Sunday, November 23, 2008

23rd November 2008 - Who's made a mark this week?

Cindy (on Wednesday) by Wally (crackskullbob)

A celebration of Cindy Woods

Cindy Woods really made her mark on the world of illustrated blogging. Lots of us knew and appreciated her wonderful drawings of her world which she shared with us on her blog Learning Daily and on Flickr. However I think some of us are only learning now - through the comments being left - just how much how she inspired and supported many other illustrated bloggers across the world. On Friday afternoon she lost her battle with cancer. The last four posts on her blog tell the tale of Cindy's last journey.
People respond in different ways. On Wednesday I had no words at all after getting the news. On Thursday I grappled with trying to say what I wanted to - and failed in Trees at Tate Modern. Yesterday morning I just wrote about how I came to know Cindy and love her work and why I admired her so very much - Cindy Woods - learning daily (1956-2008).
I never met her either, but I always felt as if I knew her just the same...
a comment on a tribute
A lot of people will never forget Cindy. However sadness at Cindy's passing is also being accompanied - quite rightly - by a celebration of Cindy's life and her work. Many people gave her fantastic send-off through the comments left on her blog. Today I'd like to feature some tributes by just some of the people who knew Cindy in one way or another. She did after all have 1,161 contacts on Flickr! :)
Cindy Woods has long been one of my favorite sketchbook artists. I love the quality of her line, the clarity of her observation. And she is a strong exemplar of the fact that no matter what one's situation, drawing makes it better. She recorded her life at the Virginia Home, a nursing home for Disabled people, with grace, humor, and warmth.
Danny Gregory
She is the most inspirational of artists. Her blog has been a joy to follow over the last three and half years. She has inspired me in so many ways. More than anything her tender portrayals of her friends have made me appreciate the beauty of going back again and again to drawing the same person.
I'll leave the last word with Cindy.
Thanks to all who have visited me and left comments, I have enjoyed the exchanges between my all Internet friends immensely and want you all to know what joy it has given to get to know you as we have shared our lives online.
Cindy Woods
...and now back to the rest of the people who made a mark this week

Art Blogs

Carlson codified some of his teachings into a book, still in print after almost 80 years, as Carlson’s Guide to Landscape Painting.
This is the short version of what I've learned: Consistent repetitive practice and tolerance/acceptance of negative emotions/thoughts are critical. Everything else will be learned on the way. That's really all I have to say. You can skip to the paintings now.
Jeff Mahorney - What I've Learned (After 120 paintings)
One of the advantages of going to art college is that it teaches you to think deeply about your work.
Unfortunately one of the downsides of going to art college is that it teaches you to think deeply about your work!
Art and illustration - team blogs and projects
  • Sketchbook Month challenges participants to completely fill a sketchbook over the course of one month - I'm seeing more and more people participating in this
  • Charley Parker Lines and Colors) wrote a review of Urban Sketchers this week.
  • A new blog will be launching on 1st December......more about this next week!
Artists
Art Business & marketing
  • There's just eight days left to vote in the Making A Mark Poll for November - How much art have you sold via your blog/website in the last year? (see the poll in the side column)
  • I'm afraid I've found it necessary to produce A cautionary note about Imagekind
  • Andrea Pratt (colouring outside the lines) is inviting people to contribute their views about a friend who is on the horns of a dilemma. Is the gallery playing fair?
  • Don't forget to thank these people from Art Biz Blog by

THE 2008 autumn art-auction season, barely a month old, has been characterised by two extremes: stacks of unsold works, and a few eye-watering purchases.

Day after day, auctioneers on both sides of the Atlantic have been faced with the dull atmosphere of near-empty salerooms, bought-in masterworks and overpaid guarantees.
The Economist - Salvation in Cyrillic
On the Art economy front:
  • Salvation in Cyrillic was posted by The Economist yesterday. This reviews the impact of rich Russians on the art market and suggests keeping an eye on an upcoming sale of Russian art for indications of whether they're still "investing". The Economist's art.view provides a different perspective on the arts and art auctions.
  • Jeff Watson suggests that the Art Marketing is coming back to earth but also that major pieces are no longer being consigned for sale at the major auctions. Methinks 'time out' has been called.
Art competitions
Art Education
2 minute life drawings (from the mirror)
copyright Katherine Tyrrell
  • I came across a Ning community for art educators Art Education 2.0 which is about Using New Technology in Art Classrooms
Art History
A Laughing Boy (Henry VIII) attributed to Georgio Mazzoni
11" x 8", pencil in sketchbook
copyright Katherine Tyrrell
  • I would tell you about Europeana, which is a digital museum that allows visitors to explore classic paintings, photos, recordings and texts - but it would be pretty pointless as the 10 million hits an hour it got shortly after it opened last Thursday have overwhelmed its servers so they're taking some timeout for a rethink! The idea is that digital content will be selected from that which is already digitised and available in Europe’s museums, libraries, archives and audio-visual collection. The Louvre in Paris and the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam are participating and a lot of the current material is French
Art supplies
Tips and techniques
Websites and blogging
and finally.......

Who can resist the idea of redesigning the Oval Office - here's what some designers came up with.

1 comment:

  1. I am new to blogging, and had not heard of Cindy until I started seeing tributes to her. I went and read some of her archived work on her blog.

    All I can say is that I am sorry I never got to know her. She not only was an inspirational artist, from what I have been reading, but sounds like a wonderful person to have known.

    I know that she will be missed by many more people than anyone can imagine. She has made a mark in this world.

    ReplyDelete

COMMENTS HAVE BEEN CLOSED AGAIN because of too much spam.
My blog posts are always posted to my Making A Mark Facebook Page and you can comment there if you wish.

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.