One Year

Today marks exactly one year to the day since I posted in this here blog. The first few months of that hiatus were purely due to being very busy at work and therefore having nothing much to show for myself, creatively speaking.

dog_patch

But early last December, I happily broke the sketching-drought with a sketching day with that ever-inspirational fellow, Mr Matt Jones, when we both wandered through the Waterfront and Dogpatch region of San Francisco for a very pleasant afternoon.

old_pier

Then later in the month, Julia and I went on a road trip with our pal Ted Mathot to see the MUCHA show (in Cedar Rapids Iowa, of all places). It was a very fun trip, and needless to say seeing the artwork of MUCHA in person was highly inspirational. Eating at a few nice restaurants in Chicago didn’t hurt either, and best of all I did more sketching. The slump was well and truly broken.

croc

In fact, over the Christmas holiday break, I was just about to scan and post the bounty of my recent sketches here in my blog when I was flattened by the ’medical emergency’ that explains the next eight months of my silence here. My mind has been elsewhere for quite some time.

Lincoln

I’m only now getting back on my feet and I still have a long way to go before I’m even close to 100%, but at least I can operate a scanner. So without further ado, here are my Dogpatch doodles and Chicago sketches, the latter done just prior to Christmas at the famous Field Museum (and what a marvelous place it is).

trail

It will be some time before I can draw properly again, so any drawings you see over the next few months will most likely be from the archive, unless I actually like some of the left-handed drawings I have been trying to do, in which case I may post one or two of those. We shall have to see how it goes.

saiga

A recent creative goal, and focus of this blog up till last Christmas, was to do more sketching from life, with an eye to realism (rather than the cartoons that come naturally to me). Now it is time to put that particular creative goal to the side for a little while and concentrate on other things.

hyena

I may do a little writing, so don’t be surprised if that becomes the focus of the blog for a while. I have it in mind to assemble a book of anecdotes from my childhood (I have posted some here before) and there has never been a better time to finish that project than right now.

mandrill

It’s good to be back.

44 thoughts on “One Year”

  1. Jamie, it’s so good to hear your voice again and see your sketches. I love the Field Museum. Post some of those leftie sketches and soldier on mate.

    Reply
  2. I look forward to reading your written ramblings, you witty, wonderful man!

    Next up, let us try to find a moment where we all have a sec to spare for a catch up. I miss you (and Julia) every day! The shop is most inconvenient to my social life (but, you should come see it!).

    XOXO

    Reply
  3. From a left-handed artist, i’ll offer this tip – watch your palm smears, move your right to left, or just leave em in for flavor. Good luck, look forward to seeing more lines on paper and writings. :)

    Reply
  4. Lovely to hear your voice and see these sketches. Grew up in Chicago and the Field Museum was a fav. Looking forward to more of your posts.

    Reply
  5. Just finished the latest JOCK story. Made me want to take the kid out of Catholic School… but why rob him of having great soul crushing tales of youth to tell his pals when he’s in his forties?

    Put that story up here AND I think every tale should come with an image – right or left handed. We all know you can scribble well right handed. I’m a bit intrigued by the what the left handed stuff might look like.

    FORWARDish!

    Reply
  6. Thank you, everyone. Your encouragement is very much appreciated. I hope to have some new ‘lefty’ drawings to share soon. Till then though, my other big landmark is going back to the neighborhood GYM, for some strength building. First time today.

    Whew!

    Reply
  7. Let me add my old geezer’s rumble to the lyrical chorus of welcome, thanks, and pleas for more of this wonderful stuff, dear Boy

    Reply

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