Saturday, October 30, 2010

two views of compression


The gesture of the figure is fundamental, it is my lifeline. I think about it – it’s always at the back of my mind. For me it’s even more basic than light, I would sense the gesture of each successive moment even if I were blind. A gesture need occupy only a brief moment or less in time and space – with variation and repetition – it is our first language – the language of ordinairy life, the language of dance, and I think also the language of sculpture and drawing.


Ed, charcoal, 18 x 24 cartridge paper


Ed valiantly holding a ridiculously difficult pose 
for an endless 30 min
charcoal white chalk on cartridge 18x24

10 comments:

  1. Marcia, these drawings have so much life and energy. They are fresh and vigorous - and I was complaining 2 hours was not enough for a life session! We owe so much to these patient models.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Marcia, these are both wonderful. Great line and expression.
    I like the top one especially.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Here's to stalwart Ed and to you for not wasting his time. The strength of your drawing does his justice.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thank you so much Sheila. Yes models have definitely earned their place among our unsung heroes status.
    But speaking of drawing, yours are masterful as are your paintings. I’ve always admired your breadth of subject matter and your ability to tackle everything - from soup to nuts as they say

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love what you're saying here, and know that it's true. For me light is all, which may explain why I misunderstand gestures. Someone can be annoyed and I am watching light drift down the side of the person's face and marvelling at the colour. These are beautiful, and you've made me remember how a baby strokes its mother's face with so much tenderness. That is one deeply moving gesture.

    Love Barbara

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thank you Doug! You are a wonderfully, practiced drawer yourself and I am so happy to see that you have jumped back into the drawing arena. That is fantastic.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thank you Sam. I will tell you that Ed is also a long distance runner and if a pose is not difficult enough for him, in his runner’s imagination he will find a way to make it so. He is also one of the stars in the modeling circuit and is in huge demand in the Toronto and surrounding areas and will drive hours daily to get to his gigs from where he lives in the Waterloo Kitchener area. There is a little bit of unsolicited geography for you.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Barbara, that is a beautiful and moving conception of gesture and illustrates much better than I have what I am trying to get at. Of course light is the visual component for painters.
    But it’s not just seeing light it’s feeling it as well. Light! it’s also a metaphor for understanding – the light within. But are we nocturnal creatures or what? You seem to be up as late as I am.

    love, Marcia

    ReplyDelete
  9. Lovely work, again, Marcia! I'm particularly taken with the first one. His pose is like a rose beginning to open.

    Really spectacular work. I can tell that the figure is light for your imagination.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Melinda you hit the nail on the head! That's it in a nutshell!
    Merci bien!
    xoMarcia

    ReplyDelete