More from Lake Merced… before the spring rains.
April 7, 2015
We have had some spring rains after a long dry winter. Last week I was walking towards Lake Merced and the winds were creating white caps. This drawing is was result. The Chinese characters mean “gratitude” and the background graphic is inspired by I Ching: “Wind over lake: the image of inner truth.”
Chinese “gratitude” with I Ching graphic: “Wind over the lake: the image of inner truth.” Design by Meredith Eliassen, 2015.
Butterflies #1
April 3, 2015
I have been playing with butterfly designs, and this is the first collection to land on paper. I draw them on cheap paper and cut them out. When the paper is cut, it curls so that the butterflies look like they will take flight. I hope to do more as time permits.
Happy April Fools Day!
April 1, 2015
“The Chase” came to me after a walk around Lake Merced. No, there is not some evolutionary happenings at the lake that I know of, but I saw a cormorant dive into the water a had a mind picture of primordial times when a bird dove in to the water and chased a fish, who sensing danger, had it fins turn into wings just in time to take flight.
A bird chases a fish underwater and looking back the fish’s fins morph into wings so he can take flight. Design by Meredith Eliassen
This image captures an imagined moment of transformation.
Meet Lucky the Lizard…
March 23, 2015
My dad told me about a lizard that was an uninvited but not unwelcome visitor and this is my interpretation. Design by Meredith Eliassen 3/21/2015.
Convergence…
March 23, 2015
I was so busy with my day job that I have not had a chance to do artwork, so this was my way a easing back to the drawing board. The basic bird design was inspired by an embroidery design in a Victorian crazy quilt by Helen Penniman (Pardee) who would marry a future California governor, that was stitched on camping trips to the Redwoods. To learn more about this quilt and its maker, check out my article from over a decade ago, called “Adventurers in Nature: The Merry Tramps of Oakland,” California History 82:2 (2004): 6-19. The quilt is still housed at the Historic Pardee Home in Oakland, California.
Stars and Stripes Heart
March 13, 2015
One of my neighbors request that I do an American flag drawing because she loves it so much… I started a process of doing the American flag for her, but with such a powerful icon that has been interpreted by better artist than myself, I think it will take many attempts to get one good image… so here is the first attempt for Alice. Now I have a picture in my mind of “Liberty Dove” that will likely signify the freedom to be at peace… let’s see if it comes to fruition.
Design of heart with stars and stripes by Meredith Eliassen, 2015.
Water Turtle Visits
March 12, 2015
Here is the companion to the Water Yin Yang in the form of a turtle, I did them one after the other. For you, Mr. Turtle… you can see the hints of a primordial language on his shell.
Turtle design by Meredith Eliassen.
Everything Becomes and Transforms…
March 11, 2015
Enter the chess King…
March 7, 2015
Yes, in chess, without her King, there is no game. Still playing with shape.
Drawing of chess Queen and King pieces side by side featuring continuous landscape, by Meredith Eliassen, 2015.
Is She Isolated or Self-Contained
March 6, 2015
Several months ago I read Marilyn Yalom’s engaging book Birth of the Chess Queen (New York: HarperCollins, 2004) and was intrigued by the image of the earliest Spanish chess queen from the medieval period to reside in the United States (pictured on page 56). I could not figure out the logic of the piece, because to my twentieth century sensibility, she looked trapped or imprisoned within her fortress piece… and Queens are supposed to be free moving on the chess board.
I drew her quickly with my trusty Sharpie for later contemplation and provided her with a different identity (that of Katherine Swynford) by adding heraldic images. Last night I pulled her out again and it seemed to me that she was not isolated, but rather, self-contained.
Though she has kind a deco feel now…
Chess Queen design based upon the earliest known Spanish chess queen with a face dating from medieval times. Drawing done with Sharpie ultra fine point pen by Meredith Eliassen, 2015
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