I've finished my ...
Saturday, January 7, 2012 at 1:08PM Sketchbook Project, 2012
"A walk through the trees" .... a walk through the forest
I've loved working on this project, and thanks again to Joan for introducing me to it, and then to have Ana join us recently too has been great.
Each page was meditative. I'd take my pages, clipped neatly on a clip board and work into it each night in bed for a few minutes ... or sometimes for an hour or so ... before dozing off to sleep.
The rhythm of sketching and dreaming through each page was therapeutic ... and I loved it.
You can click here to view the pages in more detail ... or see the snapshots below.
Some of the pages included text, which I've detailed below the images.
A walk through the trees ... through the forest. Lara Mellon. Dedicated with love and gratitude to Maggie Strachan. Durban RSA 2012.
The wind began to blow hard and I was not afraid to be freed, and so I began to find my path through the trees, through the trees.
I found bugs and beetles and butterflies but no best friend.
The gentle breeze kisses my cheeks and I wonder.
Walking through forest, along paths, through life, is always better with a friend.
I loved flying kites, now my dreams fly on butterfly wings.
I think I think too much.
windmills, windmills, windmills everywhere ... turning everywhere
sometimes our dreams must be set free
Walking alone is not lonely.
Suffer the little children. Even the lilies of the valley.
Burnt Sienna is my favourite colour. Red hot from the earth. And I have a dog called Sienna.
all i want is peace and quiet.
I look to the hills, where does my hope come from. My hope comes from the Lord, maker of heaven and earth.
flowers are still flowers in the dark.
I would travel long distances on horse back, into fields that stirred with dust and smells of earth. Up hills, along roads sometimes, just me, Safferrick and our thoughts. Beautiful times not forgotten.
Figures would appear walking along the paths I'd travel. I was not afraid, even when the shadows were dark.
I owned a dog called Ta-Tinka and I loved her very much.
Don't let the birds nest in your hair.
When I was seven, I dreamed of owning a circus and also of owning a massive farm.
It is with reverence and awe that I watch the butterfleis flitter flatter in my garden.
I long to walk where it is quiet and still.
light at the end of the forest it is bright it is light at the end of the forest it is bright. It is bright at the end of the forest. It is bright at the end.
and then it is light. just light
Lara Mellon - Durban, KwaZulu Natal South Africa
A path through the trees
You can read more about The Sketchbook Project 2012 on their blog, their website or on Facebook.
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I've just uploaded my first clip on YouTube ... :-) You can see it here
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Reader Comments (20)
Your book is beautiful. Love the hands turning the pages.
What a beautiful, whimsical piece of work! I loved it!! A fascinating project. Where will the books be exhibited? It would be wonderful to see them "live".
Thanks for sharing this, Lara.
I, too, would enjoy paging through this sketchbook - the photos do not do it justice, I'm sure.
I think there are pages I would love to sit with at a retreat - some art one only fully appreciates when you can sit with it for a while.
I found some of these pages deeply moving - a spiritual experience.
Blessings to you!
Thanks for your encouraging comments ... much appreciated !!
Clo - the works will be based in the Brooklyn Art Library and then travels to fifteen or so cities ... check out their website to see where all they'll visit ... this page will show you where they were in 2011 ... pretty amazing !!
http://blog.sketchbookproject.com/tagged/tour
Its beautiful Lara, so you. Loved the butterfly thread. I am sure that those that get to see it will just love it.
I think these are phenominal, Lara! I would love to see the pictures up close and personal to get an idea of how you did them! Brilliant! I hope you do well.
Wow..... this is beautiful...I have never experienced anything so amazingly inspiring!
This is a magnificant piece of work and I hope I get to see the real thing... What a blessing of a talent!
Hi Lara the sketches are moving the narrative is beautiful. I stand in awe of the sketches and can simply, and deeply, appreciate them.
However there is a 'but..." Some of your sentences are as crisp and fresh as the paintings. "Sometimes our dreams must be set free" and "walking alone is not lonely". At other times the sentences change from the brief, crisp, active voice to fairly long passive voice. For example:- "I would travel long distances on horse back, into fields that stirred with dust and smells of earth. Up hills, along roads sometimes, just me, Safferrick and our thoughts. Beautiful times not forgotten." This could be crisper simply by taking out a few words so " I traveled long distances into fields stirred with dust and (fragrant) with smells of earth' (the rest is already active voice.}
Also there is a typo I think you typed 'reference' when you meant "reverence" .
All I know is words and even then they do not match your matchless art. Thank you so much for sharing this with us all!
Warmest regards
kevin
Wow Lara, I'm speechless. This is absolutely beautiful. I loved the page about not letting birds nest in your hair :) Where is the exhibition taking place?
Lara,
How exquisite! and what a beautiful lillte piece of your soul - I hope you have a worthy offspring or person to pass this on to...
Great idea too, I am going to do one, for sure.
thanks for sharing
Barbi
Thanks again for all your encouraging notes.
The tour will will be as follows ... for more details see: http://www.arthousecoop.com/projects/sketchbookproject2012
Brooklyn April 14th-30th
Chicago, IL - May 3rd-5th
Portland, OR - May 11th-13th
Vancouver, Canada - May 15th-16th
Los Angeles, CA - May 24-26th
San Fransisco, CA - Jun2-23
Greater Boston Area - July 6-8th
Portland, ME - July 11th-14th
Toronto, Canada - July 18-22nd
Philadelphia PA - Aug 23-25
Atlanta, GA - Aug 29-Sept 1
Austin, TX - Sep 8th-16th
Melbourne, Australia - Nov 10th -25th
London, England
Lara, I just love your sketch book. I look forward to paging through the real thing one day at my leisure. I know that SO many people are going to find peace in these pages.
Thanks for sharing it with me La!
thanks for letting me see this, it is so amazing, i love the texture created in each page along with the narratives, its so expressive and beautiful, i want to see more! :)
Inspiring and inspired. Lovely stuff Lara! That kind of creative continuity is beyond me. :)
Thank you for sharing your sketchbook :)
I really enjoyed it and found myself paging through it a few times, because there seemed to be something new hidden in every image that I previously hadn't noticed. I was totally absorbed into your journey!
Great! & I love all the different techniques used to create every scene, it catches the emotion and atmosphere perfectly!
Wow lara! Thank you so much for sharing this with me, it really is the perfect inspiration for my artistic year ahead! I was mezmerised by every different page and I'm sure others will appreciate this just as much as i have. Well done!
really really beautiful! i love the colours used=)
You have an amazing talent, such beautiful work, gorgeous colour choices aswell
What a moving experience. Your comments are very appropriate. The birds on a wire, assembled, ready to leave accentuate the isolation of the figure in other images.
Thank you for sharing it with me.
Denise.