Sketches of Alexander Calder

"Calder Sketches"
Friday, August 10, 2007

After the wine tasting in Old Town, Julia and I walked down to the library's temporary location, and I again took wheeling step stool and perused the DVDs. I saw a DVD about Alexander Calder, which I immediately grabbed up.

When we got home, and I was about to pop it into the player, Julia said, "But didn't we already see this one?" Only the faintest memories of a prior viewing flitted around in my head. I replied, "Even if we did, we are different people than we were then." And indeed, after having seen his artwork in person and read more about him, the images and the things we were told found a more fertile mind ground this time. I'm sure they'll take root and grow. Into what, I'm not sure, but I'm sure there will be some influence.

I could not let this DVD return without having a go at sketching Calder. These two sketches are from frozen scenes in the DVD.

He was prolific until the end, "a work a day for fifty years," his grandson said.

One thing I couldn't help but note is the growth of his eyebrows. There is only a hint of 'strong willed' and 'virile' eyebrows in his younger days. But as he matured, they practically took on a life of their own:

(I've gathered together photos of Calder's artwork which I've seen personally.)