On Drawing

I was initially accepted into art school back in the 80's because of my portfolio of portraits in pencil.  Working in pencil is fun for sketching, but I find sitting at a table creating a completed drawing to be exhausting and was thrilled once I stepped into the painting studio.  There we worked large and played with vibrant colour and I was smitten with paint and canvas.  I loved building canvases, cutting the stretcher bars and enjoying the give of canvas, like a drum.  I don't stretch my own too often anymore...I think that's about to change as I miss that physical act. 

Anyway, back to drawing...I remember preparing my portfolio for art college.  I sat at my desk for a solid week, drawing for hours each day.  My hands cramped and my back was sore but I finished all the work and, in the end, was accepted to every school that I applied.  The thing I enjoy the most about drawing is that it only requires very little in the way of space and materials - just pencil, paper and eraser. 

Unfortunately that portfolio was stolen.  At first I was severely disappointed but then quite pleased that someone liked my drawings that much.  I never did photograph my work in those days, wish I did, but I do have the memory of it.