It was a struggle from the moment we set foot on US soil! and I'm still struggling! But that might be a story for another day. We've settled into a condo, overlooking the beautiful Keowee lakes here in Oconee county, SC. We've stepped into an incredible heat wave and I have a suspicion I am being punished for my constant complaining about the weather back home in France!
I'll start off my experiences here in Oconee, SC, with some sketches of people. Because I had no internet or a computer up to to now, and it was too difficult for me to be outside, even for sketching, I kept mostly to coffee shops, watching and sketching the people of SC.
I do enjoy watching people, making up stories about them, wondering what keeps them going, what inspires them, what depresses them, what makes them laugh, what are their sadnesses...
One day, I hope I'll have the ability to convey that hrough my paintings, not the realism of thier appearance, but the story behind their living, the emotion in their gestures.
So, meet the strangers I swiftly met in my wanderings to Paneros, Joe muggs, Barnes and Nobles, Bi-Lo, on a bench in the mall; some were empty nest-moms, serious writers, some just enjoyed reading and some did interviews, others were almost asleep and some were watching the wordl go by...
These sketches were all done in pen in moleskine, given a few washes afterwards....and now I'm leaving you to go throw another tantrum!!...I'm completely fatigued - I've been interrupted and I've restarted this post so many times since this morning, I've lost count and now I'm completely fatigued from driving around to 5 different places to find a connection! And this is my birtday...sob, sob!!!
PS: Please forgive the many mistakes and bad writing, I have not done any editing on this entry...
33 comments:
Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to You! Happy Birthday dear Ronell, Happy Birthday to you! (Sung slightly off key but it comes from the heart...:))
It sounds like you are in a bit of a slump, not to mention a heat wave! I hope you find a nice spot out in the country away from the hot concrete of the city. Maybe you'll find inspiration for a future painting, too.
Have a great Birthday, my Friend!
Hugs,
Bonny
Happy birthday, Ronell! I’ve missed your artwork (and recipes), so it’s great seeing you back online, however briefly. Sounds like you’ve been hit with both culture and heat shock. Hope good things are planned for the rest of your day…and that it soon cools off.
oh...so. carolina...too humid and hot...droop....so. california...heat wave..dry...languid.....have missed you...great sketches...I can feel the long humid hours....come to so. california and we can bask under palm trees on the beach! Joyeux anniversaire a vous mon ami!!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY - Your sketches are fantastic and I thank you for being so persistent so we could see them! Are you traveling north at all. Would love to sketch with you in NYC.
Shirley
Happy Birthday!! Sorry you're having some stress. Hopefully everything will work it's way out and the heat and humidity will wane. We were hoping to meet in France in Oct. before your trip to SC but guess what? I will be in Lake Wylie, SC for 5 days in mid Sept. and for 2 days mid Oct. before and after my trip to France. Perhaps we are to meet after all. I leave tomorrow for 2 weeks but will chat about SC when I return. Stay cool. Have fun!
HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET LADY! Oh cara, you have indeed dropped in for one of the worst heat waves we've had here in SC and NC!! We've broken all sorts of heat records ... and I am so sorry -- it is the most flagging of temperatures and humidities! But oh how good you've made of your time -- your sketches are wonderful! And I hope you're finding your time here enjyable too! I'd still love to find a way to get together .. and I've so missed your wonderful work.
I hope you have a fabulous, and cool, birthday!! Cool in all senses!
Happy HOT Birthday, Ronell! Sorry you're caught up in this heat-wave - it is miserable, even up here in Tennessee. HEY- you're not very far from me and Linda - if you ever decide to take a trip up to the Smoky Mountains, let me know - I'd love to show you around!
Great sketches - stay cool!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY RONELL!
I do hope your day brightened up for you, feel free to nibble at the Cadburys chocolate slice my Son made on my blog.
I love your new sketches and I have missed you!
I'll add my off key Happy Birthday to You! Casey announced it on the EDM board and I was wondering if you had an internet connection yet so we could wish you birthday blessings. I LOVE these sketches and find the monochromatic washes, while different from your usual colorful flair, very intersting indeed!! We are hot on the west coast too -- haven't had too many days below 100 all summer, actually consider it a "cooling trend" when we hit 97. Thank you Lord for A/C!!!
Our Alaska cruise last week felt WONDERFUL at 60 degrees, but it's been a rude awakening coming home to the heat.
It's supposed to be cooler tomorrow!....Sat. in the 70's I've been told (that's here in PA , not too far from you.) lovely sketches-enjoy your vacation and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Happy Birthday Ronnel! Lovely sketches and I hope you get to do many more.
Hey - what a nice surprise to her from you today (well, yesterday, since I didn't get a chance to check back!) I hope your birthday was happy after all - I'm glad you were with Hartman, and I'm sure you found some way to celebrate.
Your sketches are really good - this is good news for me. It means we can go people sketching here in France when you get back?
Stay in touch! We miss you over here.
Beautiful sketches - they have so much character to them. I'm sorry you are so hot (I wilt in the heat too) but hopefully you will aclimatise and enjoy your visit. Take care, and keep sketching!
Welcome back, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY too.
Great sketches as always.
Hope you're haveing some fun in all that heat.
Happy Birthday! Sorry your birthday is going so bad. Your people sketches are just GREAT!!! Looking forward to more!!!
So sweet of you to leave US a present on YOUR birthday - Thank you. I'm sorry you are struggling, especially on your special day. I know it will get better soon. And fall is coming I promise. So nice to see you posting, if only for a moment. Great sketches. Happy Happy Birthday Ronell. Happy Birthday to you.
Great to see again your sketches that look so great!
Nice to see your artwork again and all the best for your Birthday, Ronell!
Kind regards from Germany,
Claudia
Nice to see some sketches from you. I hope the rest of your birthday was happier. Many happy returns.
Happy Birthday,Dear Ronell!!! Loving the sketches. Must be terrible without proper connection. I will be facing the same problem soon, and eventhough I still have it, I am already experiencing pre-withdrawal pangs. If there is such thing (I'm sure there is)..Keep smiling and enjoying life. After Casey's pastries you should be in a good mood again. Did you see? You can have not one, but two. Too sweet!:))
Take care,
Fanta
What a lovely surprise to find your post today, Ronell. Sorry I found it too late to wish you Happy Birthday but I have a feeling you and Hartman had a gorgeous evening after that too hot day. It's still too hot in Tuscany too.
Beautiful sketches, I love the woman with the long ringlets and the old chap writing and then every single sketch that follows that! You are in extremely fine form and I'm looking forward to many more. I'm really in awe at your ability to capture such characters from a discreet distance.
oH good!!! I kept checking and finally found you drawing. Love the illustrations and so sorry you hit a heat wave. I have a friend who recently moved to South Caroline about a year ago, from Southern California. Her husband took a ministry job there. I think she misses So Cal...
I sure hope you find some cool spots and find your time there really great!! I know, from what I've heard, you will have a great time eventually discovering all the beauty that is there.
Happy Birthday....I'd sing but you wouldn't want me to.
Take care and discover the treasures that I know you will.
sandy
Welcome back! I love these drawings. They're great people-drawings. :)
Happy birthday and welcome to the U.S. Sorry about the crummy weather. Come on out to San Francisco. It's been mid-70s and sunny and breezy here...just about perfect. Your drawings of people are wonderful. They look a little melty...like everyone is so hot!
Happy belated BDay Ronell "I hope you had a Fabulous "Fit for a Queen" Day - and Fabulous work as ALWAYS!!
Happy Birthday and welcome back to cyber space! Great post. I love the personality of the people you have drawn.
We came back from vacation last week and left behind that unbelievable heat! We were in Pigon Forge NC near the Great Smokey Mountains. UGH. Too bad it's still blanketing the region!
Thank you to everybody for this big surprise! It was so wonderful to see these messages all come through and feeling so special this one day of the year!
Thank you Casey!!
Ronell
I know i am late to wish you a happy birthday, but there it is, Ronell! Happy birthday! I love these sketches of people that you are posting. They have a spontaneity that quickly turns into poetry in my eyes.
A belated happy birthday from me too! I know what you mean about the heat...even in Philly and NYC where I was it was very hot. These are wonderful sketches; so full of life and energy.
Simply awsome, I wonder if you used ink and dewert pencils for this fabulous shadowing or all WC. Glad you missed me, I miss posting terribly and have some entries when I get home - dang compter won't post!! Keep the SC musing going, as an American I find it facinating to see through your eyes and hands!
Great drawings! I have never been able to figure out how balloons help sell cars! The dealership I worked at spent a lot of money on them and I never knew of anyone who bought a car because of the balloons!
Lovely people sketches - I especially like the sepia one and the one second from the bottom.
great character studies, lovely style.
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