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I can also say— without fail it shifts my mindset and the results back in a positive direction.

I’ve been working on this self-portrait for about 3 yrs. and this week am refinding direction. Today, I’m seeing, my aunt, my cousin, and my grandmother staring back at me. 🇺🇦 #workinprogress

~118 cm x 133 cm, oil on Arches oil paper & Blackwing Palomino pencil on tracing paper

When I’ve gone too far in the wrong direction, I’ll make some breakout sketches on the side to remedy and simplify proportions, line, or volume of the head, limbs, or extremeties.

Sunday with Winchester Life Drawing Club at the Arc.

Lovely life session last night at God’s House Tower. Thanks to Lucie Smith & ZING for organising, Stewart Beckett, AROI for timekeeping, and Julien Frost for modelling!

The balconies of the council flats in my neighbourhood appear to me like miniature stages or dioramas. I made these small oil studies last year from pencil sketches made on location, which I hope imbues them with a bit of atmospheric presence and reduces the imagery to the most crucial elements.

Donate to Help Brianna Marin Fight Brain Cancer, organized by Caitlin Saunders Dear Family & Friends, Two years ago, your incredible generosity helped us … Caitlin Saunders needs your support for Help Brianna Marin Fight Brain Cancer

The physical and emotional toll is heavy—and the financial burden is growing. Please read more about Bri and how your support will help her and her family navigate the coming unknowns.

And on behalf of my entire family, we are forever grateful. www.gofundme.com/f/help-brian...

She’s lost mobility in her left arm, walking is hard, and she’s had to leave the job and colleagues she loves.

She’s now in a clinical trial at Dana Farber, receiving infusions every other week and chemo every six weeks. She’ll need physical and occupational therapy.

She has defied statistics and seen milestones doctors didn’t expect she’d see. But she’s facing grave new challenges and we’re asking again for your help.

Two years ago family, friends & strangers opened their hearts to support Bri, her husband, and two young children as she faced stage 4 glioblastoma, the most aggressive and deadly form of brain cancer.

Friends, I’m making a personal appeal for the first time on Bluesky. If you are in a position to, will you help my dear cousin Brianna fight brain cancer? www.gofundme.com/f/help-brian...

Great to be back after a few weeks away from life drawing! Thanks to Winchester Life Drawing Club at the Arc.

A couple of sketches from the short poses—5, 5, and 2 minutes
oil pastel on paper

"Nonconformity is the basic pre-condition of art, as it is the pre-condition of good thinking and therefore of growth and greatness in a people. The degree of nonconformity present-and tolerated-in a society might be looked upon as a symptom of its state of health."

The exhibition derives its title ("On Nonconformity") from Shahn's own writing, & this passage at the beginning of the show should be required reading today: "The degree of nonconformity present—and tolerated—in a society might be looked upon as a symptom of its state of health."

We want to set up an environment where the decision making occurs free of the misguiding force of persuasion. -Rick Rubin

The reports coming out of ICE field offices are deeply concerning. So is the fact that ICE is trying to keep those horrific conditions hidden from the American people.

We’re sounding the alarm.

ICE’s abuse of power has to end.

Marieta Sotirova and myself will join. The three artists will give demonstrations along with technical guidance on how to create engaging oil paintings when outside or 'En Plein Air'.

Workshop: Roof Top ‘En Plein Air’ Workshop with Stewart Beckett AROI Learn to paint landscapes outside on the rooftop of God's House Tower.

Events for Inside the Artist’s Studio: 20 Years of the Arches are being announced! Learn to paint landscapes on the rooftop of the GHT Tower with Stewart Beckett AROI (Associate of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters), Saturday, July 12 · 1:30 - 4pm www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/workshop-r...

Excited to be part of this exhibition— a glimpse into the artist’s studio and a celebration of 20 years of Arches Studios! godshousetower.org.uk/eventer/insi...

Love this, Nicole!

I take back my premature congrats as those in power at the museum have joined those shamefully capitulating to the President’s ignorant abuse of power and efforts to spread his white supremacist ideology. www.artnews.com/art-news/new...

It’s popular (& not inaccurate) rn to compare current attitudes & actions in the US to that of the Nazis but you don’t have to go abroad for idealogical parallels. The US has its own racist, eugenic history- thanks Michael Lobel for illuminating these connections in the US art world.

I almost exclusively use the 602 and enjoy the smoothness/flow as well as the range I can get in value- for me it’s a lovely combo of firm and soft.

Someone gave me a couple several years ago and once I started using them I haven’t used anything else!

A record of time but not necessarily in a neat, linear format. Images that are unrelated may end up on the same page, and older drawings may be stumbled upon and reworked.

LA Artists and Orgs Stand in Solidarity With Anti-ICE Protesters While small groups issue condemnations of state violence and share helpful resources for communities under attack, the big museums largely remain silent.

Four downtown LA art spaces — the Japanese American National Museum, the Chinese American Museum, LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, and Grand Performances — issued a joint statement calling the federal government’s response to the city’s anti-ICE protests a “manufactured crisis.”

Morning musing: sketchbooks are a record of what the artist is looking at over time, a way of notekeeping. Even a single page may be filled with imagery that arises over the course of several days, weeks, or sometimes, years.

Palomino Blackwing pencil in A5 Blue Acorn Journal

Props to the Smithsonian! www.npr.org/2025/06/10/n...

"The greatest movement for social justice our country has ever known is the civil rights movement and it was totally rooted in a love ethic." —bell hooks

(Shown: American by Choice oil by Paul Schulenburg) Art Getting it Right Reception Saturday, June 14 from 5:00 to 7:00

Dive into #WorldOceansDay 🌊

#ocean #oceanexploration #divingdeep #marinelife

In January I decided I wanted to focus on regaining my figure drawing skills. Six months, at least ten sessions, and how many sheets of paper(?) later, the progress I’m making is clear. Looking forward to seeing what I can do in the second six months of the year.

YouTube video by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert "Best For Me" - Cynthia Erivo (LIVE on The Late Show)

And! Link to the 🌟performance 🌟 here youtu.be/gE4yetTlWBo?...