The Human Figure...

As an artist, my favorite thing to draw or paint is the human figure...right at the moment, I am attempting to get back to just drawing the human form, for no reason other than to be doing so. One of the traps that is easy to fall into when you make your living - such that is is - from art, is that if you are working on something that has nothing to do with sales, you have the uncomfortable feeling that you might be wasting time. However...that is not an accurate measure of ones life as an artist (or singer or writer, or fill in the blank.)

When we put our worth solely in monetary terms we create a trap indeed...we are artists in all forms because we DO...we paint, draw, do computer graphics, sing, play an instrument, write, act, sculpt, throw pottery, make jewelry - and this ACTION is what defines us...not the dollar signs. The passion of our desire to create that which lies within our souls. The act of creation is also what heals us, too.

So, yes, I am working on ideas and work for a show...and it would be nice to see some sales and money - they don't call us starving artists for nothing! However, I am also making space to just do. To just be. To get back to one of my first loves which is drawing and maybe in a bit, painting, the human form. So I will occasionally post here where my wandering brush and pencil are taking me. And you will see me do male figures for a bit...and then switch to female...and if I can, I want to do some that show the dichotomy of being transgender eventually. So this is what I am up to...the pieces here are all mine, oil paint and pencil drawings. Some from life, and some from photographs.

Anybody who wants to comment.

critique or express their thoughts - have at it!

Feed back is always good!

Jeanne Robinson March 30, 1948 - May 30, 2010

This past Sunday on May 30th, Jeanne Robinson of the husband and wife writing team, Spider and Jeanne Robinson, passed away. They are the authors of the Stardance Trilogy, which includes Stardance, Starmind and Starseed. The gist of the books tells of a dancer who goes to space to dance, escaping the definition of up and down imposed by gravity, and in doing so leads the human race to the stars.

Jeanne was an author, a dancer, and a lay ordained Soto Zen Monk. She will be posthumously ordained as a Buddhist priest. As a dancer, she studied under Martha Graham, and was eventually Artistic Director of Halifax's Nova Dance Theater for more than 8 years, and choreographed thirty original works. She was actually scheduled decades ago to go up in the Space Shuttle's Civilian Program to explore zero gee dance, but her dream was grounded when the explosion of the Challenger ended the program.

She is survived by her husband, Spider Robinson, her daughter and son inlaw and her grandaughter as well as other family and friends. Please keep them all in thought and prayer.

Stardance, the first book of the trilogy is in the process of being made into a movie.http://www.stardancemovie.com/index.htm

I cannot begin to express how great an impact this woman's writings and life have had on me - I grieve for Spider and her family, friends and family who are parted from her. I do not grieve for her - such a great soul has passed from the illusions of this world into glory! I include here footage of Jeanne Dancing - her last public dance insofar as I know - and footage of dancers exploring zero gee dance concepts towards the Stardance Movie.