A review & resolutions.

My illustrations published for the novel True Vines

  Review of 2012

For 2012, I had 3 words to guide me: Focus, Vision, Produce. From those words I had 3 resolutions of which some were more successful than others.

1. To produce a minimum of one finished piece per month.

Yes. Looking in the folder on FB there are 15 drawings for 2012. I have also produced 6 published illustrations and two commissioned portraits. Yea me - my most productive year to date. Whilst I still prefer to draw buildings and landscapes I have enjoyed working on my portrait series: Festival Faces, of which the first one sold and is now hung in its Australian home.

2. To exhibit at least twice in the year.

hmmm... This didn't exactly work out as I thought as I didn't have any work in exhibitions. However, I did end up with work hung in 2 galleries.

Through the OSFA, I submitted a piece to an exhibition in September, however the exhibition has been delayed and so will be hung sometime in the new year.

 
3. Continue marketing myself.

Yes. Throughout the year I continued to blog, both on my site and blogger, tweet and keep my facebook page up to date. I distributed over 100 business cards throughout the year and I had a stall at a winter fair in order to get publicity here in Oman. Also, I was interviewed on the local radio and had newspaper articles on the of the sketching events I arranged.

 Surprises from 2012.
A lovely surprise was following an email from the author Diana Baur, I produced both the cover illustration and section illustrations for her novel True Vines.

Something else I didn't anticipate was to start illustrating for the online short story site The Story Shack. To date I have had 3 illustrations published with more due in 2013.

With some of the artists of the Ghalya's Museum's Wall Painting project

Finally, a lovely surprise was getting to participate in a 100 artist wall art collaboration, which tested my little used painting skills, and led me to work alongside both Omani and international artists.

*****

Resolutions for 2013

2013 will see my art taking second place throughout the year. Following my month in Barcelona, my love for that city was renewed and my long-term goal is to move there. However, I'm not sure if financially I can do it within 2013. Like many artists I have to work to pay the bills and I also have a flat in Italy which as a partial renovation project needs work and money, so I have just secured a new job here in Oman with a better package. With the higher salary comes longer working hours, a necessary trade in order to reach my goal. The flat is for sale, if anyone is interested in a holiday home in the beautiful Pollino National Park, Calabria. Therefore, throughout 2013 my resolution and goal will be on getting my finances in order, so I can move to Barcelona as soon as possible.

Of course, my sketchbook will remain with me throughout 2013, I already have 2 commissions for drawings and further illustrations to do for The Story Shack. Also, I plan to go to the Urban Sketchers' 4th Symposium in July and... well who knows what other arty things will happen, but obviously my art passion will not be totally neglected. 

On a personal level, I resolve to eliminate but from my vocabulary and only focus on positive aspects. I also need to make sure I exercise throughout the year.

*****

May you fill lots of sketchbooks, produce lots of art, and have many laughs, health & happiness in the forthcoming year.

On the walls.

 A selection of my drawings are on display and for sale now at 

Bait Muzna Gallery, Muscat, Oman.

If you are in the country, please visit the gallery. Thank you.

Sketching Muscat Festival XI

Waiting

Muscat Festival was extended a week, now closing this weekend, but there were not any more performances in the Heritage Village by the various villages. I am sad as I miss seeing my new photographer friends and all the lovely people working at the festival.

Tuesday night (21st) was the area of Wadi Bani Khalid and it was sooo colourful and I think everyone from there was in the Heritage Village as there were so many performers. After a couple of walk rounds, mouth open at the colours, but lacking suitable places to lean or sit, I stopped at a wall to sketch some ladies in beautiful outfits preparing a table of food. Unfortunately, I was distracted, see below, and the women moved to much so I abandonded the sketch.

1st drawing of the day

The distraction: whilst drawing I looked up and found myself surrounded by these lovely cute girls. I grabbed a passer-by to take the photo of us.

Sketching with girls from Wadi Bani Khalid.

I then drew a woman sitting very still, the perfect subject, BUT people came and sat blocking her from view, prior to her wandering off. I took photos as she needs to have colour added... she was wearing bright reds and greens as my top sketch, with gold around her ankles, purple strips, black... maybe I will complete it and post here.

This cries out for colour

Two more Where's Wally shots (Don't know what I'm talking about? then check out Festival X post) from my new friend and great photographer Ahmed Al-Harthy. You can see one of the ladies with an orange cloth on her head on the left. Yes, the man next to me is drawing. He drew a deer from his imagination.

20th February By Ahmed Al-Harthy

This one is by Waleed Mohammed taken on Tuesday. I have a very serious expression in this one, but it could be because I haven't got my glasses on.

Photo by Waleed Mohammed

The next day was my last sketching the festival, and I was more motivated to take photos than sketch. I did this watercolour early on, but they wandered off. 

Then, stood in the dark in the Qurum Park site I sketched these dancers without actually being able to see either pen nor paper. 

Totals for my Muscat Festival 2012

48      A5 sketchbook pages with drawings on (not often completed)

1        A4 sketchbook page with a pen & watercolour sketch

708   photographs, after deletingthe really bad ones.

Whilst on numbers this is my 300th post. I wonder what the next 100 will bring?

 *****

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The spring newsletter will be out soon.

Where's Wally? Sketching Muscat Festival X

The guys from Al Musna clapping etc

I feel a bit like the American Where's Wally as my new photographer friends keep taking my photo as I sketch at the Festival. It's nice as some of them are being shared with me on my facebook page. I posted the Where's Wally (Sue)? pic by Nasser on the last post and I thought I'd add more to this post.

Photo by Waleed Mohammed

I love the one above taken by Waleed, which was taken on Sunday. I don't normally paint standing up, but had sketched the guys from Al Musna and was enjoyng their clapping, singing and drumming, so much that I wanted to add colour to capture the feeling. They seemed to enjoy my attention too as between every song they gathered around to see what I had done and tried to guess who was who in the drawings.

New friends from Al Musna: Amjad, Yosef, Ahmed, & Mohammed

 I'm particullary pleased with the sketch below. Do you remember that awful 80s song where you sat in a line on the floor and did a strange rowing action??? This was like that without the dreadful music, but with drums and chants.

My 3rd sketch of the Al Musna troup was of Yosef the drummer, but he moved so much as he drummed vigourously it's not a good likeness, and I was sketching directly in watercolour.

Yosef

 Below is the first Where's Wally photo taken, that I know of, whilst I was sketching the picture in festival post VIII on the 15th.

By Abdulaziz Al Jahdhami

The rhythms and people as well as the perfect light really spoke to my soul as I drew on Sunday and so my other 2 pictures were in colour too. There were groups of beautiful ladies sat so I went over to capture them. I sarted the details of the lady in red, then they left. oh well.

In the last sketch I was trying to capture the ladies as they stood chatting, waiting to perform. The one in the middle has an orange cloth folded on her head, I don't know why, custom?

Where's Wally? Painting Beduin

I had a less successful sketching session yesterday, I think because I was preoccupied having unsuccessfully scanned my latest drawing and now have the search for somewhere else to scan finished pieces. I painted the ladies above soon after I arrived. I had previously tried to sketch them, but had been thwarted by the crowds. Luckily last night was quieter. I'm not keen on the angle of the Where's Wally shot, but it shows the the ladies in the background well. I love the old men, seen below, in their dark dishdashas and musars. The old guns seemed very heavy, and I tried to sketch them casually slung over the men's shoulders. Unfortunately, the men were moving a lot, and I wasn't as loose as on Sunday.

Where's Wally? Sketching on 20th by Aziz

Sorry about the length of this post. Only 2 more nights until the festival is over for another year.

Sketching Muscat Festival IX

Wednesday, feeling a little lazy after a long week working on a portrait, and as the performers arrived late, I just sketched people whilst watching and enjoying the evening. Stood by the tea stand, I sketched the men performing and standing around (below). Then I went and sketched the ladies with their wool and weaving (above).

Sketching the drawing above. Photo by Nasser Al-Jabri

Very embarrassing, one photographer Nasser, asked if he could take my photo as I drew the ladies. Then the swarm descended and I think there were about 6 photographers taking my pic. This one by Nasser is the only one I've seen, so i'm curious about the others.

Friday, I went to meet Omani artist Yousuf Ali Al-Nahwi. I didn't want to draw as I had spent the whole weekend working on the portrait and the detailed work had made my head and eyes ache. We had a fun afternoon and evening taking lots and lots of reference photos, discussing painting, ideas etc. We watched the show at 6.30 near the tv presenters (see last post) and photo below.

The presenters

Then after getting something to eat we discovered a show by Chinese acrobats, which was fantastic. Here are a few of my photos:

Qurayatt boy © Sue Pownall 2012

Casual © Sue Pownall 2012

Happy © Sue Pownall 2012

Qurayatt drummers © Sue Pownall 2012

Here I am © Sue Pownall 2012

 Twirl © Sue Pownall 2012

There are more photos in my Oman set on flickr.

Sketching Muscat Festival VIII

 Traditional game near central stage in Heritage Village A4 sketchbook © Sue Pownall 

Having decided I wanted to capture some complete scenes from the Festival, I took my A4  sketchbook with me last night. I really like sketching this size now, but I have found it's not convenient for grabbing quick sketches of people. On arrival I headed straight to the men's seating area and inked then painted the central area, leaving the rest of the paper blank. Under the blue tarpaulin are the seats where the tv presenters sit when the area goes live at 6.30 every night. The Festival was strangely quiet, maybe due to it being St Valentine's day, partially as there were less participants from the night's region. Whilst I sat there several people took my photo, again, and at one point two Iranian artist sat either side of me so their friend could take a picture of the 3 of us. By that stage I had inked in some boys playing a traditional game and the troupe of gentlemen, who came past singing and drumming, but I had lost concentration through trying to talk to the Iranians and smiling for their photos, so went to get my usual cup of tea. Therefore, I broke my own rule and added the colour to the figures when I got home making this only 90% completed on site.

I'd like to thank everyone who has been commenting on this series of sketches. I really appreciate you taking the time to stop by. The festival still has a week to run, so there are lots of sketching opportunities to come and so lots more posts.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I am enjoying the sketching.

Sketching Muscat Festival VII

Young girls, watercolour in A5

I went to the Festival on Friday and as the previous week it was really really busy. I managed a few pen sketches, but it was difficult. The ladies permanently had people stopping to look at their work and buy key rings and other small items. I was more successful when I sat on the male side of the village, where I sketched some of the men sitting around me. However, I have to confess I chose to move as more and more men sat around me in order to secure their places for the televised event.

Today, I returned and did a warm up sketch of a man on his camel, which of course walked off. I then started drawing 3 boys reading their Korans, but a huge photographer sat down in front of them and didn't move... so I did and abandonded the page. A little while later I returned to a similar spot and started the watercolour sketch, but again had to abandon due to my view being blocked both by photographers and visitors. I took a photo, so may do another version of it when I get some acrylics. Lets see if I have better luck on Tuesday.

With about 10 days left of the Festival, I need to find a new sketchbook, as I've used 28 pages so far and only have a few pages left. I like my Daler Ebony, but I don't hold out much hope of finding one here.

Who needs a tv? aka Sketching Muscat Festival III

Into the arena, A5 sketchbook © Sue Pownall 2012

I'm having the BEST time at Muscat Festival. Apart from the cultural things, what can beat a nighttime performance of fountains dancing to classical music complete with lasers and pyrotechnics? Or what about an Arabic drama complete with a two-headed bad guy, who every time he entered the stage is accompanied by red lighting and fog?

Sword men, A5 sketchbook © Sue Pownall 2012

I dashed straight to the Festival from work yesterday afternoon and went to the Heritage Village. Gasping for a cup of tea I bought one, sat on the bench and looked around to see what I could draw. Due the beginning of a long weekend, I think, the crowds were large and my view kept getting blocked, but I quite like the final result of the sword men. A young boy who was watching me snapped a shot on his iphone before wandering off.

As I had arrived straight from work the next stop was outside the village area to get a falafal sandwich. Food is an important part of the festival, so I sketched the food stand, despite the fact it was almost dark and I could hardly see my sketchbook. I'd have loved to add some colour, but my eyes hurt, so I'll add food stands to my have-to-sketch-at-festival list.

Burgers, shwarmas & falafal ,A5 sketchbook © Sue Pownall 2012

After watching the fountains and snapping with my phone (chose not to take DSLR but found I'd also left compact camera at home) as I tried to capture some of it, I headed back to the Heritage Village and sketched the men with their swords and guns as they waited to parade past the tv cameras resplendent with their swords shaking, guns held aloft, chanting, and drumming accompaniment. (top drawing)

Snapped with my smart phone after I wasn't so smart by forgetting my camera.

I then took a walk around the park enjoying the atmosphere. I discovered that there is a whole section sponsored by embassies based in Oman, so tomorrow I plan to head back there to draw. The Palestinian dancers were great fun, but I think moving too fast for me to capture. Check back here later to see if I sketched them or not.

Just before the two-headed baddie appeared engulfed in smoke.

 Then finally, I went to see some of the Arabic play, which was staged in the auditorium. It was good fun and, please note I do not speak or understand Arabic, so this is purely guesswork, seemed to be set in old Turkey and was sort of a pantomime style play. There was dramatic lighting, smoke, a song - not sure why, and as I mentioned above a two-headed bad guy. The kid in front of me was terrified the first time the baddie came on the stage and clambered over his mum to the protective arms of his dad. Where I was sat, under the stars, it was virtually without light, but I tried to capture the lines anyway. Wished I'd had some fat coloured crayons as I couldn't see the marks I was making with my 0.1 pen. Any way I have posted the result below.

An example of blind sketching.A5 sketchbook © Sue Pownall 2012

*******

NB: All sketches are completed 100% at the Muscat Festival and are drawn from life.

I am using black ink but as usual scanning and photo correction is an issue.

Chinese New Year 2012: Year of the Dragon

  YuYang Garden Dragon, 250 x160mm Pen & ink, ©Sue Pownall 2012 

I was born in the year of the dragon, which makes me 12 or 24, so I had to post something to mark the beginning of an auspicious year.

I found an interesting Chinese website, About Sichuan China, which said that

"In Chinese astrology the dragon person born under this Chinese Zodiac sign tends to be a "doer" – they do things and achieve power by getting things done. A dragon can breathe out fire so the person born in the Chinese Year of the Dragon can be a hothead. Watch out if you make them angry! However, the dragon has a soft underbelly and so in Chinese astrology the dragon person born in this Chinese Zodiac year has a "soft spot" to them. They may get angry at someone who annoys them but they also show great compassion to people in need. A dragon has a long tongue which is often seen. So in Chinese astrology the dragon person born in this Chinese Zodiac year has a sharp tongue – they will say things that can be quite sarcastic and biting. The person born in the Chinese Year of the Dragon can be quite a confronting person but if you can reach their "soft heart" they are worthwhile allies."

hmm sounds a lot like me.

Some trivia about dragons from squidoo.com/2012yearofthedragon

Chinese dragons have five toes

Korean dragons have four toes

Japanese dragons have three toes 

Notable dragons:

My friend Sherry, who is currently in Singapore, and Michelle Fabio, the amazing writer who blogs at Bleeding Expresso. Also, Isabella Rossellini, such a beautiful, talented lady, and the hardworking Reese Witherspoon were born in the year of the dragon.

Finally forecasts:

"It can be expected that the 2012 Year of Dragon would be a happy and joyful one especially for the Dragon people. It is also believed that the Dragon Year 2012 would bring for all of us good luck and charm." 2012 year-of-dragon

"So what does 2012 hold for a person born in the Chinese Year of the Dragon? Such people such double their efforts in whatever they do - work, education and other projects. Their natural talent and abilities should stand out with great results. However, watch out for that temper! Keep it in check and do not spoil your good work." About Sichuan China

OOps forgot to say about the illustration. This is from my favourite garden in the world, YuYang in Shanghai. I went there in 2001 and want to go back with my sketchbook for a whole week. There was a place nearby which made the best steamed wonton too, which was worth at trip in itself.

Resolution review and revision 2012

Reviewing 2011

Last year my art was pinned on three words: focus, creativity, happiness, with 3 resolutions.

  
The 1st was: To focus my life, my thoughts, my dreams on my art and market myself as much as I can. 

One of the first steps within this was to set up a facebook page "to get my finished work out there", which I did and I now have 217 who follow my page, suepownallartist. Also, I set up a twitter account @suepownall to tweet about my art with, as I write, 200 followers. The biggest two marketing things were to establish a website suepownallartist.co.uk , which went live in October, and a quarterly newsletter, which has 37 subscribers. Of course, I continued to blog and post my sketches here as normal. 

Surprising marketing successes came from a 3 page newspaper article on me and my sketching and, for me even better, a magazine article on my art with my name on the front cover.

Within this 1st resolution I also wrote "I am thinking about printing postcards and/or gift cards". I went a step further as well as printing gift cards of 2 of my pieces of work, I also had limited edition Giclée prints of 6 drawings made. I have sold several to date, which I'm very pleased with.

I also wrote that "I may develop and deliver some workshops", but due to a lot of changes I have not done that.

The 2nd was: to continue working in pen and ink with regular sketching, which I did. I planned a "minimum of 1 finished piece a month ready to try to get hung in a gallery or exhibition and to update the facebook page." Life was a bit crazy in 2011, nothing new there, so the monthly goal was not achieved per se, however I finished 9 pieces over the year, selling 3 and donating 2 others to charity. Plus I got a commission for 3 illustrations from Qatar Museum Authority, so I completed 12 pieces, they were just not done monthly. 

Trees For Life Charity Exhibtion. Photo by John Need

Surprisingly, without a body of work I had work hung in the Trans-Siberian Train exhibition, Trees for Life Charity Exhibition, and had 2 drawings juried into the CAS Winter Exhibtion. Also held in Doha was an Art event: private view of my original drawings and prints.

The 3rd was: Happiness will come from following my dreams and continuing to interact with wonderful artistic people, which it did.

Resolutions for 2012

As last year, here are my three words to guide my life throughout the year:

Yes, I kept focus as it's important to keep my focus on my art, in this year, which already is a bit crazy. Vision is my 2nd word as I need to keep myself open to opportunities, as I did in 2011. Finally, produce is the 3rd as without actually producing finished artwork, I cannot achieve anything.

Resolutions:
1. To produce a minimum of one finished piece per month.
2. To exhibit at least twice in the year.
3. Continue marketing myself.

Thank you to all of you who follow my work, take the time to comment, and who have encouraged and inspired me throughout the past year.