Memory

I just came back from my annual family trip to the New Jersey shore.  While I was away I spent about 10 hours making this scratchboard drawing.  I had not worked on scratchboard for quite a while.  For many years that was my sole medium.  I admit that I was motivated to work on scratchboard last week because it was so portable—no inks, pens, paints to pack—just my tools and scratchboard, which easily fit into my tote bag along with my clothes.  Oh, and how I love working on this smooth surface. It is just perfect for my small and precise markings.

Being out of the city, triggered memories of childhood and sleepaway camp. I’ve named this piece Memory.  Let’s say (to put it mildly), as a child I was not a happy camper. I was homesick and unpopular. There were no horses at my camp but this drawing is of a horse.  I wasn’t one of those “horse girls.” There were a few in my grade—they always wore braids and had blonde hair.