What on earth did I do???
It was just a bit ho hum, a bit beige, a bit flat....
And for the life of me I cant seem to remember if I did a single thing!!
If you can recall we did have some strange and apocalyptic weather patterns, and I guess that didn't help matters!
One thing I do remember doing was taking a look at the Jacaranda Drawing Awards that are held bi annually at Grafton Regional Gallery.. Last years finalists are now on a regional tour and so I was able to catch up with the exhibition at Mosman Regional Gallery.
The Jacaranda always procures a high standard of entries and this year was no exception. As I walked up the stairs to enter the show I was greeted with a beautiful gouache sketch on paper by Wendy Sharpe called Cario Cafe....
and from there the names kept coming...Gosia Wlodarczak (below detail) with Crumbled 2008,
Angus McDonald (below) with Ruiz 2008....
and so on... 
Work by Anne Starling called Running Boy 2007... great energy!
Another way of opening up our parameters on the art of drawing is to ask what children understand drawing to be... One lovely thing that happened while I was at The Jac Award is that the local community centre had a group of preschoolers in the gallery - drawing! And it was fantastic to watch, listen and learn as the kids asked questions and played... while all the framed and serious 'drawings' were mounted up on the surrounding walls ...
Angus McDonald (below) with Ruiz 2008....and so on... If i was going to suggest a thread that ran through alot of the drawings I would have to say it would be 'traditional' and 'black+white'...which sounds like an insult but I mean it only as an observation! The Jac IS a show that attracts a lot of serious studies and observational drawings and so you do know what you are in for...but the standard of mark making is high!
Work on board by Timothy Crawley called Tuncester Track 2007 ... one of the only serious works in colour
Work on board by Timothy Crawley called Tuncester Track 2007 ... one of the only serious works in colourWork by Anne Starling called Running Boy 2007... great energy!If you were looking for drawing at its contemporary best I walk the line at the MCA earlier this year was one such example... and another may be the Jerwood Prize in the UK, where the judges push the boundaries of what drawing is...and could be!
Another way of opening up our parameters on the art of drawing is to ask what children understand drawing to be... One lovely thing that happened while I was at The Jac Award is that the local community centre had a group of preschoolers in the gallery - drawing! And it was fantastic to watch, listen and learn as the kids asked questions and played... while all the framed and serious 'drawings' were mounted up on the surrounding walls ... And I do believe that some of the most exciting, energetic and inquisitive work was to be found on the floor!! You be the judge...
Seeing Wendy's work on the wall and then having a gander at her studio is a great way of discovering the true character of an artist !
After leaving the gallery and taking a walk up to a great local cafe called The Penny Royal I stopped off at a friends place and found this beautiful publication in their bookcase...
Its called The Artists' Lunch and it had the studio of Wendy Sharpe featured... which I thought was a nice way to round off the day!
Seeing Wendy's work on the wall and then having a gander at her studio is a great way of discovering the true character of an artist ! The publication by Alice McCormick+Sarah Rhodes is lovely if a little too clean and manicured! Maybe for an older audience? 
Could be... but its worth a look when your next at the bookstore...
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