My farmers
Posted: June 26, 2012 Filed under: Uncategorized 23 CommentsToday is one of those days when I struggled with a painting and I had to trash it and do something new. I had the bright idea that I would sketch the farmers who were distributing my weekly basket of CSA vegetables. I love those lively “people in action” sketches. Also a disaster. I really don’t know how artists sketch people at events. I’m hoping that someone at the Urban Sketchers Symposium will reveal the secrets of that skill to me in Santo Domingo. Last resort — sketch the vegetables in the basket that I received from the farmers who I couldn’t sketch.
Shari Blaukopf's Sketchbook 
Wonderful bright, fresh color, as usual.
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At least this one was fresh Don. Thanks!
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This sketch looks delicious… almost edible! You have really captured the freshness here. And it is worth going back to look some of your really early sketches of veggies on the blog from October last year (about a million sketches ago!)… they were good, but not as good as this.
Now, as a suggestion, why don’t you just ask those fast moving farmers to stand still for a while so that you can draw them? Surely they would help you… after all, you are famous now, with an article in the paper, an international workshop and a video on Youtube!
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I did look at those recently and I had I forgotten how many of them were still lifes. Mostly all of them, I think. It was fun to review them and see how rusty my work was.
I bet my farmers would stand still if I asked them but the ones who are usually there have been away and there are a few others I don’t know at all. The other problem is that they are only there for two hours every Tuesday evening to distribute the vegetables for many families. So they are constantly refilling the bins and I don’t think I could ask them to stand still while other customers wait for their orders.
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You’re right… almost all of those early sketches were indoor still lifes. It seems that it wasn’t until the weather started becoming really unfriendly that you found the outside world. Was there a reason for that?
You also didn’t write much (ie didn’t write anything) in those early months… seems that you also found your voice.
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I guess I wasn’t feeling confident enough to go outside. Certainly not because I was waiting for the cold. And I didn’t know what to write in the beginning and I wasn’t sure anyone would want to read what I had to say. I still thank Marc Holmes for pushing me a bit in that direction.
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you may have missed the farmers, but I’d say those veggies look pretty lively.
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Thanks John : )
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I am always delighted to see how you save the white space without frisket for the highlights. The vegetables look good enough to eat!
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These ones were easy to save Valerie. The hard ones to save are masts against a sky.
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Shari, you are very inspiring! Your drawings are delicious, and it makes me want to go out and do that too. I haven’t quite figured out how to leave you a comment yet. hope this gets to you.
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HI Dorothy. This made it to me! Thanks for commenting.
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What a wonderful loose free sketch…great stuff..
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Thanks for commenting John.
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Shari, I love the vegetables! And when you share with us some disappointing efforts, it makes me feel that I am not the only one who struggles. You continue to inspire me. One day you will be too famous to post your sketches every day on this blog…so I treasure each and every one!
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Pat, I struggle every day. Struggle to find the time to do this, struggle with what to sketch, and then struggle when my painting doesn’t work out. And I often question whether or not I should share my failures on the blog but I think people should know that it is not all easy.
And if ever I stop posting I don’t think it will be because I am too famous. More likely it will be because I get tired of the daily commitment!
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Shari, If one day you get really tired of your daily commitment, please keep in mind that we will all be hoping for you to keep at least a weekly one.
Chaque dessin nous amène de la lumière et encore de la lumière. C’est fascinant et très stimulant aussi pour nous tous. Je suis toujours enchantée de vous lire et de recevoir votre dessin. Bonne journée.
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Merci Louise. I am not ready to give this up yet but if I do stop the daily posting I won’t give up the blog for sure. Receiving comments like yours really encourages me and I thank you for taking the time to send my your thoughts. It is truly appreciated.
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Shari, I can visualize this painting in my kitchen — it would look gorgeous. If ever you decide to sell some of your paintings, then please do not forget me. I love it! They look scrumptious 😉
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Jane, I am soon going to add a new section on the blog with sketches for sale. This one is in my Moleskine but I will do others that are on paper.
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hum… can always cut a moleskine page out ;-))) The overly hopeful One!
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What? I can’t cut a page from a precious Moleskine! The rest of the pages of that section would fall out! I promise I will do others Jane, on single sheets this time. I get those vegetables every week until the fall.
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That was a brave suggestion from Jane… I am really interested to hear the response… I am betting that it involves shock and horror… after recovery from the embryonic position on the floor? : )
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