Before Christmas I gathered together many of the paintings of bears I had worked on over the 30 years in which I have been an artist. In doing so I started sketching again, new bears.
As an experiment I have decided to work this piece as a linocut, a wood engraving ( if I can, I am not convinced that I am skilled enough for this image) and also as a painting. All will take time, as I am supposed to be working on hares, but still feeling unwell, plagued by migraines and coughing and tiredness and lack of focus.
Also, kittens are still helping, although now they have met all the animals in the house and can banish them from the studio. But when they are in it they just love to be where I am, watching! Hard to work while such beauty moves around!
The linocut is ready for proofing now, and will be for sale if the print works out ok. And the painting has been begun. The engraving is only a line drawing on a beautiful block and I need to gather courage to begin this. The block is so smooth. I have darkened it with ink to help with the engraving. All I need now is courage to begin and time.
And what is the experiment for? To see which I prefer working on. To see how one image can translate across different media. To see which I find easiest to translate. If the painting works there will be giclee prints also, just a short print run. And maybe also something else. Something new.
dear Jackie,may your new year be abundant in healing,well being and focus as you continue to create such moving pieces.I love the way this illustration pulls one into its intimacy and power. Please take good care,and yes, one could easily watch the beautiful creatures while all else falls away:) So warm wishes for the very best as you find your way through all this.
Warmest wishes for the New Year. I hope the germs depart and you get rest and recuperation. Thank you for a year of much pleasure in your work and beautiful art and words.
Ahhh Bears, next to hares and dragons another wonderful part of life. Yours are lovely.
I like the first picture best: Although beeing opposite as well in the position as as a beeing (human versus animal) at the first glimpse, they are connected and reflect such a bond of peace and comfort. The second glimpse reveals the wildness of both – him beeing a bear and she through her hair.
The sketch of the second one differs, but I can’t catch and express the feeling, not for the lack of words for this is not my mothertongue, but… Yes, I see the difference between both.
Take care, catch some new engeries and happy new year
Thoma
lovely to see all that you are working on
i think your art translates well….. it is the spirit in your art, as well as how you offer it which makes it so dear. women and bears…. always draws me in. They live in the wild around me, so they are always on my mind.
sending you healing light
lovely new year to you~
Not sure which I love more, the bears or the kittens. Love the kitten morphing into the drawing. Happy New Year to you and and all your beasts dear Jackie.
The kittens are just wonderful. All mischief and great beauty. When is your film out Meg? Looking forward to seeing it.
Dear Jackie,
I wish you every best wish for 2013 – and vitality and good health starting 1 January if not before!
In the midst of my busy days your beautiful images and words pop into my mail box and make my day so much better – thank you for everything this year
Bridget Jane
Sydney Australia
Here’s wishing you all a year filled with positives to offset any of the negatives that will inevitably come your way and, Jackie, I can only dream of having the talent, focus and courage that you display here through your words and your work!
Have fun with your experimentations (I think translating your images across different media is a marvelleous idea!) but ‘feel the fear and do it anyway’ and I look forward to seeing all of the results, especially the wood carving.
Net
Dear Jackie,
I love seeing the linocut coming to life. I’ll be interested to see how it prints. I’m sure it will be beautiful.
Maggie