Daily Sketches

I've begun the discipline of making sure I draw a little each day, no matter what other larger, more extended project I'm working on. This not only sharpens the eye and the touch, but also ensures that at the end of the day, I've got at least one completed thing to show.

Here's Today's Daily Sketch:

 Other recent daily sketches:

Of Binocs, Bottles, and Flypaper...

Marines on post.

Tedium.

Eternal Vigilance at constant odds with Gruelling Monotony.

These Marines were on post at FOB Delhi, Afghanistan in 2009. I got to visit them, sketch their post and take photos of them as they stood guard over the perimeter. This is the latest small oil I've done from that encounter.

"Standing Post"  was the first oil sketch I did of that guard post, which I posted and discussed in a blog entry on August 14, 2009.

Standing Watch

This is an oil sketch on panel, about 10" x 8", depicting a Marine standing post in Afghanistan.

Specifically, it is a Marine from H&S Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, standing watch on Post #3 at Forward Operating Base Delhi, near Garmsir, Afghanistan, in July 2009.

It could be Anyman standing Anypost, though.

I think that when we combat artists paint things, we try to make images that not only are historic records of an event or activity, but also stand as archetypes or allegories.

The reason a painting may strike a chord is that it's somehow connected to a shared experience. Even if the subject is something commonplace, it somehow connotes or denotes something significant.

The Sentinel Standing Watch has been a significant symbol in every culture, throughout all of history. And the role of watchman has been a significant job as well.

This painting, in its Subject, is a narrative, illustration, and allegory . But in its being, Per Se, it is more. It not only depicts, but it stands in for, that which it depicts.

On one hand it reminds us of those who stand watch over us, each and every day, faithfully and thanklessly, guarding our safety and liberty.

But this little painting, in its own little way, also stands itself as a sentinel-- it calls out to us, and asks us to identify ourselves, friend or foe; and reminds us that we too must do our duty as a culture-- we must stand fast, remain vigilant, and resist the urge to fall asleep or falter when we need to persevere.