Standing pose -- Claudette

Claudette -- artist, model, runner -- tireless. During the break she would walk around the room examining drawings, sometimes saying, "hmm" - occasionally nodding her head in approval.

charcoal and chalk on manilla, 18"x24" © mcohenlabelle mcl

Many downpours hath April as it draws to a close

'When in April the sweet showers fall

That pierce March's drought to the root and all' 

And bathed every vein in liquor that has power To generate therein and sire the flower;' ...... recalls my sweet David, reciting some of Chaucer -- particularly when pummelling rain floods the nether regions of our home as it did a week or so ago, and we had to take it seriously like doing something about it - but mild flooding though it be, was not as severe as some communities - we must, we resolve, take this in our stride and simply think of glorious Chaucer who David says is one person he would have loved to have met. Really, I say, as I sip my coffee. Pond on an herb farm  half way between Hamilton and Guelph,  oil on gessoed masonite © mcl  -- mid April

Cropped oval

Cropped oval of a standing figure

Pastel on Strathmore 18"x24" cohen labelle, ©mcl

Waiting

It's one thing to decide on a pose --  that process is fairly democratic, more or less.  There is, of course,  the inevitable thrashing out of suitable and reasonable, good ideas that takes place before an agreeable compromise can be reached so that the model's pose is of interest to everyone.
But an equal challenge presents itself to the model who must hold a position for a given block of time before a buzzer signals a rest - in terms of her inner life it might not be unlike waiting for a phone call or a bus, or a meal to be served.

Pastel on Strathmore 18"x24" cropped - ©mcl

Farmer's field,

Fog rolling in. Escarpment near Jerseyville Rd

Pastel on canson  9"x12" ©mcl

Uncomplaining

Although her head is supported by a cushion and there is some sort of rudimentary blanket on which to lie, the mattress on the modelling stand is missing -- as if it was ever there in the first place. She insists however that she is perfectly comfortable.

                                Chalk on Kraft paper 18"x 24" © mcl, April, 2015

Insomniac chair

Tirelessly waiting to be sat in, looked at, or drawn at any time of day or if need be, in the middle of the night.

Office chair, charcoal on wonky graph paper, 8½"x11" ©mcl 2017

A family

My late Mother's,  all in one self- procreating, multi-use wrench family, plus a stack of supermarket coupons she had lying around, asking to be put to use - gives birth to this mid 20th century op art acrylic collage master-piece on masonite! Brilliant, Faye -- I miss you.

One wrench serves all-- © Faye LaBelle;  acrylic and collage on masonite 16" x 36"

Small Change

The innocent penny, now extinct and other coins. The penny is made of almost pure copper. The nickel is made of nickel that comes from mines in Sudbury in our near/far Ontario north featuring our industrious beaver -- and he/she too, might be the next to go on the chopping block. Then there's big or significant change like the loonie and toonie. The toonie so called because it replaced our two dollar bill years ago. The loonie -- named after our mournful songbird, the loon.
Why do we call it change? As a child, I was obsessed with change, I used to crave it -- filthy lucre. I searched for it in the tight recesses of our stuffed sofas and on the fair grounds where we lived in small prairie towns. I would dream about finding unlimited piles of change and wake up empty handed of course.
Now when I think about my infatuation with change it all seems somewhat pointless and absurd.

Charcoal, pastel and assorted coinage on typewriter paper 

8½ x11 © mcl 

Profile standing

A strong young woman, as I recall, in addition to her skill as a model

she is also a formidable wrestler.

      Pastel on Strathmore, 18" x 24" © mcl

Opposite view on flooded parkland

North east. At this time of year it's always flooded. Maybe the soil is clay. When we had a ton of snow a few years ago you might guess that that would be the reason. This year more rain than snow and it's still sopping wet there, except for the paved parking lot  -- but to be fair, I'm told that even some of the roads there are under water which makes drivers less than relaxed.

Courtcliffe Park, another view, pastel on 200 Currys cold press water colour paper © mcl 2014

Flooded

An early April melting on park land  near Carlisle on the way to Guelph. When I waded back to my car, I noticed that the soles of my sturdy boots were flapping which made it awkward to walk properly. The prolonged immersion in slush and spring water had apparently caused the glue and stitching to give way, the soles half-way detached and my toes and rest of my feet were literally sucking up water.

                                 Pastel on gessoed Currys cold presswatercolour © mcl 2014

Early spring two years ago

Not biting cold this day in April,  just drenching rain which might or might not turn to snow.
An ordinary day really if you can manage to block out the unspeakably cruel landscape taking place in other parts of the world where heartbreaking acts are rendered by remote control on innocent civilians.

Farmland on the escarpment west of Ancaster -- pastel on Arches cold pressed © mcl

Profile of young woman

            Profile -- Inward looking

     Pastel on strathmore 18"x24" © 2015

Sitting still

More of a challenge to sit still for a prolonged period of time, 

I would think, than to just sit quietly and self absorbed under the intense scrutiny

of multiple drawers.

 

Pastel on strathmore 18"x24" ©2015

Landscape study November 2003

A particularly warm November several years ago from a trip to Colorado just outside Denver.

Acrylic on water-colour paper © mcl 2017