Artist Blog of Cheryl Radford

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Sketching vs Drawing

5/15/2020

I have been asked "why do I call some of my artworks - sketches and some of my artworks - drawings?"

Official Definitions
sketch: a rough drawing representing the chief features of an object or scene and often made as a preliminary study
drawing: the art or technique of representing an object or outlining a figure, plan, or sketch by means of lines

I find a "sketching" in a sketchbook fun and relaxing. There is no pressure to please other people. I am using a sketchbook, which is relatively inexpensive, (usually) acid free, 60 lb paper with a fine tooth surface. The finished product is just for me. I find my lines are freer and there is more life in the sketch when I am not concerned about exact shape, size, colour, etc.

Most of my commissions required more detail. I use a much more expensive substrate, (usually) Arches Watercolour Hot Press 140 lb, and 100% cotton paper. The challenge is always to keep the "life and character" in the finished drawing. I would say... my finished artworks fit somewhere in the grey area between a sketch and a drawing. My finished works are not exact, but they are close.

I Walk

5/8/2020

I have always enjoyed walking. Way back when I was in my 20's, it was because I did not have a vehicle, but I eventually bought a car. I lived downtown and worked downtown, so continued to walk. And I still like to walk.

First, I think its the best exercise, you don't need any special equipment, you don't need other people, you can just walk out your door and go. Oh, and it helps to wear off the beer I drink and the chocolate I eat!
Second, I find walking alone very meditative. I prefer to walk with no headphones or cell phone, and I prefer to walk by the river and get a little taste of nature in the city. Listening to the sound of the river, the birds, and the wind....
Third, I find this time great for creative ideas. Ideas pop into your head when you are relaxed.

I love to walk. I do not love to bike. I do bike once and a while but not as enjoyable. I miss the connection with nature. So when I go for a bike ride it's nice to just sit by the river and sketch. Always have a sketchbook!

Sitting by the river sketching.

Virtual Beer

4/25/2020

Combining beer tasting, sketching and chatting. I was really missing the great conversations that happen over beer! Not as good as in person, but at this time... virtual beer it is!
Last week, with a friend from out of province (Rickard's Red: full-flavoured, medium-bodied Red ale) and this week a friend from London (Sweet Potato Rye: rich, golden-hued, organic ale, made with local, organic sweet potato. from London Brewing Co-operative)
Oh sooooo good!

Make it a Positive Experience

3/29/2020

When I started my "stay at home" for 2 weeks on Wednesday of this week, I made the decision that I would make this a positive experience. Besides more time to do artwork, which is the best part... I started each day with a list of what I would do that day, then at the end of the day I revisit it and check off everything I did.
I have kept myself busy with an indoor sketch challenge from Urban Sketchers Waterloo Region, lots of drawing, reading, yoga, walking the dog and putting more of an effort into social media. Still don't love it, but seeing more benefit. It is very time consuming. No post on social media today, back to it tomorrow.

My Hoppy Place

3/21/2020

As an introvert, I am very happy in a group of ONE! During this time of social distancing, staying at home, reading, drawing, walking the dog, and watching a movie at home, suit me just fine. But, for extroverts and sports lovers, this is a challenging time. Hang in there, you will get through it...

Sometimes the winter months for me means going to work, coming home and not going out. And to be honest, I am happy to do just that. But, back in December, I decided I should be more social over the course of the winter months, so I started a new project and it is:

part social
part journal
part history
part support local
part educational
part fun

Its a beer sketchbook. To anyone that knows me, this would not surprise them. I like beer. I like all kinds of beer and I like to try different kinds of beer. I also find you have the best conversations over beer. I even illustrated a book related to beer, Barhopping into History, London Ontario, which, by the way, started over a beer! Since I started this sketchbook in late December, I have recorded, meaning sampled and socialized to 26 different kinds of beer. Thanks to friends and family for socializing with me. For now, temporarily on hold. Looking forward to adding to my themed beer sketchbook in the future.

Cover of handmade beer sketchbook

The first page - December

A February page

Accountability

3/7/2020

An exhibit of work by my friend Kelly Greene at McIntosh Gallery. It's always good to be exposed to different kinds of artwork. Our approaches to art are so very different. I am a sketcher/illustrator who bases art on surroundings, experiences and places and works primarily in two dimensions in watercolour and ink. Kelly is multi-media artist who focuses on environmental concerns, as well as the impact colonization has had on First Peoples. She works in painting, sculpture, installation, and photography. We always have such interesting conversations!

More Info about exhibition: https://mcintoshgallery.ca/exhibitions/current.html

"Greene is a multi-media artist who works in painting, sculpture, installation, and photography. A Mohawk member of the Six Nations of the Grand River in Ohsweken, Ontario, Greene focuses on topics that include environmental concerns as well as the impact that colonization has had on Canada's First People. Although she wasn’t raised within her Indigenous heritage, Greene has spent much of her adult life learning about her Haudenosaunee identity."

Page from Beer Sketchbook

sketching the dog

2/17/2020

Buddy is a great model ... when he is sleeping! Sketch in ink and white pencil on grey toned pastel paper. Quick sketch before he moved again.

Sketchbook, sketch of Buddy

New Sketchbook

2/16/2020

I started a new sketchbook in December ... The Beer Sketchbook: Some people take photos of their food, I draw pictures of my beer. There are so many different kinds of beer: domestic, import, micro, craft, local, international... Why not taste test, record it and have fun doing it! Each recorded beer has to be unique. So the question is - how many different kinds of beer will I have over the course of a year?
This sketchbook project is a part social, (the conversations are always more interesting over beer), part history (could be the history of the beer, the brewery or maybe the location), part journal (the when, why, who).
This is BEER #19 (Moonshadow, a Berliner Weisse). After checking out the the 8th Annual Heritage Fair, Kym and I visited Storm Stayed Brewing Co.

Beer #19 Storm Stayed's Moonshadow

Bear's Best Golf

1/26/2020

The real reason for visiting Las Vegas was a trade show (NAHB - National Association of Home Builders and KBIS - Kitchen & Bath Industry Show) ... but managed to play a couple rounds of golf. Club Corp - Bear's Best Las Vegas is made up of 18 holes selected by Jack Nicklaus from his 270 designs worldwide.
It's not hot in Las Vegas in January, but it is much warmer than Canada! Daytime high was about 19°C (or 66.2°F), with nights getting down to 7°C (or 44.6°F).

First 9 holes of Bear's Best Course in handmade sketchbook.

Hole 12, Par 5 (Hole 14 Bear Creek, Murrieta, California)

Golfing in Nashville in december

12/28/2019

A trip to Nashville in December, included golf, music, hockey, historic architecture, neon lights, great weather, lots of people… maybe too many people for me! Played a round of golf at the Hermitage Golf Course, it took a while to get accustomed to the colours. The grass on the fairway was dormant, so yellow ochre or brown. The greens were the only green on the course.

The first 3 holes and holes 10-15 of Hermitage Golf Course in Nashville.