THROWBACK THURSDAY

This is a very special edition of Throwback Thursday because it's my birthday. Twelve years ago, I turned seventeen. My (now) two oldest friends had great surprises for me that day. Megan got to school early and decorated my locker with pictures and a typewritten letter. She left a small tape recorder perched on top with instructions to press play.

I shouldn't worry, the letter said. It won't be too loud.

I pressed play, and The Beatles began to sing. Before they could even get out, "Well, it's my birthday too, yeah!", my homeroom teacher sped out into the hallway and told me to stop making so much noise. I always got the impression that not much about life excited him. Especially teenagers. Not even this birthday fun could warm his heart.

Later that day, B gave me a small, wrapped present. Inside was a Christmas tree air freshener for my car (because cross country runners make stinky cars) and a mix tape. To this day, it is the only mix tape someone has ever made me. I wore that thing out. I've still got it, so I decided to make a playlist of the songs on the tape. I began from memory before listening to find out what I had forgotten. I was patting myself on the back for remembering 40 minutes worth of songs (well, more like 45 but the official Beatles version of "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" is not on Spotify,) and then I pulled out the tape. It was 90 minutes long! What had I forgotten? ( I suppose my memory of a mix tape having a half life of 12 years isn't the worst thing in the world.)

So, because I'm not yet 30, here is my Happy Birthday Sarah mixtape from 2002. (With about 40 minutes of Beatles songs missing -- most from the Let It Be album. )

THROWBACK THURSDAY

Pastel self portrait. My face seems really flat.

THROWBACK THURSDAY

 

American Gothic with both of our drawing class models. Sewanee, 2008.

THROWBACK THURSDAY

After Klimt, Sewanee 2008. This was the first time I understood how chalk pastels worked for me. Normally they left me disappointed, and covered in smudged colored chalk. I'm pretty sure my piece of paper usually felt the same way. This time was different, and using a pencil to highlight areas was key.

THROWBACK THURSDAY

Figurative ink study. Sewanee, 2008. We were fortunate enough to have the same two models for the entire semester of life drawing. At some point I stopped struggling to draw the person and was just able to draw the pose.

THROWBACK THURSDAY

Here's another picture from drawing class. We were assigned to  create an unconventional still life to draw using shoes. I put them on a plate in the dining hall and called it done. I'll post the drawing later.

THROWBACK THURSDAY

I've run out of artwork for Throwback Thursday until my parents bring another portfolio when they visit. I've decided to post some old pictures that I took in college to tide you over. This picture is from Sophomore year and is documentation of the first drawing assignment for my painting and drawing class. Each student was given a stack of photocopied topographical maps. We each had to make 10 different "modules" (3-dimensional shapes made only using cut or folded paper and tape). Our professor then chose a module for each student to reproduce 10 times. Here is the pile of my 10 identical modules before I took the over to the art building. All of us pinned then up into clusters onto the giant studio pin-up wall. Then we had to draw the entire thing. It took me forever, and I know I still have that drawing. I tell people (artists!) about this assignment and they cringe in sympathy.

THROWBACK THURSDAY

This week marked the 100th anniversary of the beginning of The Great War. I visited Ypres, Belgium in 2006 and thought I would share some of my pictures from there for the occasion.

 

THROWBACK THURSDAY

Another chair in loud colors. This chair belongs to my aunt and uncle. It is not this green in real life. Nor was their floor such an electric shade of blue. I told you I liked my colors bright and contrasty.

THROWBACK THURSDAY

Falling Water meets Eric Carle? I have no idea. Take notice of all of my texture.

THROWBACK THURSDAY

That one time I did a linocut. The only time I did a linocut. I remember thinking I was really cool for getting my name to fit in a circle. And I had to do it in reverse.

THROWBACK THURSDAY

I remember checking out a book from the Memphis Public Library of contemporary painting.  I was really taken with Julian Schnabel's broken plate paintings.  So I gave it a go, but cardboard just doesn't compare. Somewhere there is also a ho-hum attempt at a Chuck Close grid style portrait. Stay tuned.

THROWBACK THURSDAY

I found this in a sketchbook. The summer before my junior year of high school, Memphis City Schools mandated uniforms would be worn by all students. The rules were pretty lenient -- black khaki or navy bottoms, and a white collared shirt (or a collared shirt in the school colors). But I went a little off the deep end wearing pleated skirts with knee socks, and I started wearing some of my dad's old neckties. Sometimes around my neck, and other times in my hair.

THROWBACK THURSDAY

A black and white acrylic painting of  my friend Megan. We met in the 8th grade and had a friendship forged on the track team. Megan and I used to get asked all the time if we were sisters or cousins. People just wanted us to be related. We were just tall and blond. I hardly get to see her because she moved to another country. I've forgiven her though, because she is one of my all time favorite people. Megan once told me that my love language was my freakish memory and attention to detail. To prove a point,  I remember this night. It was one of many spent at the Ugly Mug, where we would hole up on Friday or Saturday nights, drink overly-sugared coffees and draw or take pictures or read books of poetry.

This was part of my concentration for AP Studio portfolio review.

THROWBACK THURSDAY

Perspective chair study. This is telling of my high school love of loud color in paintings.

THROWBACK THURSDAY: THE FIRST

It's been rather quiet over here. Truth is, I had been spending most of my internet free time trolling Craigslist looking for a good house. After seeing some bad houses, and thinking, "I'd be statistically more likely to find a place if I were looking for a double wide in Townsend." I finally got one, and can get back to updating this old thing.

My dad passed through town recently, and I asked him to bring my old art portfolios that were still hanging out in Memphis. I went through some things and photographed the best to bring to you here every Thursday. Throwback Thursday as an internet trend seems to exist mainly for embarrassing childhood photos, or so you can continuously remind your friends of the two awesome trips you took that one time..... But here, I will plumb the depths of my highschool artwork and bare all.

 

"What's in there? Interested parties would like to know!"

 

 

The first Throwback Thursday work. I remember painting this in the summer. We were supposed to arrive back at school with 4 completed paintings. I painted this from a picture my dad took that eventually was the cover of a magazine. I painted the fiddle first, and had I spent as much time on the man's face as I did his instrument, I'm sure this would be a much better painting. I seem to have lost some steam. And skin is hard to do. 

THROWBACK THURSDAY

My studio. 4.5 years ago. Lewisburg, PA.