Sketchbook

Every artist should keep a sketchbook. The sketchbook is the place for me to explore and grow in my ability to see. In my sketchbook you will find all kinds of things, drawings, notes, sketches for compositional design ideas. I usually take my sketchbook with me everywhere I go. There are always opportunities to sketch a face in the crowd. I think I am most attracted to people when I draw. There is just something about the challenge of getting the right gesture of a person's pose, especially when they do not know I am drawing them. Unguarded moments become the impetus for future paintings or prints.

Here is a drawing I did last night of my wife while she was watching tv.

Being purposeful about making art

Recently I have been feeling a little depressed, a little overwhelmed, a little frustrated... and all this has been causing me to become a little cynical. A wise man recently reminded me that I needed to make time for my gifts. "You need to be intentional about taking time to work on your art, even if it is for just during your lunch break," he told me. I took his advice. Yesterday during lunch I went into my studio and closed the door. I purposely made myself unavailable to students; to the phone; to email... I set an alarm for one hour and began drawing the first thing I saw -- the glove I wore to work this morning. No big deal. No bells or whistles... just observational drawing... just graphite... just intentional time to express the artist inside me. In an hour the alarm went off and I started back to work. I opened the door and became available again. But there was a different me available. I was a little less depressed, in fact, I felt an inner joy that I had not felt in awhile. I was a little less frustrated; a little less cynical.

If you are an artist I want to encourage you to take time for your work. Sometimes you must be vigilant about making time, but let me tell you, it is worth it.

Old Truck

An old truck I used to see on my way to work. Black and white woodcut; image size aprox. 5"x3.5"

Elvira

New black and white woodcut: Elvira; image size: 12"x8.5"

Been awhile... I know

After seeing my friend Larry Blakely and hearing his artist talk last Thursday, I was inspired to do a new print. This is a black and white woodcut. The print is based on a drawing I did in my sketchbook of some guy at a coffee shop. I do not know what his name is, he just looks like a Lloyd to me.

Closing Reception in Watseka

Saturday, Aug. 29th from 2pm to 4pm
Watseka, IL at the courthouse museum

Polka dot Boots Woodcut

Woodcut print of someone feeding the chickens. Aprox. size is 9" x 12"

all my prints are for sale $25 plus postage. Email me if you are interested or comment to this blog. My email is garthoma@gmail.com

Durer Lecture

If any of you live in the Kankakee/Bourbonnais/Bradley area of Illinois you are welcome to come to the Bourbonnais Library on Tues. June 2nd to hear me talk about one of my favorite artists: Albrecht Durer. The talk will begin at 6:30, there will be a short video then a lecture given by me. Durer was a phenomenal woodcut artist as you can see by the example here.

Printmaking Workshop

Next month (Thurs. June 11th) I will be presenting a printmaking workshop at the Gretchen Charlton Gallery in Kankakee. It will start at 7pm. I am going to be doing a woodcut print from start to finish. Everyone who attends will get to take a print home with them. I will also be talking about the woodcut and why it is significant to me and my work. Hope you can make it out. I will post reminders as we get closer to the night of the presentation.

Meander

New black and white woodcut. This one is based on a drawing I did of a student working during one of my classes. I call it Meander, based on the meandering line he is drawing on his paper.

Hope you like it.

Meander, black and white woodcut, image size: 5"x7"

"Patience is the mother of expectation" Henri Nouwen

Another new woodcut. The title is simply "expectation." I took this title from a Henri Nouwen book I was reading at the time I did the drawing.

Black and white woodcut; image size: 5"x7" aprox.

Another new woodcut

Reaping and sowing, this agrarian principle is also a powerful spiritual principle. The inspiration for this print comes from the prophet Hosea 10:12 "Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord till He comes and rains righteousness upon you."

It's about 12"x4"; two colors

New Small Etching

I actually did this as a demo for my printmaking class but it has renewed my desire to do images of people again. The copper etching plate for this print is only about 2"x3", it has some drypoint in it, but mostly etching.

New Reduction Woodcut

Reduction Woodcut, aprox. 18"x24"

New Abstract Paintings

Top painting: untitled, o/c, 20"x30"

Bottom painting: also untitled, 8"x10" o/c

Softer

oil on canvas, aprox. 8"x11"