A sheep called Brownie

Another image for the thesis project! This is Brownie and she is a Coopworth ewe producing a beautiful brown fleece. Here's a little about the breed from the Hatchtown Farm website:

The Coopworth is a medium size, dual purpose, longwool breed with an alert but quiet disposition. They were developed in the 1950s and 1960s by crossing Border Leicester rams and Romney ewes. Only the best of the resulting progeny were interbred over many years. The goal was to create a highly prolific and easily managed sheep that would excel in the production of both meat and wool for commercial use. It is hardy and adaptable to many farm models.

Winter Scene

I've started to complete some of my thesis illustrations and will begin to post the progress more consistently (I hope). So here is "Winter Sheep" and I think this might make a nice holiday card! Is it too late to send out a happy new year card? Maybe I will get my act together next year... when I will have no more school assignments!

Almost final – stop tweaking

Noodling and noodling. When to stop? When eyes and hands are too tired, and lines and strokes get sloppy. Progress has been made.

Magazine assignment progress

Amelia is coming to life. Saw the movie last night. Good for color reference as all of the historical photos are black and white. I liked the movie, it was true to the period of time. And, who knew that Eleanor Roosevelt went flying with Amelia (as copilot) at night after an event while the others were in the back of the plane drinking champagne? Is it true or just Hollywood?

Still lots to do on this piece. Leaving for MFA classes in Pasadena on Saturday. Must have this complete for crit on Monday. Better get to work!

Maine and thesis photo reference

In early September I spent a week in Maine at a 100 year-old cottage that I won in a silent auction at a local fundraiser. The area north of Freeport, between Brunswick and Rockland, has many peninsulas reaching south into the cold Atlantic Ocean. South of Damariscotta, straight down on Rt. 129 at a place called Christmas Cove, this cottage sits on a rock facing east to Johns Bay. In the distance, a view of Pemiquid Point and beyond that, the famous Monhegan Island. The sunrise with coffee (and a heavy sweater) on the screened-in porch was both serene and energizing all at once.

On this peninsula of Bristol, at Hatchtown Farm, live Pam and Jim Child. Check out their web site. They came from New Jersey in 1993 to make their hobbies into their livelihood. Sustainability and good husbandry practices are top priorities on their farm. They raise Coopworth sheep, pigs and a variety of heritage breed chickens that lay the most beautiful eggs in tones of light blue and peachy beige. It was here a few years back in their fiber studio that I bought my first sheep fleece to learn how to spin on my new Louet spinning wheel.

On this visit with friends, we toured the farm and learned more about the many hours of hard work and dedication it takes to run a small farm. I took many new pictures to use as reference for my thesis project.

Assignment: Magazine Cover

Choose a decade. Tough to pick just one. I finished reading "Red Rose Girls" by Alice (Bunny) Carter, then jumped into the biography of N.C. Wyeth by David Michaelis, so I presently feel totally immersed in the 1920's and 30's. I did some sketches of a Jessie Wilcox Smith style "child in a garden" and realized the assignment calls for a famous person of the chosen decade. Hmmm, children were not famous back then. Well, except for the "Little Rascals" silent films, but the ragamuffins wouldn't deserve a magazine cover in that period of time. Jessie Wilcox Smith was all about idyllic scenes of everyday life, lots of mother and child subject matter for her Good Housekeeping covers.

So, I'm trying out Amelia Earhart, July 24, 1897 – missing July 2, 1937, declared dead January 5, 1939. She was learning to fly in the 20's. "Working at a variety of jobs, as a photographer, truck driver and stenographer at the local telephone company, she managed to save $1,000 for flying lessons. Earhart had her first lessons, beginning on January 3, 1921, at Kinner Field near Long Beach but to reach the airfield Amelia took a bus to the end of the line, then walked four miles." (Wikipedia)

My other thoughts were of Dorothy Parker. A very interesting woman, but, not finding much reference photography for sketches. Still thinking about her though.

Sheep make wool

I am acquainted with sheep and wool in the world of knitting and spinning. I am starting to show ideas for thesis images. Early ideas that I know will grow and change in the next year. Let's see what becomes of this journey.