a yankee bohemian
Wednesday, 29. April 2009, 20:02:10
s. posed naked for anderson's class of 14 lady artists. it was a warm enough day in the big room at bob's cabin in woodstock. s. was not at all uncomfortable about being naked. he was not the least bit ashamed of his body but something funny happened that he hadn't predicted. when he dropped his model robe and stepped up on the platform in front of all those cougars within a few minutes of a gentle contraposto pose he noticed with growing panic that a certain tumescence of an extremely existential member of his body.
he talked to his anatomy. not out loud of course, just silently coaxing it to go down. "no no, not now... this is not the time or the place for your shenanigans." but it was hopeless. the eyes of the women as they drew were inevitably drawn to that part of his figure whose form automatically produced some kind of vibration, a feromone symphony of ... yes, there was lust in the room. as soon as s. realized what had caused this sudden attentive reaction, the instinctive expectation of his nineteen year old libido, the situation normalized.
at the end of the class some of the women came up and thanked s. effusively for lending his body to them to practice their drawing.
it is well known that one of the reasons for practicing with a nude model is just that sublimation of these rarefied energies for the elevation of the artists skill. if you are not bored, if you are interested, even obsessed with beauty you try harder to capture both what you see and the aesthetic impression which you feel. and it goes beyond sexuality. it becomes a spiritual experience.
s. was lucky. he had the anderson children to draw. not nude of course, but just doing their usual things. thay were all generous with their time and could hold a pose very well. also, he never had a girlfriend he couldn't get to strip and lie demurely on the couch or the mattress on the floor.
but when julie came it was a marathon. and s. filled sketchpad after sketchpad with sketches and drawings of her.
s. had high hopes of being a great fine artist and knew that for his aim he needed to have great drafting skills. he would practice drawing circles and straight lines for half an hour every day before drawing. he wanted to be able to draw a perfect circle freehand. he never used a ruler for straight lines, but drew fast from a to b, dot to dot trying not to miss the mark and keep it straight.
the euphoric dream he followed was grandiose and narcissistic. unlike a doctor or a statesman artists are self centered... not selfish but self involved. every waking moment goes to serve this romantic reverence for himself as an artist. he makes himself out of imagination. he reads the biographies of great artists. he nurtures his desire through self suggestion to become something, not nothing; that path is strewn with sorrow and disappointments. s. had no choice about this. it was what he wanted since he could remember.
s. was alone that winter of '62 so when he was expecting brother bobby's visit he was excited. so excited on that day that he had to lie down on the canvas camp cot and try consciously to relax. when bobby came he was very happy and for days they just talked and walked and climbed mt. tom a couple of times.
bobby was a great model. he had a perfect what they call 'hard body', but natural, not grotesquely artificial as developed through weights or sports but like a greek statue with natural lines and healthy proportion. and the best thing... he was glad to pose, often and long. it was a great help because s. had plenty of female experience. and although he had copied all the illustrations in "grey's anatomy" and knew the names of all the bones and muscles, sketching from life was more valuable than all of that.
just imagine the difference in vividness of drawing a landscape from a photograph and drawing as the french say "au plein air".
so, bobby came and went and spring came and the juices were flowing and all was well with the world. s. painted every day then; upstairs in the long room. the top floor above the atlantic and pacific tea company was open and went from the windows in the front to the windows in the back. maybe forty feet by twenty four feet. this is where he stacked panels and finished paintings. the walls were covered with sketches and notations. there were a couple of beat up chairs but anderson had taught him to paint standing up.
when julie came she quickly added a few feminine touches and a rocking chair in anticipation of the coming of this new being which was growing in her womb.
s. had no idea then how rare and ideal these conditions were and how salubrious the simple concordance of companionship, shelter, food, health and few distractions were for him. anyway, now he had the opportunity to push the envelope and he did. many of the paintings were stilted or allegorical; sometimes just plain sentimental or ugly. but he would paint over them. he was searching avidly for a way; his own way, his own hand, his own voice.
he talked to his anatomy. not out loud of course, just silently coaxing it to go down. "no no, not now... this is not the time or the place for your shenanigans." but it was hopeless. the eyes of the women as they drew were inevitably drawn to that part of his figure whose form automatically produced some kind of vibration, a feromone symphony of ... yes, there was lust in the room. as soon as s. realized what had caused this sudden attentive reaction, the instinctive expectation of his nineteen year old libido, the situation normalized.
at the end of the class some of the women came up and thanked s. effusively for lending his body to them to practice their drawing.
it is well known that one of the reasons for practicing with a nude model is just that sublimation of these rarefied energies for the elevation of the artists skill. if you are not bored, if you are interested, even obsessed with beauty you try harder to capture both what you see and the aesthetic impression which you feel. and it goes beyond sexuality. it becomes a spiritual experience.
s. was lucky. he had the anderson children to draw. not nude of course, but just doing their usual things. thay were all generous with their time and could hold a pose very well. also, he never had a girlfriend he couldn't get to strip and lie demurely on the couch or the mattress on the floor.but when julie came it was a marathon. and s. filled sketchpad after sketchpad with sketches and drawings of her.
s. had high hopes of being a great fine artist and knew that for his aim he needed to have great drafting skills. he would practice drawing circles and straight lines for half an hour every day before drawing. he wanted to be able to draw a perfect circle freehand. he never used a ruler for straight lines, but drew fast from a to b, dot to dot trying not to miss the mark and keep it straight.
the euphoric dream he followed was grandiose and narcissistic. unlike a doctor or a statesman artists are self centered... not selfish but self involved. every waking moment goes to serve this romantic reverence for himself as an artist. he makes himself out of imagination. he reads the biographies of great artists. he nurtures his desire through self suggestion to become something, not nothing; that path is strewn with sorrow and disappointments. s. had no choice about this. it was what he wanted since he could remember.
s. was alone that winter of '62 so when he was expecting brother bobby's visit he was excited. so excited on that day that he had to lie down on the canvas camp cot and try consciously to relax. when bobby came he was very happy and for days they just talked and walked and climbed mt. tom a couple of times. bobby was a great model. he had a perfect what they call 'hard body', but natural, not grotesquely artificial as developed through weights or sports but like a greek statue with natural lines and healthy proportion. and the best thing... he was glad to pose, often and long. it was a great help because s. had plenty of female experience. and although he had copied all the illustrations in "grey's anatomy" and knew the names of all the bones and muscles, sketching from life was more valuable than all of that.just imagine the difference in vividness of drawing a landscape from a photograph and drawing as the french say "au plein air".
so, bobby came and went and spring came and the juices were flowing and all was well with the world. s. painted every day then; upstairs in the long room. the top floor above the atlantic and pacific tea company was open and went from the windows in the front to the windows in the back. maybe forty feet by twenty four feet. this is where he stacked panels and finished paintings. the walls were covered with sketches and notations. there were a couple of beat up chairs but anderson had taught him to paint standing up.
when julie came she quickly added a few feminine touches and a rocking chair in anticipation of the coming of this new being which was growing in her womb.
s. had no idea then how rare and ideal these conditions were and how salubrious the simple concordance of companionship, shelter, food, health and few distractions were for him. anyway, now he had the opportunity to push the envelope and he did. many of the paintings were stilted or allegorical; sometimes just plain sentimental or ugly. but he would paint over them. he was searching avidly for a way; his own way, his own hand, his own voice.
![halldor+scott[1].jpg](http://files.myopera.com/I_ArtMan/albums/533562/thumbs/halldor%2Bscott%5B1%5D.jpg_thumb.jpg)
(6%)
WIDGETIZE
PainterWoman # 30. April 2009, 00:50
"the euphoric dream he followed was grandiose and narcissistic" is exactly how I've felt at times. There is no other feeling like it. That loft space sounds heavenly.
In one of my studio classes, there was a male model this happened to, only it kept happening througout the 3 hour class time. My sweet friend Irma, who just past away, was sitting next to me in class this particular time and kept whispering funny comments to me. One was "he's making it so hard to draw because it keeps going up and down, up and down". I could hardly contain myself.
scott cumming # 30. April 2009, 01:57
thanks for the really good comment.
PainterWoman # 30. April 2009, 02:23
scott cumming # 30. April 2009, 03:07
Akamu # 30. April 2009, 19:41
If it makes you feel better, I had a circles-and-lines-every-day phase last time I was doing visual artsy stuff (I'm fixing up my studio to start again after a long dry spell. But that's on my blog. Shameless plug.); I did exactly the same thing. Did you ever get anything out of it? The warming up with lines and circles? I used to do that and practice pencil pressure; I just threw about about two hundred pieces of paper covered with lines and circles and so on. I'm afraid I've got the same ambitions you had, but I'm more hopeless.
Angeliki # 30. April 2009, 21:28
I love the entry,
I sure do....
I try not to analyze s. this time around (no "kicks" )
I am seeing a side of s. that I did not see before,
I'll be back
scott cumming # 1. May 2009, 02:46
scott cumming # 1. May 2009, 02:55
i took a nap today after a long walk and had a warm dream. i was riding a bus to return a big fat book to the library and left it on the seat. i chased the bus to no avail. then a pretty dark haired woman stopped me and got real close. i loved her and whispered in her ear. "want to go to a movie with me?" she was so feminine and almost motherly, i buried my face in her neck. like coming home. but she said, "not now, i have to get home to my baby."
interesting.
San # 1. May 2009, 03:03
The painting of Julie has so much mood. I like it.
scott cumming # 1. May 2009, 03:07
julie was an ideal model and i painted her many times. i'm still looking for more photos of work i did where she modeled patiently for it. one more box to sort.
Angeliki # 1. May 2009, 04:13
no meli,
I think I am not even there yet,
I find s. more human than I knew he was, arrogant at times, lost and still so much family oriented around bobby and so ready to direct all the streams of his ideas and desires to become a river.
Is Julie the reason for it ?
I don't think so.
s. is a mystery to me still, a very enjoyable but he unravels daily and at times he makes me step back and try to know him more through his words.
So far I knew s.from his paintings...
I like the combination.
I see the change of s. in front of me with each entry but I read actions more and I learn very little about s.'s feelings...
is it the romantic in me that wants to know that part of s. ??
or s.is keeping many hidden cards and I can not see the real s. ??
scott cumming # 1. May 2009, 05:37
yes it's the romantic in you. a precious quality to me. he is very romantic. when he loves a woman like he did julie, he becomes complete and tamed. he wants to be tamed, i think. he wants to love but most of all he wants to be loved. he tells himself that he is loved. if he wasn't he wouldn't be tamed.
get it? he's been abandoned. now he is settled and is so sure he has found his soulmate. that's very good for him to concentrate on art. so everything is perfect right now.
one reason i mentioned the dream above was as a clue. it's even a clue to me.
Angeliki # 1. May 2009, 11:51
I see it meli,
the streams are connected to a river
I sure do,
and I hear the dream with the deepest meaning of it ,
not a hidden invitation for the next chapter right there.....
I wonder if Jon follows the amazing events that are connected to his brother and mother...
Akamu # 1. May 2009, 12:03
scott cumming # 1. May 2009, 18:32
akamu, it's a good discipline and you'll find that you will draw immediately with more freedom.
Angeliki # 1. May 2009, 18:37
"it might sound strange bu I wanted to say "I am proud of you" "
Looking forward to the next one!
to be honest,
I am dying to read the next one ........................
scott cumming # 1. May 2009, 19:03
Angeliki # 1. May 2009, 21:46
and if they are involved now days in their own lives,
they are always in your heart too
Ryan is one of them, some times we have kids from the heart too... and I have a few of my own in far away places, I love them and I take care of them as I do for Vaia and Yannis
I love you meli,
you are always special to me and I am always proud of you too
scott cumming # 1. May 2009, 23:13
Angeliki # 1. May 2009, 23:41
I can not write a poem even if my live depended on it
I always have Vaia and you for it
teens see things so different than us....
it is such a fascinating experience to me just reading her poems....
I hope she keeps it up....
scott cumming # 1. May 2009, 23:47
and it's not always sweet but a good poem sweetens even bitterness.
it's a lot like cooking. people who experience cooking as a drudgery will never make the most delicious meals. to be inspired is to enjoy life.
Angeliki # 1. May 2009, 23:53
maybe one day I might write again, not poetry
but feelings.
one thing is for sure I never felt
bitterness even in my worst days
sadness yes bitterness not,
it must be an awful feeling ..
scott cumming # 2. May 2009, 00:08
having a great gourmet dinner tonight. i marinated this chicken overnight after braising it well in butter and olive oil (throw that grease away and drown the chicken in marsala. i know you don't eat meat but maybe you can do this with eggplant and tofu. i don't know.
i'm going to serve this on orzo with a spinach salad and biscuits... yummy.
Angeliki # 2. May 2009, 01:22
enjoy!!!! and here is desert !!!
scott cumming # 2. May 2009, 02:01
Angeliki # 2. May 2009, 02:43
it was a Happy Day indeed !
it is before 11pm in NYC
and since I work tomorrow,
I think your wishes and some
reading will close my day
scott cumming # 2. May 2009, 23:09
Your result for The What Greek God Are You Test...
Aphrodite
Gods! You scored ###!
Aphrodite is the goddess of love, beauty, fertility and desire. Although she was married she had many affairs with both other gods and men - most famously with Ares. Her husband Hephaestus caught them in a net he had made and paraded them in front of the other gods. Aphrodite is mean, vain and jealous, and most often depicted with a mirror.
Take The What Greek God Are You Test at HelloQuizzy
Angeliki # 3. May 2009, 01:09
did you claim to be a female ,instead of a male ??
I do that often and the results are priceless!!!
I am glad you enjoy the link meli,
it is a goodie ,no?
I will wait a few days before I post the one I believe
it will be a nice one to post about....
I had a small quiz the other day ,
and I don't like to become a boring blogger
scott cumming # 3. May 2009, 15:37
'hello quizzy' is new to me although i signed up at the 'cupid' site some years ago. never helped me a bit. mostly just spam from criminal sex peddlars. like i'm going to believe a beautiful 21 year old read my profile and wants to meet a crusty 66 year old artist.... yeah, sure
i took the survive the end of the world test too. but i could get the right code to post the results. 'survivor' though and scored in the top five percent.
"be interested and you will be interesting." that's what an actress told me once. no, don't become a bb (boring blogger)
Angeliki # 4. May 2009, 01:13
I am with the "Eligible Greeks" I stay with them just for reading the Message Boards,
the funniest place to be!
no money can buy the entertainment! none!
my Screen Name : ellinidata1 if you ever visit the elligible greeks you will see profiles that will make even you blush
http://eligiblegreeks.com/personals/forums.cfm?siteIDD=41
scott cumming # 4. May 2009, 04:39
Léazz # 5. May 2009, 10:42
B. Mazumder # 6. May 2009, 19:57
i daresay he has found it now?
edit: on second thoughts, i'll better wait for the subsequent posts in order to know the answer!
Kiran # 6. May 2009, 23:04
scott cumming # 6. May 2009, 23:06
yes b., he has found it finally.
hey kiran, long time no see. whatcha been doing with yourself?
Kiran # 7. May 2009, 01:17
scott cumming # 7. May 2009, 04:19
don't worry be happy