layers upon layers

Another suggestion in the endless list of things one can use to enhance contour drawing skills is the very complex, many-layered Pine Cone. (cue dramatic music)

I started drawing these while on our annual retreat to the Adirondacks for the week between Christmas and New Years...

I honestly believed that I would get to complete another few whole ones while at home, but apparently that just wasn't reality for this first quarter of 2012.

One excellent feature of the pinecone is that it's overwhelming, so you really have to decide what is drawing your eye, and where you're going to begin - the many layers of "petals," as I came to call them, seem to have no beginning and no end, and this method of drawing does not give you much in the way of dealing with the incredibly deep shadows between them. Thus, the drawings became more like meditations on a single area and that produced its own joy.

expanding horizons

One of the many goals for my involvement in ERA is to expand my horizons - regionally, architecturally and socially. To that end, we have a series called "ERA @" where we embark together on adventures around town. One of our latest additions is the Rochester Arts First Fridays scene, a downtown open gallery night that changes monthly and is either very cheap or completely free, as well as full of great energy and new faces.

One of the unexpected aspects of this particular outing was that I initially struggled a bit to articulate why certain works resonated with me while other pieces just totally turned me off. In some cases it felt like a mere "matter of taste," while in others it was a deep and meaningful response, yet one that I had to search for ways to describe. This was humbling, as it enlightened me to the experience many Clients may be having with architecture, when they make statements such as "I can't explain why, but I just don't like it." We all got into a great conversation about archi-speak and about the ways that we can help others find the terminology for expressing their emotional responses in ways that will allow us architects to interpret them accurately and improve the design accordingly.

Apparently, I had a great time: 

(many thanks to Just Joe Photo for capturing us and the event in general)