by Marty Coleman | Nov 27, 2014 | Thanksgiving |
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
I thought it would be cool this year to show a selection of drawings from past Thanksgivings. Some have links back to the original post, others don’t because the original post was just the drawing.
2013
Original Post – Perfect vs Wonderful
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2011
Original post – The Gratitude of Escape
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2010
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2009
I did a 5 part series on gratitude that year.
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 24, 2014 | George Will, The Future - 2014 |
This is yesterday’s future napkin.
The Unannounced Life
My late father, Skeets Coleman, home from World War II, did not return to Iowa where he was raised but instead stayed in the San Diego area and operated the Del Mar Airport in the late 40s. The secretary he hired? She, Dorothy Lee Powell, became his wife and my mother.
My late ex-father-in-law from California, Dwight Johnson, was in military training in Vermont back in the Korean War era. He needed an ironing board and being the do-it-yourself type, he went to the local hardware/lumber yard to get a flat 1×6 piece of wood to use for that purpose. The person who sold him the board? She, Vivian Lambert, became his wife.
In the 70s I transferred to UC Santa Barbara after having left a college on the East Coast. I got involved with a Student Christian group on campus. At a Halloween party I met a girl dressed up as Pippie Longstockings. She, Kathy Johnson, later became my wife.
In 2000 my oldest daughter, Rebekah Coleman, left Oklahoma and went to St. John’s College in Maryland. One of the first people she met, Patrick Evans, is now her husband.
After my divorce in 2000 I started dating via online dating services. Unbeknownst to me a woman, Linda Reynolds, divorced a few years before, also was dating online. We had a date and 3 years later we were married. I gained a step-daughter, Caitlin Reynolds.
In 2011 my 2nd youngest daughter, Chelsea Coleman, moved to Berkeley to escape the cold and dreary winter in Seattle while her then husband was deployed for 6 months. She started playing music with various people. One person she played with, Graham Patzner, became a friend, and after her marriage ended in divorce, they started to date.
How the Future Arrives
My point in reciting this family history is simple. To remind myself that the future arrives unannounced every day. Whether it’s for good or bad, all our planning and organizing of life will never overcome that one inescapable truth. When we understand and accept that, our lives become easier and happier.
The Result is Thanksgiving
One result of these unannounced futures is that I am now Papa Marty and Linda is MeeMee to Vivian Isabel Evans and Otis Martin Coleman-Patzner. Another result is we are headed to Dallas for the Thanksgiving weekend to visit Caitlin and go to the Dallas Cowboys football game.
And for all those futures past, I am filled with gratitude and thanksgiving.
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Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman
Quote by George Will, 1941-not dead yet, American writer and political pundit
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 21, 2014 | Illustrated Short Stories
Prologue
The Belly Dancer was glad the final pose in her debut as a figure model for the art class was laying down. She was also glad she could close her eyes because then she wouldn’t have to look at the hideously scary painting of a wolf that was on the wall behind her.
At the last minute she decided to get her scimitar and use it as a prop in the pose. She knew it would create drama, adding an exotic and dangerous element to her character. While she knew it was unlikely the artists drawing her would understand, when she danced she became Zaira, The Rose Princess of the Tribe. She changed from being the dutiful daughter, the loyal office worker, and the meek sister into the strong and courageous Princess.
Chapter One
The room was warm and the pose was easy. Soon she had closed her eyes and fallen into a dreaming sleep. She dreamt she was alone in the hot desert of North Africa. She was out searching for her little brother, who had not returned after a day in which he had supposedly gone out to catch lizards in the dunes with friends. It was now night under a full moon and the family had spread out across the desert to find him. She was given the direction due south, towards the small group of hills that made the southern border of their tribe’s land. She was about a mile from their home when she heard the howls.
Chapter Two
Howling was not uncommon in her land but it was always far away. This time it was very close. She walked faster along a line of date trees that were fed by a small spring to the west. She knew the trees would lead to the edge of the hills and that would likely be where her brother would go if he were stuck in the desert at night. It was also where the howling had come from. The moon had partially disappeared behind the hills by the time she reached their start. She could see shadows cast by jagged rock outcroppings. It made for a disconcerting scene.
Chapter Three
Just as she was about to call her brother’s name she heard a rustling behind her. She turned to see another large shadow, also appearing to be of jagged rocks. Then the shadow moved. Then the shadow snarled. She was able to see now that it was a large wolf, bristling hair high up on it’s neck and back. It’s head was lowered and it started pacing back and forth in front of her. Every turn it made it took a step closer as well. She was able to see as it got closer that it’s mouth was dripping something. When it turned again and came another step closer she could see it was blood.
Chapter Four
She had been taught to hunt by her father, a rarity among the women of her tribe. But he had told her that the hunted doesn’t care of you are a woman or a man. If they sense fear they will attack. He wanted everyone in his family to be able to protect themselves and anyone else in the family, no matter what they were born as. She was thankful for her upbringing even when it meant she was teased by the boys and girls in her tribe.
Chapter Five
She slowly put her left hand over her head and reached behind to her back. She drew out her scimitar from its sheath and brought it to the front. With her right hand she drew out the knife she had in her belt. The wolf sensed his prey getting ready to defend itself and attacked swiftly. He ran directly at her, a distance of about 20 feet. It took no more than 3 leaps before he was airborne with his teeth bared, aiming for her neck. She was able to fall to her left as he passed over. As he went by she thrust upward with her knife, piercing his chest on the right side. He collapsed as he hit the ground. A second later he was back up. He turned, exhaling and coughing. She knew she had hit his lungs. She knew she had but a moment to do what she knew was next. Instead of waiting for him to attack she ran towards his wounded right side. He was not able to turn quickly in that direction and before he could get around to face her she had struck a blow on his neck with her sword. He fell to the ground, his spinal cord cut.
Chapter Six
She didn’t have to take a second look at her foe. She knew he was dead. She turned back to her task, calling her brother’s name while running around the nearest rocky rise to see if he was behind it. She was worried that the blood on the wolf’s mouth had been that of her brother. She was prepared to see her brother dead and mangled somewhere close by. When she came around the rocks she did indeed see a mangled and bloody body. But it was not of her brother but of a young lamb. She called again as she walked deeper among the rocks. A few moments later she heard his faint voice responding. The voice was above her. She looked up and saw her brother standing on a single pillar of rock, no wider than he was.
Chapter Seven
Zaira returned to her family’s home with her brother about 3 hours after she had left. They were welcomed back with love and tears. She told the story of her search, the fight with the wolf and how her brother was smart enough to escape the wolf by climbing up a high and precarious set of rocks that the wolf could not climb. The family was proud of Zaira and told the story for many generations thereafter.
Epilogue
Zaira woke with a start when the drawing monitor called ‘time’s up, pose is over.’ When she opened her eyes the first thing she saw was the painting of the wolf on the wall. She laughed at the wolf and told the assembled artists, “I just killed that wolf in my dream!” They all applauded and thanked her for her heroic deed.
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Drawing and story by Marty Coleman
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 17, 2014 | Jean de La Fontaine, The Future - 2014 |
My Morning Destiny
I woke up at 4:30am this morning. That actually not that odd of a time for me, maybe about a 1/2 an hour earlier that my usual early start. I could have stayed in bed another 1/2 an hour but my mind had decided on ‘The Future’ as being my next series and I needed to go write it down and start researching. It’s now 11:30 and, in between checking posts from friends and families, I’ve been working on preparing the series and on this drawing for about 6 hours already.
When I found this quote today I realized I had just seen it within a day or so on Facebook. I thought it was something my friend Kimberley Blaine had posted but I couldn’t find it on her timeline so it probably was someone else.
Final Destination
Have you ever seen the movie ‘Final Destination’? It’s about a group of friends who do not get on an airplane because of a dream one of the group has while napping at the airport right before boarding that the airplane is going to explode and crash and they will all die. The airplane does in deed explode right in front of them and they are thus saved from death.
However, it now seems they have cheated death. They were suppose to die and didn’t, thus the grim reaper has to go find them and kill them. The movie is filled with crazy and convoluted ways people die. It’s gruesome and scary and funny and shocking all at the same time.
Your Destiny
Have you had this experience? It’s not uncommon in both fact and fiction. There have been many stories over the centuries of people doing everything they can to avoid their destiny when it comes knocking, only to find it where they land in their escape. It’s not just about escaping death, but many other things as well; success, failure, family, aging, disease, fame, disaster, you name it and we can be adamant about trying to avoid it and it still finds us.
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Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman
Quote by Jean de La Fontaine, 1621-1695, French Poet
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“A person often meets their destiny on the road they took to avoid it”
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 16, 2014 | Sketchbook History Tour |
Figure Drawing
Ever since I was 17 and still in High School I have been figure drawing (yes, that means naked people). I also taught it for quite some time during the 80s and 90s.
Often times artists don’t really want to take a class in figure drawing, they just want to draw the figure. To fill that need around the country at art centers and museums and schools they have open figure drawing sessions. You pay a certain amount to cover the cost of paying the model, and then you just draw. They have someone in charge of hiring the models and keeping time, but that is about it.
Zaira Amar – 3 minute pose
It’s Not What You Think
Most of the time these sessions are very staid and mundane. I don’t mean there aren’t great models and drawings being done but, opposite of the popular imagination, they aren’t lascivious bastions of libertine men and scarlet women indulging in pornographic excess. They are models, male and female, with bodies of all sorts posing in academic poses that aren’t presented as sexual or titillating.
Zaira Amar – 3 minute pose
Dr. Sketchy
About 10 years ago a burlesque dancer in San Francisco, Molly Crabapple, decided to try something different to shake up this way of figure drawing. She founded the Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art School. It really isn’t a school at all, it’s just a fun, recurring event that combines performance, modeling, drinking and drawing.
Zaira Amar – 10 minute pose
Lot6 Art Bar
Last night (11/15/14) was the first Dr. Sketchy event in Tulsa in many years. I had wanted to go to it back when it was last active, in 2010, but never got around to it. But I had an opportunity last night to go. These are the drawings that resulted. Nothing fancy or profound, just some fun drawings. It took place at a very cool Art Bar close to downtown Tulsa called Lot6.
Zaira Amar – 5 minute pose
The Belly Dancer
The model you see here, Zaira Amar, first did a belly dance, then sat for a total of 5 drawings, ranging in time from 3 to 20 minutes in length. I can tell you, it’s not a lot of time when a model is nude, but put her or him in a costume with textures and baubles and jewelry and yards of fabric and it’s really not a lot of time!
Zaira Amar – 20 minute pose
Scimitar
She had a giant scimitar sword that she held for a few of her poses. I was worried she would drop it or cut herself somehow, but she obviously knew what she was doing with it having danced with it many time I think.
Here’s the finished drawing, completed a few weeks later. Here’s a link to a short story illustrated with this image.
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Comedy Included
In between the dancing and modeling there also was a stand up comedian, Drew Welcher. She was pretty funny, mostly self-deprecating about her sexuality and her body. She got a bit raunchy, but I was busy drawing her and was actually only paying so much attention to her routine.
Drew Welcher – Stand-up Comedian
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The Burlesque Dancer
The other model for the night was Afsana Rose, a burlesque dancer. She did a very cool feathered fan dance, then modeled for times ranging from 3 to 20 minutes just as Zaira did.
Afsana Rose – 3 minute pose
While I was drawing, Hilton Price, the MC for the evening, took this photo of me drawing Afsana for future publicity.
Draw What It Is Doing, Not What It Is
I got a drawing lesson many decades ago from a great professor of mine, Michael Mazur. He said, “make your hand do what the thing you are drawing is doing.” In other words, if the thing is solid and rectalinear, then make your drawing hand make those solid and rectilinear movements. And if your subject is a feather fan, then make your hand make the movement a feather makes. That’s easier said than done of course, but that is what I kept in mind as I drew her feather fan in these two drawings.
Afsana Rose – 5 minute pose
Tattoos
Afsana had a many tattoos, most of which I was not able to capture in the short time I had. One tattoo I had noticed and was glad I was able to capture was a spider web in her underarm. All I could think about was how much it had to hurt to get it done!
Afsana Rose – 10 minute pose
Frilly
Afsana changed costumes a few times. She wore a frilly sheer polka dotted light covering over a 50s style white push up bra in the pose above. Once again, trying to capture the action of that frilly outer garment was the key to the drawing.
Afsana Rose – 20 minute pose
Boa
In her final pose she was in what seemed like a pretty classic burlesque outfit. The preeminent feature was the very big feather boa. But it wasn’t feathery in the same way as the fan. The feathers were blocky and squared off at the end, so I made that sort of movement with my hand as I drew it. She also had long gloves on that weren’t too different in color from the boa so I had to make sure their texture and lines were sufficiently different enough to stand out.
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Award
At the end of the session the artists can submit drawings to be judged by the models. Each model, and the comedian, decide which drawing they like best and that artist gets a small prize. In my case I received a little sketchbook, something you all know I will use! I also got free admittance to the next Dr. Sketchy, so that’s cool as well.
It was a cool and different figure drawing experience. I made a number of new friends and had a great time drawing.
I might work on some of the drawings a little bit more. I am tempted to finish some, add color to others. We shall see and I will let you know!
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 14, 2014 | Sketchbook History Tour |
My wife of 8 years, Linda, and I spent our 8th anniversary at the hospital. We were married on 11/11/06 at 11am.
She had already been sick for 9 days at this point so I already knew we weren’t going to be doing a big night out. I was expecting to cook something up, something easy. But instead the xray from the day before came back and her bronchitis had turned into Pneumonia. Her Dr. requested we go get a ‘breathing treatment’ at whatever ER we wanted to go to. That trip turned into a 2 day stay at the hospital and that is a good thing. She was able to get breathing treatments and IV antibiotics.
We had Pei Wei take out for our anniversary dinner while watching TV. That is what she is doing in this drawing, though she says it looks like she is calling to heaven to be taken away! I told her not quite yet. She said ok.
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Drawing by Marty Coleman
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 11, 2014 | Love - 2014, Nikki Giovanni |
I have been trying to think this quote through to see if it is true. I am not sure yet. What do you think?
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Drawing by Marty Coleman
Quote by Nikki Giovanni, 1943 – not dead yet, American writer and activist
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 10, 2014 | Love - 2014 |
Not Hate
We often hear about the terrible domestic tragedy where a wife is slaughtered by a hate-filled spouse. It happens way, way too often (once is too often). At least one of that couple had a deep deep hatred for the other. It was a hatred harsh and bitter enough to lead someone to murder. It always astounds me to imagine someone actually doing that, but it happens all the time.
Not Anything
But while those violent acts get the attention, the vast majority of relationships that break up don’t end in hatred and violence in the long term. They end in indifference. The end with a ‘meh’. When we cease to love someone what usually happens is we jettison the feeling. We temporarily have other feelings, including hate, for the person we are breaking up with. But long term we end up shutting down the love and replacing with nothing. No feelings, no emotions, no travails. That is why people say it is hard to love again, because they’ve hardened themselves with indifference.
Outside of a Relationship
The danger isn’t that we reel in a bit after a relationship. It’s that we may reel in all our feelings for everything. For our neighbors, our friends, and our city. For our society, for our culture, for nation. We just don’t care much anymore because caring, and the loving that comes from that caring, is too hard a task. It has too many dangers, too many risks.
Cocoon
As a result we stay in a cocoon of protection. At least it seems like we are protected. But in truth we endanger ourselves. Just like the person who thinks if they do no physical exercise then they won’t get an injury. That is likely true, they wont get an injury. But they will atrophy. And guaranteed atrophy is much more dangerous than a possible injury.
Watch out for wrapping your love into too big of a cocoon. We all have been hurt, but those who heal and go back out onto the field are the ones who will keep their strength, and their love, strong.
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Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman
Quote by Elie Wiesel, 1928 – not dead yet, Jewish writer and activist. Holocaust survivor
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 6, 2014 | Love - 2014, Quentin Crisp |
For Your Better
There’s part of me that disagrees with this. After all, don’t we want to be in a relationship where the other person is encouraging us to be better than we are, to change for the better? I know I am not perfect and could be better so why not have someone who wants that for me as well? Don’t I want to be in that sort of relationship?
For Their Better
But we know this is not what this quote is talking about, don’t we. This quote is warning against, not the person who wants the best for you, but the person who wants the best for them. They don’t want you to change for the better because it’s your desire. They want you to change to meet their desire. They want you to be prettier, or have bigger boobs, or make more money, or be more of a do-it-yourselfer, or more religious, or a million other things. But they want it to make their life what they want, not what you want for your own life.. They want the hot wife or husband, or the bigger house or the greater religious reputation. Maybe they want life to be easier for themselves and it would be if you didn’t annoy them so much with your hobbies or your style or your habits or, or, or….the list goes on.
Who to Avoid
If someone see and hears from you that you want to be this or that in the future, then of course we want that person to be supportive and encouraging about that change. But when we don’t initiate it, but it comes from their desire to control you and turn you into who they want? That is the person to avoid at all costs.
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Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman
Quote by Quentin Crisp, 1908 – 1999, English raconteur. He lived a very interesting and unique life, well worth reading up on if you are worried about your individuality being too ‘individual’.
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 5, 2014 | Love - 2014, Stephen Stills |
Truth
This is one of my favorite lines from a song. The moment I heard it, I believed it was good and true. Years later I became familiar with Jesus’ teaching of “Love your neighbor as yourself”. When someone questions Jesus about exactly who is his neighbor, Jesus tells the story of the Good Samaritan. The point of that story is that everyone is your neighbor and should be treated as such.
In other words, you never have to question what it is you are to do. You are always to love the person in front of you.
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Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman
Quote are lyrics from the song, ‘Love the one you’re with’ by Stephen Stills.
Most people think it is a ‘Crosby, Stills and Nash’ song, but it was actually written and performed by Stills on his debut solo album in 1970. It was later recorded live with C S & N and that is how it became thought of as a C S & N song. The line was not made up by Stills. He kept hearing a fellow musician, Billy Preston, say the line in daily life and asked him if he could use it in a song. He agreed.
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 4, 2014 | Collections |
Last week I showed you a collection of naked men. It got more hits than any other post I have had in probably 6 months to a year. I am sure those trolling were disappointed to find out they were cartoon naked men with very minimalist interpretations of their packages, but hopefully it was interesting for the rest of you.
Why Naked?
Today it’s a naked women collection. I am pretty sure the trolls will be equally disappointed in the lack of graphic rendering.
Those among you who are upright citizens might think, ‘Well dang Marty, aren’t you the ‘Napkin Dad’ and aren’t you suppose to be an example of good morals? So, why are you drawing naked women (and men)?’ The answer is simple. I like drawing naked people. I am an artist and a big reason for that was that I was raised in a family that appreciated and collected art. My Grandfather collected art and had a fantastic collection of prints, drawings and paintings. Many of those were handed down to my mother. Thus, my household growing up was full of art, many pieces were of nudes. How early did I actually start drawing the nude? From the very beginning. My first art exhibition ever was in my High School Library in my senior year. My subject matter? Nudes that I drew from actual models. No, I am not joking. It was a different era. I like drawing naked people because it allows me a fantastic opportunity to communicate both emotions and ideas.
The Naked Emotion
You might ask, ‘But you have 4 daughters, aren’t you worried you are influencing them to think it’s ok for women to be objectified by depicting the nude?’ My answer would be the exact opposite is what I think I am influencing them to think. That it is ok and positive for women (and men) to be depicted nude (and for artists to do the depicting) when you are being true to the story you want to tell and the feeling you want to arouse. Funny I know, the word ‘arouse’ is a loaded term when talking about the depiction of the nude. But feelings about the nude are not restricted to sexual arousal. Embarrassment, pride, relief, compassion, empathy, anger, hurt, shame, exhilaration, triumph, and many other emotions and feelings can also be depicted and elicited by the use of the nude in art, photography or film. Sometimes the nude is actually the best vehicle for getting those emotions communicated in a compelling way. I would hope my daughters and grandchildren would see art, and the nudity depicted in it, in that light.
Me and Michelangelo
Of course it is somewhat silly and ironic that I write an essay about the nude in art when what you are about to see are cartoon drawings. My drawings here are not in competition with Michelangelo’s sculpture of David for the exaltation of the human form. But they are in keeping with the impetus of the artist to try to communicate well, which is all I am really trying to do when you get right down to it.
Here is a selection through the years. A link to the original posts are below each image.
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1998/99
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2001
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2003
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2004
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2009
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2010
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2011
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2012
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2013
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2014
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 3, 2014 | Collections |
Early on in my napkin drawings I started adding in our pets. We had a dog and cat, and now we have 2 dogs and a cat. They are recurring characters. We also had a snake, a turtle and lots of pet rats when my daughters were growing up. They make appearances as well.
I use animals as the voice of wisdom often. They are immune from the stupidity of society and humanity so they are a great objective reporter of our homo sapien pressures.
Here is a collection of animal drawings from 1998 to 2014.
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1998/99
Original post – It is Loneliness
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2000
Original post – All Anger
Second drawing, years later, same quote – All Anger
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2001
Original post – We Only Confess
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2002
Original post – Success Generally Depends
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2003
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2004
Original post – We all have the strength
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2009
Original post – The Time You Enjoy Wasting
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2010
Original post – Art is the Only Way
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2011
Original post – Whatever Remains
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2012
Original post – Err, Forgive, Purr
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2013
Original post – Shopping For a Unicorn
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2014
Original post – The Mosquito’s Power
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