Lots of errands -

Our "rounds" today included stops at 8 different locations, including the 15th (at least) of the season at Home Depot, the 7th at another hardware store to select some glue from these choices, the 5th at the public library to return artifacts sknown as hardcopy books, and the first at the plant doctor (nursery) for a remedy for white flies on our G&T mint. And of course we stopped at the grocery store -- what would an expedition off the Key be without checking that location!

Never ending

Just when I thought I was "done" with my graphic novel, I Skyped with a colleague in Gothenburg who suggested a nifty graphic way to present the bibliography .... so now I have a reason to continue the quest!

I hope not too soon -

Today I'm in the Sniki Tiki Bar celebrating that my edited book with selected writings from the Business & Design Lab - New Perspectives in Design Management - has FINALLY gone to press. I'm holding my thumbs (the Swedish equivalent of keeping fingers crossed) that there will not be any hiccups and 200 copies will be delivered by April 8. And, when I open it, that I don't find a glaring error on the first page!

I should sleep better tonight.

Future thinking

we "orderd" -- well, put in a bid for -- tickets to the 2012 London Summer Olympics. And I looked around at all the stuff that needs to go north -- or does it? I'd better start thinking about some papers that are due in the nearer term!

Almost ...

I have just one panel to finish to complete my graphic novel (first draft). I can't believe I am (almost ) there -- what will I think about? what will I do? It's like finishing a dissertation! Already I can project things I would like to change. But I need readers to give critical feedback. If you are wiling, let me know, and I'll send you a copy of my magnus opus (6 pages long).

Conquering mass

Friday is always a "busy" (however defined) day. I have to process my experience from Thursday evening's drawing class, finish all the "leave to do later" assignments, and catch up with various bits of e-correspendence. Today was no exception.

Yesterday's drawing class started unlike a management class.

The professor entered the classroom/studio, carrying boxes of "junk" - toys, artifical flowers, jugs, shoes, a chair, fabrics, etc. -- and announced, "I've nothing planned; here's some stuff, make of it what you like and work on your goals." My heart - and expectations - sank,

but it turned out to be a great class. We each took stuff from the boxes, made ourselves a "still life" and got to work. The Professor circulated for the whole class, stopping to

teach each person something that she or he needed at that moment. (much more difficult that having a "prepared" class!)

I made an arragement, sketched an outline and asked for help with shading - how to create mass. I worked on the one drawing for longer than I've worked on anything else, with the professor stopping by periodically to nudge me to do something differently. Then he moved on to help someone else -- at one tme I looked up to see him waltzing (literally) through the door with a skeleton "from the closet" (where they store all the props) because someone was working on figure

porportions. When I reached a point where I said I could do no more, I was instructed to draw one item -- a lemon - all by itself. And during the crit at the end of class when we hung up all our drawings and said what we had been working on, the professor pointed out what each of us had done really well, and how, so that we could all

learn. Then we were each given individual homework -- I have to reserach how Matisse does

shading. How different from if a management professor had said, "I haven't got anything for class, what do you each want to learn!" (Or maybe not, except that I've never experienced that style done well in management!)

What else was accomplised today? I've almost finished copy edits for a book chapter, and have most of the final chapter of my graphic novel worked out. The mail brougtht new journals and magazines to read, so I have no shortage of excuses to sit on the beach -- except the sun is geting so strong that it has to be either early or late in the day. And the car has been repaired.

Tacky but happy

I drove up to Tampa to meet a former colleague formerly from Luxembourg (we're both "former") who was waiting for a plane, and we had a most enjoyable time -- drving out to the beach, walking and talking about everything under the sun (pun intended), and devouring lunch with a "Friendly Fisherman" on the waterfont while watching pelicans harvest cast-offs from a charter fishing boat. Now I need to do a "brain dump" on my theory of confluence of art design and organization that came to me as I was driving ... this kind of "revelation" usually evaporates as soon as pen hits paper.

Appreciation - and realization

This evening while I enjoyed the annual Apprentice Concert at Sarasota Opera, I realized just how much work is required to become a master artist - in any branch of the arts. And all the support needed -- backstage is like the submerged part of the iceberg, 90% supporting the piece that is "for show". It didn't make me despondent about my own efforts in "the art of drawing" - I've always said I wanted to learn about the process of drawing and the process of learning to draw, and never belived that I would be able "to draw." I'm also reminded of our drawing instructor's answer last week to the question of, "When did you know you had something worthwhile?" He said it was about two years after college that he realised that, "Yes, I can do this." I'm not depressed, just flabbergasted at what (some) "business people" think they can accomplish in the wink of an eye.

A day with and without

Today was a day with many errands -- and without photos. I could use one of my old carwash pictures because I had my second immersion experience today (yes, that's what the mystery photo was!), removing the Spanish moss pollen from the car before going to two bodyshop places for an estimate on work to repair damage done by the car behind me stopping "in" my bumper at a traffic light last week. Not much damage really, but the driver was most contrite and wants to pay, so it will be repaired at the end of the week.

I've finally "finished" with graphic novel chapter 3, at least for the first draft. That's the chapter with practitioner views, and it was difficult to convey a whole interview in a single panel -- I really needed two or three for each of the four practitioners (architect, artist, graphic designer, organization person), but I'd made the rule of only six panels per chapter (i.e., a page) and am stickling by it. This is only a conference paper. I've committed (to myself) to complete a first draft before leaving Florida, tehn fix major problems later. As I put a chapter aside there is always one panel that doen't "work" as well as the others, but I'm hoping it will fix itself if I don't look at it for a while. (This is rather like my drawing practice - I finish each sketch in a state of extreme dissatisfaction -- I might say despair. But when I look at it the next day, it really isn't so bad after all!)

Back to the graphic novel. I'd already created chapter 4 (examples of confluence of art,d esign and organization) out of sequence, so now I'm on chapter 5, the conclusion. I'm at the fun stage of the chapter, laying out the panels, finding photos and experimenting with the text. I'm using a large sketchbook from the comics workshop I took last November, so working with pencil on paper has a nice feel to it. This chapter is important - it deals with the "So what?" question that lurks behind every piece of research. I must take the ideas that have emerged from my exploration in each area/chapter and tie them together as implications for theory and practice. It's hard - but right now I'm just playing with ideas. I've given myself this week for "play" and next week the panels must be made. I'll most likely be in a different frame of mind then!

Much like yesterday

The morning began with moonset, reading the Sunday Times and an hour of baseboard painting project work for Jack and daily drawing practice and wrestling with the text of chapter 3 for me.

After an early lunch we headed back to the Selby Botanical Gardens - arriving in time to see the Lion Dance by the Tang Martial Arts Group (and demonstrations by students off all levels)

This was followed by some wonderful Balinese dances - some mask "character" dances by the man and traditional and moderen dances by the woman. They were wonderful! Bali is now on my list of places to visit!

All my thoughts of post-modern theory vanished

as I enjoyed the demonstrations for the art form, without trying to decipher the underlying meanings through my Western framework. We were back on the Key in time to spend a hour reading on the beach. I debated swimming in the Gulf, but deferred to another day.

I'm reinvigorated for the coming workweek, knowing full well it will bring more of the same frustrations: my (lack of) technical drawing skill and dilemmas of juxtaposing pictures and text to convey complex ideas. I eagerly await a breakthrough on both fronts!

Unexpected pleasures

Jack's baseboard painting project and my never-ending tussle with layout and design of Chapter 3 kept us both at our work stations this morning, but after an early lunch we headed for the Asian Cultural Festival at the Selby Gardens. Given my current post-colonial sesnibilities I wondered just what was in store, but was pleasantly (or naively?) surprised by various Asian groups enjoying sharing their culture with visitors. I understood the large following of the Bonsai Club - oops, I mean sho fu - of Sarasota, and the pastime of "Asian group solitaire" -- my orientalist term for mah jongg, but was perplexed by Caucasians who felt the need to belong to the Komono Club and parade around under a paraosol.

Two activities made my afternoon. First, a demonstration of Sumi-e or "bamboo painting". I was fascinated by the skill involved in using a single brush and a few strokes to create an

aesthetically pleasing painting.

Second, a performace by Matsuriza Taiko Drummers that began with a bow of thanks to Americans who were sending help to the Japanese in their need following the earthquake, and continued with a mesmerizing show of prescision drumming by the troupe of two men and six women. For some reason I can't upload my video, so you'll have to take my word for it, or look for them on YouTube!

Finally, a super-full moon to end the day. Which one is the moon, and which the streetlight?

Reassurance

For those of you concerned about the state of my head, this photo should reassure you that it does still exist - albeit under my hat!

I went inside a real college library today -- I certainly needed a "real brain" for that! I was in search of books located through WorldCat. One was book was overdue -- students are the same evrywhere!

Last look

at the metaphors inside my head. Today my thoughts are coming together -- a few strong themes, with many side concepts. Just like leaflets of this palm tree.

Continuing the metaphorical representation

Today the inside of my head is like the small shells at the tidemark - waiting to be connected or collected.

Or washed out to sea with the next wave.

Metaphorical representation

Of my head today. I was interrupted when I tried to think and drawing practice is not going well. I didn't even feel like swimming laps. In fact, my brain feels like this -

Whereas I wish it had vibrant thoughts like this -

Of course it could be worse. Hoping for a better day tomorrow.

Sunday

The weather is warming up (though the ocean temperature has dropped two degrees), the oleander are in blossom, and the spring breakers are out in force -- including lots of families, making beach walking treacherous for all the abandoned sand castles and holes. Some "camps" sported college banners - Iowa and Purdue were located in close proximity, and even the seagulls benefited with special delicacies such as granola bars.

I actually read, or at least skimmed. most of the Sunday paper and have three articles to recommend, and links if you would like to read them: an ironic riff on life in England with the resuscitation of the home front's dourest hour (from the NY TIme Magazine), details of changes to Google's management practices based on company data (from the Business Section), and the thesis that Montagne was the first blogger (essay from the Book Review section). Enjoy!

Reflections

I've been reading two excellent books -- Will Eisner's "A Contract with God" -- the very first graphic novel, and Ivan Brunetti's "Cartooning, Philosophy and Practice" that is organized as a syllabus and 15 lessons in cartooning. They are both excellent, and leave me humbled at what I think I am able to do without a conceptual framework for the medium or technique for production. Too late now -- I am intent upon finishing so I can find out how MY story ends!

I take heart from this quote from Brunetti (p. 49), "A comics page reflects the way the author remembers his own experience of reality, the flow of time, the importance of people. places, and things."

New experiences

Jack and I both had new experiences in our lives today - not bad that we both accomplished this feat on the same day. Jack tried on his new outfits for our planned safari to Botswana and created the "asymmetrical Jack".

I leave you to guess as to my new experience - remember we are in Florida, so "snow storm" (or tsunami) is not the answer. And you'll find it hard to believe that this is a "first ever" (or maybe second, following an experience in Oxshott, UK, many years ago.)

Have a weekend, followers!

A simple day

I woke up this morning to a strange phenomenon -- it was raining! Which made a good reason to "dispense" with postcolonial theory (i.e., send my notes to my co-author) and work on my graphic novel so Troll was able to read the completed chapters. And the dinged-dishwasher was swapped out and a date made with the wallpaperhanger, so it was a rainy morning well spent. But I didn't do any drawing.

On reflection, I am becoming a bit too quick with the technical part of my graphic novel construction -- some panels look "sloppy". All along I have said that my goal is to get the whole piece in first draft form and then return for corrections - if I have time. But now I think that a few days of reflection on content will serve me well.

No drawing class this evening (Spring break), replaced by attending a performance of The Crucible at Sarasota Opera. I found the operatic adaptation (sung in English but with subtitles) of Salem witchcraft trials immortalized in the play of the same name by Arthur Miller much more "spine-chilling" than the Italian stories we had previously attended, but the performance didn't produce the shouts of "bravo" and standing ovation by the audience similar to Il Lombardi. Too bad.

Good work week ... so far

I feel as if I'm making progress; yesterday I made not one, but two panels for Chapter 2 -- I think I've devised an efficient way to configure and lay out the pieces then put them together with a minimum of frustration. Only two more panels needed for this chapter! Then this morning I wrote some half-way understandable text for the postcolonial part of the CM-7 paper and hope the good karma will continue so I can deliver my part to Jeanie tomorrow as I promised.

This afternoon I had a successful encounter with curators -- albeit via the written word in the library of the Ringling Museum of Art. I discovered that the men and women of interest to me are independent rather than institutional curators, and they have some fascinating stories to tell. I'm not exactly sure where I'm going with this line of research, but now I know where to turn to if/when I need to know more. (It's a non-circulating library so I haven't added another library card to my collection.)

The road to the Ringling went past the Selby Gardens so I looked it at the Rainforest Masks exhibit. They are magnificent, but I wasn't "bowled over" the way I had been last year when I saw them for the first time. Maybe it my current postcolonial veneer that makes me wonder how much of the design is purely for the benefit of Western buyers.

And now to my daily drawing practice. Jack is getting a little tired of posing for "gesture drawings" (sounds a bit like giving the finger!) I'll take my sketchbook to the beach tomorrow.

Double take

I posted this on Facebook, but it deserves a greater audience.

No word on the air temperature!

Monday

Plans to go on a second "curator search" were foiled when the "wallpaper stripper" called with a change in schedule and willingness to come today; which he did. So I caught up on administrivia, put my postcolonial thoughts in (better) order, and tackled the details of GN chapter 2. I completed a panel -- four to go -- but it is slow work, even when I have the chapter more or less blocked out, and know which photos and information (knowledge/literature) I will use for the text. The overall design and selecting just a few words to convey meaning take a surprisingly long time. I'm inspired to complete chapter 2 this week -- and hope to go searching for a curator on Wednesday.

I'm fascinated by how much I am using Wikipedia. Or maybe I should be concerned - have I lost my academic edge? But I've always valued Wikipedia for "informal research" and it's especially helpful for "catching up" on the painters mentioned in the drawing class. For the graphic novel I invariably use it to follow up on a hunch for an interesting angle to a panel, or to confirm a meaning of a word -- for example, "starchitect" today. Invariably I then retreat to the Gothenburg University library or use WorldCat to try and locate a copy of a particular book close-by. Though I must confess Amazon has been delivering books fairly frequently. I've always got a collection on my "wish list" and as soon asI find something that I must have -- which can just as easily be travel guides to exotic places like Botswana -- I take the opportunity to add one or two "really not completely essential but very interesting" books.

Goodness gracious, I haven't even mentioned Google!

The chili apron reappears!

To cook pastitsio

Practice ...

I "indulged" in a very inexpensive easel and an (even more relatively) cheap articulated model so I could work on my figure drawing using charcoal (with hints from the web). I go under the philosophy that every little bit has to help. But the figures are not 7-8 heads high as my drawing instructor said they should be. Hmm. Tomorrow ...

And I was thrilled to open to Journal this morning and read a review of a new book by Ivan Brunetti, Cartooning: Philosophy and Practice, that claims cartoons as a literary form - "writing in pictures" -one that creates narrative as economically as possible. I am before my time!

As promised -

Here's the kitchen

And the floor

Next (last??) decision = wallpaper. (Tomorrow's task.)

Report on class: The crit of our abstractions of the Raft of the Medusa was fascinating -- each person had approached the subject differently with quite different results, yet they all clearly depicted the painting. One person did a values study using watercolor magic ma

rkers, another took the lines of the study and created fluid shapes using charcoal, while a third researched the story of the painting and represented it using detailed angular form

s and the three color values. My first attempt with large triangles to indicate groups of people with hope (white), despair (black), and indifference (grey) was considered quite OK (and only I complained about the "sausages" for storm clouds!) One person credited me with creating a literary interpretation of the scene! My other attempt was not successful, mainly because my color values werenot sufficiently distinct.

The class lesson was on "gesture drawing" with practice from a student who volunteered to to take several 30 second poses,

and then time to draw each other.

Brian circulated to give individual instruction. My work reminded him of Matisse (good line), but I need to "get inside" the movement of the gesture, and understand basic anatomical proportions. (So that's my personal development plan). We have lots of homework because next week is spring break. I enjoy doing the quick gesture sketches - - if I try to draw a single piece for a long while I become frustrated with my lack of technique. Besides, patience was never one of my virtues.

Projects

Done: Kitchen backsplash and "great room" floor. They look great! Pics tomorrow.

Done: 2 attempts at drawing assignment. Some definite problems. I'm looking forward to learning from the critique. I'll tell you the outcome tomorrow.

Off to class now.

Outcome

I'd been looking forward to today's visit to the Dali Museum in St. Petersburg for several days -- not only because I know from past visits that it is a fantastic and fascinating collection, and not only because the new building (opened 1-11-11) had rave reviews, but because they had a special event on the first Wednesday of the month, "Coffee witha Curator." I've been fascinated by the role of the curator for some time -- well, since I started on my graphic novel -- and here was an opportunity to hear about the work.

WRONG

The curator giving today's talk, a senior person at the museum, read his speech on "Dali's mustache" word for word (except for the umpteen ums throughout), forgot to advance the slides, and never once made eye contact with anyone. No invitation to ask questions; barely a "thank-you" in the same monotone at the end. If he'd been in my undergraduate class he would have been sent for extra coaching -- immediately. What terrible publicity for the museum to the standing room only crowd!

Afterwards we used headsets (free!) for a different sort of curated introduction to selected paintings throughout the collection. What a difference! This was interesting; about the painting, and with insights into Dali and his life provided by with different people with special connections to the particular painting.

No photos of artworks allowed; instead here are some of the posters available in the (extensive) giftshop. And some pictures of the building and staircase.

On reflection, the man giving the talk was an example of an "old-fashioned" (classic?) curator, very scholarly, but with no connection to the people who come to view the works he has selected. I need to find someone else to talk to.

Problematics

Today seemed to be full of them -- how to conclude Graphic Novel Chapter 2 (I think I've worked that one out) how to represent The Raft of the Medusa abstractly in black, white and halftone (I've made at least half a dozen sketches, none of them satisfactory -- I need one or two more gradations of grey), how to use a pdf as a template for a conference proceedings - Igave up on how to do the title. None as bad as the demise of this fish found at the high tide mark.

Then this evening, Verdi's wonderful music and Sarasota Opera's magnificent singing in I Lombari made all my problems melt away.