Sketchbook: 2006

For approximately a month now, I've been taking stock. My first big project has been to scan all of my sketchbooks since 2003. These represent the raw deal, the first impression, the play, the pondering, the manipulating...of potential finished work, of a planted seed, or simply the moment completed. I've decided I need to observe my own patterns visually, see when I was most productive or least productive with this important tool in an artist's life. The journey has revealed much to me personally and professionally. One conclusion is that I value process more than product, always have. So it is important to share this process, these years, with family, friends, students and colleagues. Art needs to be seen, period. So I'm attempting to share my sketchbook pages in as many formats as possible: Vuvox collages, facebook albums, and here on my own blog. I also planning on self-publishing a book so I can hold all of these in my hand at once, turning actual pages. I hope you gain some insight into me, you, or the act of art itself.

2006

This was a rich year. I was settled in a bit more, enjoying teaching drawing and working in my sketchbook since I asked the students to do this. I explored our department's vast African art collection and library books. I also started my first summer teaching at the Missouri Fine Arts Academy, an accelerated high school arts summer program. MFAA launched me into high production mode as I worked alongside talented students who were open to experimentation.