52 Fridays - Wide-Eyed

 This week’s drawing is a “Dan Mask” from the Gio subgroup of far- eastern Liberia that I found on the Instagram feed “evansafricanart”. I choose it because it has a haunted quality. There’s a wide-eyed wondering of, what the hell comes next in this crazy world. What a time to be alive.

Stay safe out there!

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52 Fridays - Happy Man!

 

This week’s drawing is a “Showwe Statue” I found on an Instagram post from “art.afrique.showroom”. I drew him because he reminds me of Sammy Davis Jr. and because he looks happy. I am also happy! I hope you are also happy.

Happy Friday! 

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52 Fridays - 80s Heavy Metal Horror or Congo Mask?

Happy Friday! This week's drawing is a Salampasu mask from Congo that I found on the Instagram account of "lesboisnoirs". I chose it because it reminded me of some half forgotten 80s horror film killer, something like a heavy metal "Texas Chainsaw Massacre". It is an intense looking mask made up of scraps of metal and topped off with some cute hair bun, ball things. I accentuated the horror element by making the teeth more jagged, but it really didn't require much as the original is terrifying enough. The angular shape of the face is distinctive, with the broad forehead tapering down to that sharp, nasty chin. Imagine the ceremony it was designed to be a part of...

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52 Fridays - Unknown and Toothless

 

Greetings and Happy Friday! Have you ever felt like a toothless unknown? I know I have, so when I saw this toothless fellow, well he's missing one tooth, I had to draw him. He's another find from Instagram, this one came from the account of artsafricains.bakongo. Unfortunately there is no listed information about where or what tribe or anything, hence the "unknown" factor. If anyone out there can tell me anything about him, drop a comment below. I used a basic black ballpoint pen to sketch him out and finished with colored pencils.

Thanks' for stopping by and have a good week!

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52 Fridays - Acorn Head - Ibibio

 It's week twenty of this fifty-two Fridays drawing project and this week's subject is an African mask from Nigeria of the Ibibio people. Another wonderful image harvested from the seemingly endless treasures to be found on Instagram. Sidebar - I'm no fan of Zuckerberg and don't like that Facebook (also don't like Facebook) now owns Instagram, but it's tough to find a better place to look at such a wide variety of different kinds of art easily. Maybe Pinterest? (What's your favorite site to browse art?) I'm constantly adding new images to a saved collection in my IG account, so there's always several things ready to draw.

I found this Ibibio mask on "afrikaria" and it is the third image in a collection of masks depicting disease and deformities. I will likely draw the other two masks sometime in the future as I find them all to be fascinating. My immediate response to this mask was "Acorn Head" and I intentionally exaggerated the shape of the top of the head to convey this. It also reminded me of a series of tiny carvings I worked on for a time called the "Lo-Fi Gods" that were carved from Hickory Nut Husks. Maybe I'll do a drawing from one of those next.

I've mentioned in the past that I sometimes struggle with my inner critic as I draw, but this week I tricked it by telling myself this was just going to be a "warm-up" drawing before I started the real thing. The critic was silent and I did my work. Truly, all art is just "practice"; a ritual of creation that exercises the soul. That inner critic is also the voice that tries to talk me out of going for a run or eating healthier food. This voice is not my friend.

See you next week.

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52 Fridays - Chokwe Mask

 

Another Friday already. This year is flying by, unlike last year, which seemed to last for ten years. Now that I am all vaxxed up (get your shots you swine you!) I'm beginning to get back out into the world and it's good. I'm returning to a more normal rhythm of life, so the pace is picking up. Starting to look forward to going to the movies again and hanging out in restaurants and pubs. 

So what does that have to do with this week's drawing? Absolutely nothing at all!

This week's drawing is a Chokwe Mask, an image I found on the Instagram feed of johngrahamtribalart. A quick bit of research shows me that the Chokwe people live in south central Africa where the Congo, Angola and Zambia are today. I chose this image because of the tight framing that fills the space, for the big, alien-like eyes and the expressive mouth lined with the sharp teeth. I used an ordinary black ballpoint pen. As is often the case, I began doubting what I was drawing, resisted the urge to abandon it, but fought through and kept with it and like the final result. I don't know why I make the drawing process so difficult. 

Did you make anything this week? If not, get your ass in gear, time is a wasting.

See you next week,

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52 Fridays - Fast and Loose

 

"I'm better when I move..." A favorite line from "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid". This week's drawing is of the fast and loose variety. I seem to have two speeds, either "fast and loose" or "slow and tight". It is some insight into my psyche. The F & L drawings drop from a place of confidence and have more life. The S & T drawings rise from an opposite place of careful, too careful, consideration and a desire to disappear into the details. Somehow the F & L drawings manage to capture more of my soul, maybe because I am thinking less and just making marks, which feels good. 

This was drawn from an image found in the book, "African Art" by Frank Willet. This mask is from the Congo basin area of Africa and is called "Ngbangba Ikoro" and was carved by the Ibo tribe. I always include this information so you can research this if it inspires you like it does me. It's a holy act to speak those tribal names and draw their image with my own hand attaching some of my spirit to their's to keep that energy flowing. I'm not trying to appropriate the culture, rather, I hope that it will appropriate me.

Happy Friday amigo,

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52 Fridays - Ibo Mmaji Mask

 

Happy Friday once again and the last one of February. This week's drawing is a "Mmaji (or maji or ma ubi) mask from Ibo, Nigeria I found in a book called, "Masks of Black Africa", that is in my personal library. Sometimes I prefer to draw from a book and take a break from the screens that dominate my life now (computer, phone and TV). I chose this mask because it is so weird and wonderful and just makes me smile. It is abstract and goofy and kind of cyberpunkish. I used a basic black Bic ballpoint ink pen.

I noticed that since I've begun this project that I am doodling more. I crave drawing. I'm compulsively making marks everyday now. It's my natural state. Go with the flow...

I hope you are safe, healthy and can go with your own flow.

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52 Fridays - Bassa Beauty

Happy Friday and week number seven of the "52 Fridays Drawing Project". Only forty-five weeks to go...

This week is an African woodcarving from the Bassa people (of Liberia) from an image I found on IG posted by "feereafricanart". The sweet, soft feminine quality of the face is what compelled me to draw this. Unfortunately, I completely missed capturing that quality, as my image is decidedly more masculine. I read somewhere that all art is self-portraiture and I think this sketch proves that theory. Even so, I still like the drawing that I made as it has it's own life. Perhaps that beautiful woman gave birth to a beautiful son? I like the shape of this face, full at the crown and narrow at the chin. Reminds me of a seed. Plant this, nurture it and grow yourself a beautiful friend. 

See you next week.

OK HW

The Little Sketchbook

My last post was about a drawing that was the final drawing in this little sketchbook. The first drawing was done August of 2008 and was a study of an Egon Schiele painting. The last was the sketch I did of the Oscar Kokoschka sculpture , "Self-Portrait as a Warrior" in January of 2013. It took me four and a half years to complete this little book. It's dog-earred and heavy with ink now and I'm glad to reflect on the journey that it documents. This little visual journal has helped me reconnect with making art and though it has been a slow process, it's been worth the time. Part of the effort was regaining confidence in my ability to create art that has some value and meaning to me. Another part has been to spend time gazing with loving intent at art objects that inspire me, in this case primitive art. There's an unself-consciousness to primitive art that I envy and admire. The fierce, powerful shapes hold a magic that I don't often recognize in contemporary art. I hope by inscribing them again with hand and eye, that I might invoke some of their mystery.

The first drawing that I posted from this book was a portrait of Luis Buñuel. I drew him because I love his quote, "Thank God I'm an atheist". Some other drawings that I posted from this book included; a portrait of the surrealist Oscar Dominguez, an Edgar Allen Poe, an African Akan sculpture, another African mask, this time from Basonge, Zaire,  and a Mexican primitive piece, Tlaloc, the God of Rain. There were other posts from this book. If you click the "art" tag it will sort out some of them.

Now I need pick a new sketchbook to start on. This time I think I'm going to go larger.

OK HW

Ibo - West African Mask Drawing

The tools you use to create are important because they help remove the obstacles between the idea and the execution. The right brush or instrument or camera can make all the difference, so when you find that thing that fits your hand, you want only that. For me, it's a proper ink pen. I use a variety of pens and will use whatever is available, but when given the option, I go back to a few tried and true pens. I recently decided to track down a pen that I've always loved, Pilot Better Stick Ballpoint Pen (BP-S). I tried a couple of the chain office supply places, but no joy, but I was able to find them online and ordered a box.

What I love about the BP-S is the soft, thin lines it makes and the fine control of gradient and texture I can achieve. It's a lightweight pen that is easy to grip and they are not so expensive that if you lose or break one that it's a problem. They can get a bit blobby at times, leaving surprise little globs of ink where you might not want them, so I keep a scrap piece of paper nearby to spin the tip on to clear it.

This drawing is of an African mask from the Ibo group of West Africa. I like the realistic facial details and the white paint that's flaking off. I also like the plank coming out of the top of the head. There are small holes drilled through it that make me wonder what was attached.

OK HW

Get Back Satan! - Today's Drawing

I took the day off from work to just catch up on a few things. I haven't hiked any this month so far, which is not good, so I got out for a seven mile hike/run. Got home and did some yard work and then floated in the bay with my sweet girl before she had to got to work. After that, I broke out the little drawing journal and laid down another African mask drawing. This one comes from the Baule tribe (and the subgroup of Yaoure) from the Ivory Coast area.

I chose it because of the horns and facial expression. It is very demonic and shiny. I only have a few pages left in this sketchbook and look forward to moving onto something larger as this one is very small, about four inches by three. Here's a bonus extreme close-up image.

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African Mask Drawing - Basonge, Zaire

I made some time today to do some drawing. It's been too long since I sat down and disconnected from the electronics and fell into an image. Losing myself in making marks and playing games with shadow and light. I've been thinking about African masks lately. They hold a mystery and power that stirs deep waters in my soul. They are one of my favorite things to draw. I have several books of African masks that I idly flip through for inspiration. My "model" came from a book called Masks of Black Africa (African Art Art of Illustration) that has a fantastic selection of masks from all over Africa to browse. I choose this mask because it's mix of silly and scary. The mouth is the silly bit for me. This is simple black ballpoint pen on paper.

OK HW

African Mask Sketch - Bafo

I finally got back into my drawing groove tonight in no small part because of "Hugo", Marty Scorsese's love letter to George Méliés, Paris and creativity. Part of the subtext of the story concerns embracing our true nature, that a person is only full functional when the know their purpose and are exercising it. For myself, I feel the most fulfilled when I am creating things with my hands. It often seems difficult to find my way through The Noise of our modern, electronic age back to the well. It requires more and more effort to turn off this laptop and the TV and sit quietly with pen and paper or clay or whatever and just create. Tonight I got there and I am grateful. 

This is another drawing in a series I have been doing of African Masks. This one was drawn out of a book called African Art by Dennis Duerden. This is a Bafo Mask from the Cameroons. I choose it because it's scary and I like the shape. The pen I was using did not co-operate, so I may draw it again sometime in pencil so I can explore the texture as deeply as I want to.

Do yourself a favor, try and catch "Hugo" in 3-D on the big screen before it's gone.

OK HW

Image for December 28, 2011 - AKAN!!!!

I'm trying to finish off a little sketchbook that I've been carrying around for way too long. It's filled with mini-portraits of surrealist artists and African masks. Recently while catching up on the ever-growing pile of New Yorker magazines on the bed stand, I read a wonderfully enthusiastic review by Peter Schjeldahl of an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of African masks. One of the mask images accompanying the article caught my eye and I had to add him to my sketchbook. This drawing is rough three inches high. I included an extra enlarged image because I love looking at the texture of the pen marks.

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