Hopalong Hollow....

Hopalong Hollow, where the Blueberries grow sweet, and the moss feels soft beneath your feet.

Friday, February 5, 2016

A silly drawing, A contemplative Alpaca.

The Lord of the Manor just doesn't get this drawing....he thinks it's pretty silly.
When I  imagined an illustration of an Alpaca for my Garden book, it was in this manner:
 (notes from sketchbook)
 Lovely female Alpaca with huge straw hat, festooned in ribbons which are flowing in the breeze as she swings with hooves up in air on a wooden swing hung from a rose covered arbor in a walled garden.
It didn't quite work out that way.
As is often the case with art, what you envisioned often turns out to be quite different.
My  Alpaca had all the look of a BOY, not a feminine girl....
 
 so much for the straw hat with flowing ribbons.

 My boy alpaca just didn't seem the carefree, swinging type... more of a poetry lover.
 so he sits quietly on his swing, contemplating nature.

A rose covered arbor didn't suit my quiet and thoughtful gentleman Alpaca, so I thought he'd look better surrounded by pears and blackberries.
Keeping in mind the colors I will use, this seemed the best decision. Besides, it is nice to munch on a pear whilst reading sonnets.
  The garden wall? I tried, but it just cut the drawing in half so I erased it and  ended up with rolling hills instead.
That left a nice open space to rest the eye upon.
All he needs now is COLOR

So there you have it!
 Silly picture, right?
 In my garden book, all the animals featured are inhabitants of the Hollow, except this one. I wanted to add this fiber animal to the illustrations, because Alpacas have  some of the funniest faces and because I use a lot of Alpaca wool in my needle-felting. Also, I exhibit in Fiber shows where many of the attendees love llamas and alpacas, So this picture is for them. 
I think they will understand my silly Alpaca.
 Next time I will try my best to make that "Female in Roses and Ribbons" come alive, but for today, we have this fellow. I sort of like him.

45 comments:

  1. Oh Jeri, I love him - a poet and in a swing. Perfect.

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    1. Donna, He would probably enjoy reading some of the books in your library as well!

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  2. An alpaca after my heart! I love him, Jeri.. This is so much more than I imagined... An Alpaca poet.. Who would have thought..
    Your drawing is wonderful.This page is going to be fantastic when painted.

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    1. Penny, Well, I never would have thought... it just happened. You know how that is. Painting is going to be fun, but somehow, I feel a bit of sadness when I "lose" the drawing beneath the paint. I do make copies of the pencil drawing,of course, but they are never the same as the real thing.

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  3. Blackberries and pears and a sonnet reading alpaca gentleman--just adorable, Jeri! He is enjoying himself in that swing. I'm sure he will tell you what colors he'd like to be. ♥

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    1. Martha, It seems he mentioned something about being a delicate shade of gray...and that would be a nice contrast to his surroundings which will be full of greens,yellows and browns. Of course, he could change his mind, in which case I will need to re-think my palette.

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  4. I always love the clothes you make or draw for your animals!

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    1. Cathy, Clothing them is my favorite part! It makes up for not having been born in the 18th century, when clothes were so fabulous and stylish for the upper classes, and even peasants wore interesting garments..

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    2. I totally agree with you! Give me a colorful full skirt any day! I don't know why women who don't work outside the home dress so uninterestingly. One can be just as comfortable in something colorful and stylishly flowing.

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  5. Does this swinger have a name yet? It probably should be very British since American males generally don't get too excited by sonnets. Baseballs, footballs, basketballs, soccer balls yes, sonnets, not so much.

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    1. He is definitely British, he should be named a Lord, something or other. Of course Lord Byron is already taken, maybe someone can think of a name!

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    2. Oh, darn! I was imagining him with a Spanish accent. Poetry and a Spanish accent--irresistible.
      How about Sir Alfred for a name? Like Lord Tennyson.

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    3. You know, you could be right about that.... He does look a little Spanish... maybe he should be a Ferdinand?

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  6. Oh! I adore him! He is perfect... but then I would has somehow his expression is a little like my kitty, Tommy. I don't know how that can be but it is. : )

    Love to you both,
    Lily

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  7. Such a gentleman surely deserves a fair maiden to read his poetry to don't you think? Maybe a lady friend will appear a little later. Just love him!

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    1. Charlene, a lady shall appear eventually, as he is a hopeless romantic. I received a fantastic box of color yesterday, sending you a snail mail!

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  8. Goodness me...

    A POETRY ALPACA! Now that's my kinda alpaca. teeeheheee

    HIS TOES! I LOVE HIM! The way he is gently swinging with his feet carefree and not touching the ground. We all need a moment like this, to lift our feet from familiar soil and let poetry take us away, with pear in hand of course, enjoying the sweetness of a silly moment. Silly? I THINK NOT! Brilliant, that's what this is. An artist that lets the art take over is someone who knows the magic. I am learning constantly how to let that happen whether I'm writing, taking a photo (my current and I think, perfect niche) or whether I'm teaching. Gotta let the moment teach you something!

    FANTASTIC, JERI LANDERS!

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    1. Anita, a poet, like you! Who would have thought he would appear?! You never know what is going to end up on the paper, the pencil just takes over sometimes and best laid plans go astray, often with a good result.

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    2. I just had to revisit this pear-eating poet alpaca, AND YOU! Yes, there is a magic beyond our knowledge that strikes at the moment we make ourselves available to the art. Oh the joy of being ALIVE, and having an artist bent!

      Enjoy your day JERI!

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  9. I love your gentleman llama, Jeri. someone else mentioned it already, but I also love how you clothe your characters. I think he's perfect :)

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    1. Starr, By being such a dapper and romantic gentleman, I think he is winning the heart of all the ladies in the room!

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  10. I enjoyed hearing how this piece began and ended, the unfolding. He is quite charming and i would love to get to know him, sounds like my sort of guy :-)

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    1. Tammy, It was surprising how much the idea evolved, generally, I pretty much keep my plans intact from start to finish.

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  11. Love your gentleman, poetry reading alpaca. I have a friend who raises alpaca...I think they look like woolly aliens. Love seeing your work in progress.

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    1. Bonnie, We have an Alpaca farm up the road. They are charming animals, but very expensive. I do love using their wool, it is super soft.

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  12. I don't think he is silly but very fitting!
    I usually have a rough idea when making a new doll or sculpture but they have a way of telling me what they want to be after I get started on them. Most people think I am crazy when I tell them that.

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    1. Louise, Same here, especially when I needlefelt a character; they just seem to develop on their own personality.I understand completely.

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  13. Oh this brought tears to my eyes. We had two llamas when our children were home. One was named Deacon and the other Blackjack. They were so interesting to watch. Their humming is so soothing to hear. I would take a banana peel out to them every day and they would come jumping up and down and sideways just so happy for a simple thing, "a banana". They ended up going to a family who had goats as our small livestock left when our children left the farm. So happy we had them as they protected our sheep and goats, thanks for the memory.

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    1. I never had a Llama, but have heard that they are very sweet. I know that my donkeys are incredibly happy, just to get a carrot or a handful of crackers. I think our animals are often just delighted to see us... even without a treat.

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  14. I love your llama! Almost immediately I thought of Fernando Lamas, the Argentine actor who was quite the rake! One of his more famous quotes was, "You look MAHVELOUS!" Honestly, I see your llama reading poetry and offering a bite of pear to a sweet unsuspecting young girl llama. It's his gaze that got me! Can't wait to meet the other characters in your garden book and as always, I'm hoping for some wee insects along the way.

    Love,

    Diane in North Carolina

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    1. Diane, I do remember Fernando Lamas, he was dishy! Thank you for the insect hint, will absolutely include them in the book...very important little critters, do you have a favorite BUG?

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    2. Oooh, how exciting that you'll include some bugs in your book! No garden is complete without bugs. I've never met a bug I didn't like, but I particularly like rhinoceros beetles. I love their shape, size, coloration and especially their feet. They cling to everything and spend most of their lives in rotted woodpiles. Funny story: I stopped for gas one day and on top of the pump, I spied a male rhinoceros beetle...unusual to find one in the daytime. I went inside and asked the clerk if I could have him. She looked at me like I was crazy and told me she didn't even know he was out there. So I took him home, put him in an old aquarium with some bark mulch. I kept him a few weeks and he loved eating cantaloupe. I finally took him down to our woodpile to release him. Lo and behold!!! There was a female rhinoceros beetle right there on the pile. I could hardly believe it. So I let the male go and wished him a happy life with his new found sweetheart. Hmmm...I took a picture and I need to find where I put the picture. Kinda makes a Happy Valentine story, doesn't it?

      Sorry to be so long winded...I get a little carried away talking about bugs. Thank you ever so much for thinking about my love of bugs enough to include them in your new book. I can hardly wait.

      Diane

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    3. Diane, That is a good story; I am sure the gas station attendant was baffled by your odd request! I found a dead rhinoceros beetle and put him under a small glass dome in my studio . I kept him for years until his head fell off... thought about gluing it back on but didn't. Maybe I will find another specimen someday.Such a romance between the 2 beetles, you've given me an idea for an empty corner in the illustration I am working on today... Wait and see!

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    4. Lord love a duck, I can hardly wait to see!!

      Diane

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  15. Jeri... I don't think Mr. Alpaca is a bit silly at all....perhaps just a little whimsical. You have captured the essence of him and I love him on the swing!

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    1. Bev, Whimsical IS a better thing to be than silly. Jeri

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  16. Oh, I love alpacas! You might not be able to tell, but my profile picture is me with two alpacas on either side!! There is a wonderful alpaca barn that you can visit on the outskirts of the town close to where we live. They have "open barn" weekends twice a year. I bought mittens made from alpaca wool (hair? fur?). They have the best hairstyles! The pears and berries are perfect in the picture, as well. -Jenn

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    1. Jenn, I saw those alpacas and wondered if they were yours. We have an Alpaca farm down the road from here. The faces and hair do's of these animals are so varied and funny and sometimes downright adorable.I just couldn't believe how interesting they are. I saw one that looked like he had just eaten a lemon, his expression was so permanently puckered!

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  17. Hi Jeri,
    Mr Alpaca just warms my heart, and makes me tenderly smile and reminisce of my two alpacas that were such sweet gentlemen!! The Alpaca on a swing in the garden is quite gentile!! I ADORE HIM!!! :-D
    What a great drawing!! I can't wait to see the finished piece in color!! We had pear trees on our last property and the Llamas and Alpacas LOVED them!! But I think that the pears on trees in the drawing shall be safe for any Alpaca that dresses so well and reads poetry is surely a polite proper sort indeed!!! :-)
    Blessings joy and love, Linnie Lou

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    1. Linnie, I forgot that you once had Alpacas, maybe I need one? Problem with me is, I never get just one of something. Our donks, sheep and goats eat ALL of our pears every year. They are inedible for us, tooooo hard, but I can imagine an Alpaca just loving them. Yes, He will be fun to paint!

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  18. I think you've captured the essence of an alpaca. I do think he may be Spanish more than British (maybe he studied at Oxford?). Maybe he's a Bernado?

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    1. Suz, Problem solved! A Spaniard that went to Oxford, I like it.

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  19. Jeri, there is nothing silly about you gentleman Alpaca. I think he looks an adorable character. You are a wonderful artist and I look forward to seeing the finished illustration.

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  20. He does have a benevolent look about him, doesn't he?! I think he would make a good confidant and a fine friend.

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