Monthly Archives: January 2020

Face To Face

January tends to feel more expansive than any other month of the year and thus seems much more open to opportunity. December’s stepped-up pace and the additional chores brought on by the holidays are now behind us, and long snowy days make sticking close to the studio even more attractive than usual. With that in mind, I decided to take an online class this month that revolves around drawing faces. 30 Faces/30 Days, offered by Sktchy, has been a series of daily video lessons from various artists, touching on such subjects as “Capturing Facial Proportions” and “Energizing Your Lines.”

“Drawing Blind”, one lesson encouraged taking the time to do one – or several – blind contours as a way to warm up before tackling a drawing. It’s such a great exercise that always results in something unique.

©2020 Elizabeth Fram, 10 x 6.5 inches, Graphite and colored pencil on paper. This is the more formal rendition of the same image as the contour above. While I’m not a big proponent of drawing from a photograph, it was necessary for the class and I’ve come to realize there is still much that can be learned from the process.

I’m glad I took the leap. What you see here are a sampling of my results.
Each lesson contained some unexpected, helpful nugget, so that as the month ends I feel I’ve reaped plenty of fresh info to keep in the back of my mind, not just during future life-drawing sessions, but when drawing in general. And who knows how it may surface in my textile work. Probably the most fruitful aspect overall has been the push for regular practice.

Thinking along this same general theme, the one element of the impeachment trial that I’ve actually enjoyed has been seeing Art Lien’s sketches of the trial itself. The Senate chamber has been swept clean of all cameras other than the one trained on whoever is speaking. Lien, (who usually covers the Supreme Court — no cameras allowed there either) and two other artists were allowed in to give us a chance to see what’s happening around the edges.

Lien’s drawings are so much more descriptive than TV. His watchful eye captures personality and individual quirks that we might otherwise never see: the sock-less Senator Burr, the press corps literally sitting on the edges of their seats, Senator Portman’s illegal cell phone, and Mitt Romney’s bottle of chocolate milk that had to be quickly decanted into a glass.

For anyone interested in the art of sketching, it’s fascinating to see the depth of information Lien’s deceptively simple lines portray. His work underscores one of the things I love so much about the practice of drawing — by really looking, you catch and solidify details that bring back the richness of an experience long after it has ended.

The January 14th Debate gave me a taste of how hard Art Lien’s job really is. Even though I wasn’t seeing the candidates in person, the fact that they were moving added more life than is possible with a still photo. It was an advantage that they each kept returning to the same general position as they talked to the moderators or the camera. These sketches each took several rounds of answers before I could capture the general essence of what I wanted.

Lien is not the only sketch artist in the room. Read this article for a deeper dive into the weeds about the artists covering the trial, including some discussion on the materials they use, etc.

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If you happen to be nearby and need a reprieve from the snow and ice, check out the show Botanical Blitz (up through March 7) at Studio Place Arts, 201 N Main St. Barre, VT. It is a vibrant and colorful oasis inspired by plants, animals, and insects – a visual respite from the depth of winter. Read Mary Gow’s review in the Rutland Herald for a taste of what is on view.

Lessons Learned

These past two weeks I’ve been on a mission to finish up this piece that I’ve been working on since September. With so many other irons in the fire, I haven’t been reporting on its progress regularly, but I’m happy to say I am finally finished and feeling richer for the lessons learned along the way.

The first, and sadly unsuccessful, version of the chess king

To bring you up to speed: The two halves (the king and the queen) were worked separately since the whole piece is larger than the frame I use for stretching cloth while stitching. The king was completed at the end of October, and the queen in the beginning of December. I was not able to see and compare all parts of the piece while working, so it was a bit of an ugly surprise to discover that the king on the left (which had been stitched first and that I was quite satisfied with when completed) just didn’t hold up next to the queen on the right. In fact it seemed to almost disintegrate into its background. So many hours of work! What to do?

Tools of the trade, along with a big pile of removed stitches.

Lesson #1: Take a break. Time away from the studio during the holidays provided the necessary breathing room to figure out a solution to such a discouraging challenge. With fresh eyes, I could easily recognize the hard reality of what was needed to pull the figure out from its background. Note to self: a hazard of working so closely and in such fine detail is forgetting to get regular distance from the work to be sure it reads as correctly from afar as it does at close range. Always step back mid-process.

Picking out stitches is a painstaking and delicate process, but ultimately worth the time.

The way to fix it lay in two things:
Lesson #2: Contrast. My original intent was to keep the king’s side red – hoping that the threads I chose were dark enough to suggest the black pieces of a chess set. But unfortunately, the colors were so analogous to the background that it just became a muddle. However, even though this iteration didn’t work out in the long run, I made some unrelated but fruitful discoveries along the way that will carry forward into future work…i.e. a benefit of deliberate practice (keep reading).

The piece with all the stitches removed except for (look closely) that one red section on the middle-left of the figure. Leaving it in place seemed right.

And Lesson #3: Let go – or “murder your darlings” as advised by Arthur Quiller-Couch.* It seems a no-brainer now that undoing the original, and re-stitching the figure in blue, was the proper answer.

With this small bit done, I can see I’m on the right track.

In relation to these points, two things come to mind.
First, Austin Kleon wrote a post in 2015 on the relationship between “input” and “output” There are many ways that his theory can be stretched to serve whatever issues may currently challenge you in the studio, but I think the most cogent point is that we need to continually feed ourselves with input in order to strengthen our output. Answers lurk in unexpected places.

Blue king, finished

Its partner, the white queen

And secondly, with that fact in mind the other idea that has resonated for me as I’ve been working my way past this particularly sticky wicket comes from the book Talent is Overrated, one of my best picks from 2019.
In it, Geoff Colvin outlines the importance of “deliberate practice” as a necessary ingredient in the success of any professional standout. He discusses exactly what that means and how it is applicable before, after, and during the work itself. “Meta-cognition” is the fancy term he gives to the art of close self-observation while one works, identifying it as the path to pushing oneself forward. Discoveries are sometimes serendipitous, as written in Making it Work, but I think repetition through practice (as I have seen by completely reworking this chess king) remains the gold standard.

House Divided (Mitch & Nancy), ©2020 Elizabeth Fram, 18 x 24 inches, Stitched-resist dye and embroidery on silk. Granted, this is a working photo, but boy does it point out how important it is to hire a professional to capture the best image (shout-out to Paul Rogers Photography). Even so, you get the idea. A bit of back-story on the chess pieces: They are part of a wooden set I discovered a number of years ago that belonged to my grandfather. He died when I was very young, so I have limited memories of him. Lovely (to my eye), while a bit crudely made, I took a lot of photos at the time, finding the shapes and their shadows quite intriguing.

It isn’t enough to capture a likeness or create a pleasing image. We need to continually study, not just others’ work to try to figure out why they made the choices they did and how it added to their success, but it’s important to apply equal curiosity to our own thought processes and decisions along the way. Think of it as another route to learning the necessary lessons that ultimately elevate our individual output.

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Threads of Truth

If you will be in Chicago in the next weeks, consider a trip to the Zhou B Art Center to see Threads of Truth, curated by Sergio Gomez. My piece “Hell Freezes Over” will be among the work in the exhibition.

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Finally, three resources for your listening pleasure:

Margaret Sheridan and Louise Fletcher of the Art Juice podcast ask and discuss the important question How Do You Define Success?.

And, since most of us can’t get to Berkeley, CA very easily, check out Slow Fiber Studios’ podcasts recorded from their lecture and event series. Among other things, the topics covered include natural dyes and textile conservation by some of the world’s top experts.

*Check out Darlingside, who coined their name from Queller-Couch’s quote. For wonderful music to work by, filled lush melodies and superpower harmonies, give a listen.

Flipping Pages

I love all the reading lists that surface from various sources throughout December. It’s been a happy and productive reading year for me too, so I’m joining the crowd and sharing my top picks from 2019. Some are art-y, a few are business/tech-related, and the rest are just good, solid stories for the dark evenings ahead.

But before we get started, a bit of housekeeping…

For those of you who are also signed up to receive my periodic newsletter, I understand some may have mistaken the year-end issue (sent out several days ago) for this week’s blog post, creating confusion as to why Eye of the Needle came out early. So much for “branding” and trying to keep the look of my various missives on point! In the future I think I will probably change the banner at the top of the newsletter to avoid confusion. Please keep in mind that the newsletter will only appear 3 to 4 times a year, so if you’re interested in short, specific announcements with additional tidbits, please subscribe here.

The other announcement I have to share is that after much thought this past month, I have decided to cut back to posting Eye of the Needle every other week. Going forward, I hope that approach will keep it fresh for both you and for me.

Okay, on to the books! Let me know if any of the below become a favorite for you in 2020. And I’m always eager to hear what books you loved last year.

Old In Art School: A Memoir of Starting Over

Old in Art School, Nell Painter. A memoir by a lauded historian who decided to go to art school at the age of 64. A wonderful exploration of her experiences as she achieves her BFA & MFA.

Devotion (Why I Write)

Devotion, Patti Smith. A haunting tale of obsession and a glimpse into Patti Smith’s writing process. It’s a wonderful follow up to Painter’s book.
(If you’d like to know more, these first two books resonated so strongly with me that I wrote a mini book report about them last January.)

The One-in-a-Million Boy

The One-in-a-Million Boy, Monica Wood. A tale of unlikely, yet deep friendship and discovery between a Boy Scout (and eventually his parents) and 104 year old Ona Vickuss.

Plainsong

Plainsong, Kent Haruf. The story of a pregnant girl, a lonely teacher, a pair of boys abandoned by their mother, and two crusty bachelor farmers — all healing their wounds and finding community in each other.

Pitch Perfect: How to Say It Right the First Time, Every Time Hardcover – April 1, 2014

Pitch Perfect : how to Say it Right the First Time, Every Time, Bill McGowan. Tips and pointers on how to give the best presentations and responses in all manner of situations. If, like me, public speaking doesn’t come easily for you, this book is a wonder that will give you the confidence to do a good job – and even enjoy the process.

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Handywoman, Kate Davies. How Davies found recovery and revelation in knitting, design, and community after suffering a stroke at age 36. I wrote about this one too.

Beartown: A Novel

Beartown, Fredrik Backman. A wonderful, beautifully written, character-driven book! Gut-wrenching, and at times humorous, it speaks to the good and bad of human nature. Especially resonant in the regard to the Kavanaugh hearings. Probably one of my all-time favorites.

Harry's Trees: A Novel

Harry’s Trees, Jon Cohen. This one had a big build-up from one of my favorite podcasts What Should I Read Next, & it didn’t disappoint. Great story, well-paced. Perfect read when looking to get lost but not necessarily escape.

Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World

Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World, Cal Newport. A roadmap for being released from screens and to regaining power over our time and attention.

[By Sarah Winman ] Tin Man: A Novel (Hardcover)【2018】 by Sarah Winman (Author) (Hardcover)

Tin Man, Sarah Winman. Beautiful and sparse. Emotionally true through place and circumstance. A tale of souls holding each other up, each finding refuge in the other. It details separation and togetherness, and the power of place to heal.

The Hate U Give

The Hate U Give, Angie Thomas. Perhaps you saw the movie? Even if you did, consider revisiting this – especially the audio version. A mere moment changes protagonist Star Carter’s life forever. Such an important read. Narrator: Bahni Turpin was fantastic!

Talent is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else

Talent is Overrated, Geoff Colvin. A study of first-rate achievers, highlighting that passionate effort is the powerful ingredient behind great success, and how “deliberate practice”, more than talent, figures into the equation.

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, Mark Manson. One of the wisest books I’ve ever read – packed with a fabulous perspective on dealing with life. Applicable on many levels. Truly terrific.

Seasoned in Vermont

Seasoned in Vermont, Marguerite Hurrey Wolf. I found this at the library book sale and it’s a keeper. A pleasant, gentle recap of the months and seasons of a Vermont year within the author’s life. Conveys a wonderful sense of place that anyone who lives here will recognize.

See you in two weeks!