©2013 Russ Cox
As summer flies by and the heat stifles us here in Maine, I ventured down into the coolness of the basement to post an update. Maine is not known for its 90 + degree weather so I think most of us are looking forward to fall. Dare I say it? Maybe even some snow would be good right now. I know, I know, too soon but it would feel good.
Since my last post, I have been keeping busy with many different projects. Currently on my "to do" list is a children's puzzle, a book for Islandport Press, some characters for A&E, the 5th installment for an ongoing app series, plus many other goodies. Plus I have another book waiting for me when the madness ends. While working on these fun-filled projects, I am still writing my own stories, trying to get them to a point to where my agent can submit to various publishing houses. We are close with one of them so fingers crossed when it is finally sent out the door. I am excited, nervous, anxious, scared, and just about every other emotion one can think of. The feeling is almost like sending your grown children out into the world. Almost.
Here are some current images from my sketchbook. I am still trying to find some time to work in it late in the evenings or as a morning warmup. Many of the above sketches were created while on vacation. Yeah, I squeezed a vacation into the past month. And I know, is it vacation if you draw and paint the whole time. For artist, it is the perfect time to do so.
Speaking of said vacation, I did my annual trip to Monhegan Island with a group of artist. There was a group of about 25 artist, scattered among three houses. We had our usual 7 crazies at The Field House. It is a fun, very talented group who get along so well. After a long day of painting and drawing, we gather at various houses in the evening for dinner, drinks, and games plus a critique of the days work if we feel inclined. Clyde, the seagull, was back for his annual visit as well. We kept him well fed as he entertained us in the evenings with his song and dance. It was a very relaxing, peaceful week with no pressures of doing anything. Lots of naps did take place during the heat of the day and after lunch. The island is such a diverse place to walk and hike. You get a bit of everything from forests to cliffs to a village to peaceful areas of a cove. If you never been there, it should be on your must visit list, even for just a day.
©2013 Russ Cox
The above paintings were quick plein air studies. Two were done at Lobster Cove and the third at Pebble Beach. We had three days of rain so we sketched and hired a model for a figurative session. There are a number of artist studios on the island including Alison Hill and Don Stone. Don and I share a love for the banjo so we got to hang out a bit and chat about old-time music. We did not get a chance to play some music this year, but we will make up for it next year. Don looked through my sketchbook and loved it. He had many nice things to say about it which made my week. He was a cartoonist before becoming a world renown painter. If you are not familiar with Don's work, go to donstone.com.
Well it is time to get back into the work groove. Lynn and I are planning a trip to Italy in September which we are looking forward to seeing. It will be our 25th anniversary. Italy is the perfect place to celebrate it.
I will report back soon with an update, until then, enjoy this quote.
Well it is time to get back into the work groove. Lynn and I are planning a trip to Italy in September which we are looking forward to seeing. It will be our 25th anniversary. Italy is the perfect place to celebrate it.
I will report back soon with an update, until then, enjoy this quote.
"An intellectual says a simple thing in a hard way. An artist says a hard thing in a simple way." ~ Charles Bukowski
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