The office
Posted: April 9, 2020 Filed under: Uncategorized 39 CommentsI sat down to sketch a window view today, but the scene was so colourless (rain falling, brown grass, grey sky), that I probably sighed audibly. My son took pity on me. He volunteered himself as the model this time, since he was sitting at the kitchen counter anyway, listening in on a conference call. I picked up a ballpoint pen and drew him. I think it’s a pretty good likeness.
During this isolation period there are four of us in the house, all working in different rooms. It’s hard to keep track of who is where since each room has become a multi-purpose environment. My painting studio has at times been a yoga room, a video recording studio and a makeshift office. My computer room also serves as a gym for live Facebook workouts. The dining room and kitchen are also often used as workspaces since the espresso machine is nearby. The only thing we haven’t done yet is had a meeting at the water cooler, and that’s probably because we are out of bottled water.
Shari Blaukopf's Sketchbook 
Sooo nice! Just myself and my husband here and he won’t allow me to sketch him. I’ll have to catch him…if I can, while he sleeps in his recliner.
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Yes, you’ll have to be a little sneakier! I am lucky to have volunteers these days.
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Thank you, Shari, for letting us into your life. Only two of us here but it seems every room is multi-purpose.
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I think it’s like that for all of us Susan, during this unusual time. Every room becomes something else. For us, it will get a little better when it gets warm enough to be outside in the garden. That will become an office too, I suppose. Stay well!
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Okay, the water cooler comment cracked me up – thanks for the 😂
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Glad I made you smile Anne!
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Good one, Shari ! Plural – signing off with a laugh after an entertaining corporate home tour & great sketch of your son
I think next you should do sketch selfie’s
Do you like your Indigraph pen ?
Thanks as always for sharing
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Soni, I love my Indigraph pen. I had the grey ink in it and now I’ve switched back to the black India ink. Nothing nice that dark black ink. Stay well.
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Wonderful post.
Lee Kline
Sent from my iPhone
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Thanks so much Lee!
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Oh dear. No water cooler gossip. What will you do?
Blessings, Laurie
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I guess I will have to venture out to get water!
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You once wrote that you don’t sketch your family members cuz you didn’t think you’d get a good likeness. I obviously don’t know your son but this is a very good drawing. And you see it as a good likeness. so–success.
It is so nice to get your blogs. I have no artists friends since I moved here and your blogs are a way of having some connection. Thanks . I am so grateful I found your Craftsy courses.
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Thanks so much Judy. I have told them all they will have to sit for longer portraits one day soon. No one complained, so that’s a good sign. I’m glad you found the Craftsy classes too.
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So handsome! Maybe this is his real calling.
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You never know. Thanks for writing Stephanie!
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Thank you for making us smile. And sharing your family with us.
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I’m happy to share and even happier to read the comments. Thanks for writing.
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Brilliant pic of your son, good for you and him!
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Thanks!
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Cool. And Shari, I have bought the DVD of your landscape Craftsy class because the internet link is not strong enough in my area. It is wonderful to watch the lessons uninterrupted. A water purifier? Would that help? I do understand the joke but also thinking of having to pay for drinking water.
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Sandi, I’m so glad they came out with the DVDs at Craftsy. And glad you like the lessons too! As for the drinking water, the tap water is perfectly fine here so we are drinking that for now.
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Nice post and portrait.
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Thanks so much Betsy.
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Shari,
I enjoyed your description of your house layout , the physical version of a moveable feast!
Cheers and good health to you and your family.
Claire Russell.
Creative projects and paintings:
http://www.clairecreates.com
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Thanks so much for writing Claire.Good health to you too.
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So now Alice isn’t good enough for you!
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I can’t draw Alice these days. She never sits still now that she has so much company. It’s not like the good old days with just two of us in the house!! Hope you are well, Tony.
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Glad you had a cooperative model for this sketch. Sounds like you’ve worked out your housing arrangements and it works.
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We are all managing to get along here Joan. Hope you are well too.
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You have a good looking son ! I am 90 years old , live in Arizona and have followed you for as long as you have been doing “ sketchbook “ ! I would love to do the kind of art you do ! Keep it up !
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Thanks so much for writing Mary. Glad to hear that you are well!!
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I hear you! We also have a multi-functioning home office and we’re finding out how thin our walls really are. We thought maybe we should start having “staff” meetings or lunches, just to come out from our office corners once in awhile. So, keep the espresso and the pen flowing– let’s hope we get some sunnier days soon.
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I love hearing this Jean. We actually do have meetings, but it’s usually to discuss meal prep. We take turns cooking because there’s no room for all four of us near the stove, so meals have become something to look forward to. One son loves making pasta, I have been perfecting my sourdough breadmaking skills, the other sons is great at improvising with what we have on hand, and my husband is the specialist in Greek cooking. I am very lucky. But of course I have to do a lot of exercise to work off all these extra calories! Yes to sunnier days soon. Stay well.
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Good Evening dear friend Shari,
Very beautiful, I love the way you have drawn the specs.
Thanks and regards,
with blessings – Uma
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This is very relatable. We have 6 in the house currently but only 2 of us working from home (others either retired or furloughed). I feel sort of jealous sometimes, but I know I should be grateful that I’m able to work relatively normally.
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Hello Shari, I’ve been following your wonderful blog and gorgeous water colours for many years,in fact since you started it (was that around 2011)? Whenever, my family and I sold our house in DDO that spring and bought our country house in St Sauveur. All was great until my husband at the young age of 62 was diagnosed with a very rare form of cancer, he passed away two months later. I wanted to sell
My country house so I packed up-yet again-and sold that house in two days. Again the packing!!!but it was ok, I found strength with my terrific sons and we did the deed. I moved back into the heart of Montreal, met a terrific guy and am now married. All this to
Say throughout my ups and downs I always looked for your wonderful
Posts and even better water colours, you are an inspiration! I’d love to take watercolour lessons with you if you are giving any.
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Gail. What a sad and also beautifully happy story. Sorry it took me so long to respond. I was finishing up the details on my course that I just released today.
Yes, I started my blog in 2011, end of October of that year. I’ve met so many interesting people, many who have become friends. I pinch myself every day because it gives me so much joy to paint and to blog about it. Thanks so much for writing and for sharing a little about yourself.
As I mentioned, there’s a new online class just posted on my blog today. And if you are interested in taking an in-person workshop, whenever we can get out in public again, let me know and I will add you to my mailing list. Shari
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Beautifully done! Your drawing of him may also serve as a positive and creative reminder of these times for him in years to come. 💕
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