m i s t y . p i l g r i m . f i n e . a r t

 I recently enrolled at a local community college whom, I'm told, has a decent art program.  I'm enough of a nerd that depth matters to me, so I decided to take full-on college-level art classes.  In doing so, several interesting things happened: 1.  I had to apply to go to college as an undergraduate.  I already have a college degree in fact a graduate degree, so this was fun.  It was online.  A few days later, a 19-year-old called me and welcomed me to the college. "So, like, have you scheduled your Acuplacer Test yet?" "My what?" "Your Acuplacer test.  Have you, like, scheduled it?" "Yeah . Um....I'm not going to take your test." She was flustered.  "Oh.  Um.  Well, oh..." I rescued her.  "I already have a college degree." She was happy to have been spared the inevitable confrontation and replied, happily, "you probably don't need to take the Acuplacer then." "No.  I don't think so." ...

 Way, way up at the top of a ridge line between two nearby canyons is a tree, pretty much by itself.  It's only about 2 miles from my house, and there are three ways to make the 1200 foot climb up over boulders and through scraping bushes.  Ever so often I make the trek up to this tree and put my hands on it.  It often nasty and windy and cold up there, or there's a hot, drying wind blowing, and this tree is growing.  It's twisted, and gnarled, and weathered.  Touching it reminds me of how much tougher I am than I think I am. There's quite a view from up there.  (I feel pretty badass by the time I've made the trek.)

   Graphite on sketchpad paper.  I drew this from a selfie I took, and asked my Patrone if this looked like me. "The jaw is too square." I showed him the picture.  He said, "Okay. It looks like the picture. But it doesn't look like you." I think the eyebrows may be a bit too dark.

graphite, charcoal stupid blog won't let me center this.

assignment from "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain"