Drawn in ink and watercolor from “live specimen” (picked from my tree)
Solanum wendlandii AKA Potato vine or Divorce Vine
I LOVE THIS QUOTE: “Hers was a life of friendship by correspondence.” (Said about botanical artist and author, Anne Ophilia Todd Dowden, who died recently at 99. “She never worked from photos, only live specimens. When certain things were in bloom you didn’t see her. She knew a lot of people but she wasn’t that social. Hers was a life of friendship by correspondence,” said her friend, Lotte Blaustein.
I can relate. I treasure my friends and family but see them infrequently, instead staying in touch by e-mail or phone calls — a friendship of correspondence. The quote makes it sound elegant instead of something one should apologize for (as I’m always doing). The people in my life understand my need for solitude and are supportive of my passion to paint, but I wonder if I’m doing them and myself a disservice.
What do you think? Do you feel torn between preserving time for your art and others’ desire to have your company and attention? Or do you thrive in the company of others and it feeds your art?
P.S. Do you like this new blog template better than the previous one? I thought the type was easier to read on this one and it’s simpler without the blue on each side.
Jana Bouc, Artist 
10 replies on “Potato Vine for Anne Dowden”
I think that most well rounded people find support and happiness in both worlds. I know that if I spend a weekend locked in my room working, I have a hard time on Monday interacting with others at my job. On the other hand if I spend the weekend running around having lots of fun with my friends, when I get back to my room and all my projects I feel guilty, and a bit concerned, how can I possibly get everything done on time now. Being out and about gives me lots of fresh ideas and new perspectives. Staying in and I get the feel of the ground beneath me, really dig in and work. Besides my cats would miss me if I were gone too mich.
Oops I did go on a bit didn’t I. Oh well. Oh and I love the painting, and the quote.
J
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I probably qualify as a recluse! I need a LOT of solitude, even the family holidays find me stressed if I don’t spend big chunks of time on my own. I think there is so much stimulation these days, everywhere you go you are bombarded with advertising, music, neon/bright lights, other peoples perfume, smoke, car fumes , noise etc etc etc. Nice to leave them all to it! I’m sure they are very stressed but without realising it because of the constant diet of stimulation. Love the loose quality of this painting btw! 😉 (Is it my imagination or has the look of your blog changed?)
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This is a stickey question. On one hand, I love myfamilyand friends but if the world is “too much” with me, I start to feel lost and confused. I too need tons of solitude and like Felicity, find that modern living has too much stimulation. I need natural quiet and nature to fill me up again. Artist’s need solitude but I also need to connect. I’m constantly re-evaluating.
I love your flowers and the loose line you used here.
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Jana — I too struggle mightily with this question. I don’t have many ‘close by’ friends — with my schedule of being out of town, and when home, grandchildren, my time is so severely curtailed with obligations (which I love, truly) — that most of my ‘real’ friends are those I’ve formed on line. Sometimes this makes me mighty sad – and yet, I need time to give to my family and my art education — which I also love… so for me, I can’t really say one way or the other. I need both, but until work lets up and opens up a new pattern of time at home, I don’t see that happening soon. I’m so very grateful for the friends I”ve met thru artgroups (like YOU) –and sometimes we manage to find time to get together in real life … but for me, not frequently enough. I do find I need solitude to create — sitting at the B&B, there are so many distractions, I’m just going thru the motions most nights to sketch … and I miss the quiet, uninterrupted time to concentrate and learn more about watercolor and sketching.
BTW, I love the site you gave — I never knew of Ann — and her work is inspiring.
BTW, I love the LIFE and vividness of your potato vine, Jana!!!
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Felicity, I totally agree about overstimulation and being a recluse. I need equal or even more alone time for any time I spend with groups of people. Thanks Lindsay for the reminder about nature. It does “refill the well” and I often forget about that. Lin and Jamie, thanks for sharing your experience…it’s so helpful to hear I’m not alone in struggling with finding balance.
Oh, and about my site…I did change the template thinking this one was easier to read. I thought the type on the previous version was hard to read. I’d love to know what you think though…is this one too plain?
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Jana, what I need is to go outside and to find a calm place in nature. There, I get my inspirations. It can be my own garden or a walk in the woods or an excursion to a mountain. It can also be a walk in crisp, new snow in winter or having a long swim in a lake nearby in summer.
These things are important to me. Naturally, my family is very important to me; but to find i n s p i r a t i o n , I need to be in the woods…or travelling…
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i like this one, the greens stand out with a life of their own
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Jana, first of all, I think the new look of your site is gorgeous, really fresh and eyecatching. I’d felt that mine needs a little punching up and now you’ve inspired me to follow through on that thought.
Secondly, the potato vine has that lively, strong Janaish quality that is your hallmark, the hard to articulate thing I admire so much in your work. This is simple and bold and, in some way, happy,
On the subject of solitude and other people. I need lots of solitude and the need seems, paradoxically, to have grown since the children left for college. I’ve cut out lots and lots of extraneous socializing and volunteering, things I added on when I left my job at the university. Working with Ippy (whom I’ve known for 15 years, to answer your question) has shown me how very solitary I’ve become. She has a much more varied daily set of personal contacts than I do. I want to reestablish some of my own to have a better balance in my life. Keeping these things in balance is, I think, a constant struggle.
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since i started painting i discovered that i work best when absolutely alone with no interference. the best times have been during the long stints in hotels in the afternoons after housekeeping had left. i try very hard to recreate that atmosphere at home but telephones, doorbells and other distractions make it difficult.
great life drawings and the new template looks good. i cant remember what the type looked like earlier but this is certainly easy to read.
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HI Jana,
I hear you about needing alone time…I love it too, but I also like to get together socially once in a while, as long as the conversation is exciting, and especially if I’m with other art friends, it’s rejuvenating.
I like your new page look.
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