Monday 24 August 2009

My thirty year old drawing


I did this drawing thirty years ago. It was one of the subjects for the O level Art exam, for the children, when I was teaching. As the teacher I had to provide the objects for them to draw in the exam, in this case root vegetables. I went to my sister to see what she had in her garden and she pulled up this turnip for me. It was so much more interesting than what I could find on the market stalls.
I don't remember if any of the children chose it to draw but I loved it and took it home with me to draw.
It has been framed and hanging in my house for thirty years, the cartridge paper is pitted with brown stains and the paper is crinkled. I haven't looked at it for years, but I see my style in it. It would be the lines and textured qualities which would excite and inspire me to draw it. I alway loved working in pencil, a nice sharp HB pencil. Of course my eyes were better then, I now need my glasses to draw all the detail.
It holds a fascination to me, I love the detail I captured, yes I am proud of this one. I spent many many hours on this large drawing.

7 comments:

Carolina said...

Happy birthday to your "child" :)
I love stories like this one, and I love when I see an old painting and am able to remember what was going on in my life at the moment of making it (I feel my paintings are some kind of children of mine). It's such a beautiful and carefully made piece...
Best regards,
Carolina

Mary Timme said...

It is lovely. I spent most of the afternoon trying to find a store out here that advertised pencil boxes for $0.10 each. I finally did and am so glad I got it done. You've got to have some organization for your tools.

I loved this drawing. It is very detailed and neat to see.

Frances said...

Milly, I would have recognized that drawing as yours ... easily!

I also salute the HB pencil.

Quite wonderful to see what can be created from a turnip.

Lucky pupils to have had you for a teacher.

xo

Acornmoon said...

That is a really lovely study, have you thought about making it into a print?

Ruthie Redden said...

Milly, thank you for your lovely congrats on my blog. It is intriguing i find to look back on old works that we have done, to see our own style developing there. I love this drawing, all its detail, something (detail that is, not turnips!) that i love too. A drawing to be rightly proud of. i am trying to practice my pencil drawing again as i have become soo rusty.*ruthie*

ellie said...

What a beautiful drawing ! All your work and lovely descriptions give me itchy fingers and make me want to sit down with a fresh white piece of paper and a sharp pencil !Looking at your blog is like walking into a sweet shop !!

Ruth said...

Hello Eileen - just wondered onto your blog (via Australia!) and found to my amazement that you live near me. I love your gallery! I do artwork based on nature too, but very different from yours - have a look on my blogs, Wise Woman Journal and Wise Woman Gallery.