Follow Friday: Mel Spillman

She doesn't post much on her blog anymore, but you should follow Mel Spillman anyway, wherever she is! Tonight she will be at the opening of Herstories at the the MCA Hyde Gallery (the one downtown, 477 S. Main), which features Mel's artwork along with several other follow-worthy artists: Haelim Choi Allen, Lisa Alembik, Beth Edwards, Haley Morris-Cafiero, Melinda Posey, and Babette Shaw.

One of Mel's paintings - click image for more detail.

Playing with Pens

Studio Night Last Night: Fountain Pen Studio Sketch

I love my Lamy.

(click image for more detail)

Coffee Shop Sketch

Memphis Monday: Arepa and Salsa

We recently tried the Venezuelan restaurant Arepa and Salsa, which is at 662 Madison. It was good! Everything we had was so flavorful and the service was excellent. Go try an arepa or an empanada or even a Venezuelan hamburger!

Here's to Saturday

sketched with a three-color pen

Follow Friday: Meghan Vaziri

Artist Meghan Vaziri made this incredible portrait of me recently. I love it because it looks more like me than any photograph - it is me. She must have used several photos to create this portrait, rather than just copying a photo, and in doing so captured something more about me. That's the sign of a true portrait painter!

Check out her blog and see other portraits she has created.

Bookclub!

At bookclub a few weeks ago we discussed Burial Rites by Hannah Kent while eating a delicious salmon and drinking plenty of wine. It was a good discussion, and a generally well-liked book by those of us that read it - you can see the ratings below.

Our rating system is as follows:
5 = masterpiece
4 = holy crap that's good
3 = would recommend to a friend
2 = not a complete waste of time
1 = eh
0 = nothing but crap

Studio Night Last Night: Templates and Lists

Made color wheel templates for my class, made lists for myself.

The Crazy Weather Patterns of the Mid-South

This is from a few weeks ago - it is the view out my back door. Maybe you can't make out much because I was sketching it at twilight. We had the weirdest weather that day - it started as a rainy day in the 50s, then after it stopped raining the temperature dropped 20º by the time I made this sketch, then eventually got down to about 8º. Within a few days the temperature was back up to the 50s. I don't know why I find that so fascinating, but I do.

Click image for more (some) detail.

Memphis Monday: Brooks Museum of Art

Here's one reason why I love having a membership to the Brooks: late on a Saturday afternoon when I felt like getting out of the house, and wanted to do something fun before having to go to the grocery store, I went to the Brooks shortly before closing and spent about 15 or 20 minutes with two works of art. The top left sketch is of a gorgeous painting called La Femme en Vert. The other is a sculpture by Rodin.

Apples!

Studio Night Last Night

Studio sketch - gesso everywhere.

Two Good Things

Two good things: getting sushi with Heather, and crocheting.

Memphis Monday: My Brother the Writer

My big brother, Richard Alley, is a freelance writer who writes about Memphis and Memphians every day. He was just named writer-in-residence at the historic Elmwood Cemetery. It doesn't get much more Memphis than that on a Monday!

This sketch is of Richard's office - click image for more detail.

Ro-Ro-Ro-Ro-Ro-Ro-Rosie

Waiting

Memphis Monday: WKNO FM

I forgot to post this while our show was still up! Here is Martha Kelly and me talking about our show at Memphis Botanic Garden on WKNO FM's show Checking on the Arts. Doesn't get much more Memphis than that! Well, maybe if we'd been eating barbecue, but no one wants to listen to that.

Supply Sunday: Stillman & Birn Sketchbooks

Supply sketch in a Stillman & Birn sketchbook - this is their Alpha series.

Oldies but Goodies

These are just some old sketches I hadn't posted yet, due to their randomness, I guess.

2014 is Here

Let's do some sketching! Here are a couple of small sketches I've done so far.

I hope this year treats you well.