charlton's intriguing works at:

https://www.facebook.com/ruthcharltonceramicwork

Check out her art for sale at:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/ruthcharltonceramics

All works shown are copyright Ruth Charlton.

Thanks for reading--I hope you enjoyed seeing Ruth's art and taking a peek into the mind of a master!

William Heath Robinson: Some Rare Images

www.tomsarmo.blogspot.com

Illustration detail from a battle scene by W. Heath Robinson. 

From The Monarchs of Merry England, by Roland Carse, 1907.

Among my many influences, Heath Robinson's works have always been among the top three. 

The above detail shows not only his great skill as a draftsman and painter, 

but is as fresh and luminous as many contemporary digital illustrations. 

Now, I'm not one of those curmudgeonly critics who thinks good 

illustration ended with the Golden Age. I love it but 

am also fascinated by the amazing new works out there. 

Those will be for future posts. 

In the meantime, Heath Robinson's 

works deserve all the re-visiting they can get.  

Over the years, I've managed to collect some rare books that 

contain many of Robinson's lesser-known works. Seems a good idea to share a few;

therefore all of the pieces in this post are his.

Robinson's art is extremely eclectic, yet always retaining the stamp of 

his unique style and humor. Since I worry often about the variation in my own artwork, 

it's a comfort to see that Robinson's amazing talent and successful career 

was not damaged by his wide range of picture-making skills and interests.

Haystacks in the Snow

Since I've never seen this anywhere but in an old art catalog, not sure if it was a 

full color watercolor or originally done in black and white, but the piece is 

gorgeous nonetheless--worthy of Jean-Francois Millet.

This goofy little bird-man is from The Works of Rabelais 

which Robinson illustrated for Grant Richards in 1904.

I've always examined and learned from Robinson's full-color plates, 

but his pen and ink work is paragon, and his spot illustrations 

of goofy people burst with life and character.

This is a border decoration from 

the aforementioned Monarchs of Merry England...

...as is this jumping Medieval Scotsman.

This little piper kills me. He marches along on a 

sheet music illustration--the whole thing shown below:

This is a beauty--a stunning pen work full of tiny elves 

peeping out of the trees and faery folk cavorting in the air.

A Hag from Witches and Fairies

Collapsible Bishop's Hat, from The Bystander, 1920

A Very Tremendous decoration 

from The Water Babies, 1915

Also from The Water Babies

From The Bystander, lampooning a proposed 

tunnel under the English Channel, 1919

And last, another brilliantly lit watercolor...

The Black Prince, After Crecy, from The Monarchs of Merry England.

For more on William Heath Robinson visit http://www.heathrobinson.org/

Stay tuned for some future posts on some exciting contemporary illustrators.

And thanks for the visit!