So then above is a page from my current sketchbook with an old photo John and I found when we were last in Ithaca NY. We picked up some imaginary relatives and thought up some stories, I tried to draw this woman, even though it didn't work out so well.

Today I saw that the Archives of American Art recently received a treasure trove of illustrated sketchbook journals from Janice Lowry. These are magic. Pure magic. From her to-do-listing to her uncensored drawings. Janice Lowry's website is still up and full of wonderful art, but sadly, she is no longer living, having passed away in September. Her friends and family have been keeping up her blog as a living testament to her creativity. This article helps put her in context.

I just wish I'd discovered Janice and her art when she was still here, I'd have loved to talk books of drawings, but this definitely keeps me drawing.

Enjoy.
Rachael

I live in a city with many universities and clusters of people who like to listen to lectures. The Caroline Werner Gannett series at RIT is the one I stalk. I try to get to each of the lectures because they are always brimming with ideas. Tomorrow Rebecca Solnit will be at Writers and Books first to read and then at RIT to talk about...well...I'm not really sure. Some mix I bet about her latest book regarding the communities that spring up in disasters, and her activism, and maybe Eadward Muybridge. But I'm reading (loving) Rivers and Shadows now so maybe I'm just hoping she'll talk some about his story yet I think even if she was talking about baked potatoes it would be interesting...

I will bring my sketchbook and hopefully see you there.
Rachael

At 2 today I will give a little talk about the artist Hugh Pearce Botts to anyone who'll listen, anyone who comes to the Memorial Art Gallery for the What's Up talk. I won't start it by saying, hey, what's up? But I will spill the story of the artist and inventor I am still actively researching. I recently wrote a blog entry for the MAG blog about Botts and that's here.

Usually when I talk in semi-formal situations I get nervous and prepare, prepare and then over-prepare. I make outlines and note cards and super-duper powerpoints. Sometimes i talk too fast. I decided to try to slow down. Instead of over writing and planning, I just looked. Thought. Looked again. Make a couple of sketches in my sketchbook and talked through the images to myself and my husband.

If nobody comes I'll still have fun-- but I really hope people come.

And then, I'll get in my car and drive to Batavia. One of my favorite people in the whole world lives in Buffalo, I live in Rochester and Batavia sits in the middle. They have diners there and turf farms. We'll eat in a diner.

So today, then, I'll go from a discussion of the working artist in 1939 to a discussion between two artists who work in 2009. We both juggle our day jobs and our lives but when we meet in diners it's usually rice pudding, idea sharing, and drawing.

Too bad Hugh and Myrtle can't join us.

Tomorrow, I begin to begin to round up the almost 100 paper dolls I'll bring to the Second Storie handcrafted show Thanksgiving weekend and the family I'll make special for Mark's cool show in North Carolina...

All gets done and I just have to remember not to talk too fast...
Rachael

There's a fascinating new and funny pamphlet about the way people interact in the artworld. I like your art.

I betcha global recessions do make people nicer about artwork.
Oh and all the rules fall away.
Maybe, except the rule that says you have to make art better and look at art longer. Those rules stay.

At this point, I have almost thirty of my paperdolls listed on Etsy. To do this I devoted a big chunck of my day off yesterday and my evening at home today. Sitting here on the computer, typing text into little boxes. It wasn't all loading dolls though, I found plenty of time to wander aimlessly over the squinternet and find ridiculous pleasures like the (new to me) love songs of Ben Kweller , particularly when his grandmother dances.
Or the joy that is Tavi the young fashion blogger. Her buzz is here and her style (fashion and writing) is contagious and fantastic.

Having a day job with some responsibility almost completely deprives me of random internet joy, particularly in the summer when it's better to wander walk after work than sit in front of a box. But even, so. There are limits to what is good for one's soul.

A few paper dolls (like these ones) are listed, but forty or so are still waiting to be put up.

Adonis (Oh Adonis knows his own beauty. He is followed around town day and night but loves only himself.)


or
Beverly (warning, she's nekkid)


And I don't know if I linked to the newspaper pictures that appeared yesterday and made me gush with pride. They're here.

Also, Anyway, Stefan Sagmeister is coming to Rochester in a few weeks.

Also, I am closing all boxes and turing off the world wide time-waster but thank you (as always) for listening.

Rachael