Samurai Road Trippin’

This week I took to the road to catch the Samurai Armor exhibit in its last week at the Portland Art Museum or PAM… which makes me giggle and think of it as the Seattle Art Museum (SAM’s) gorgeous amazon of a sister. It puts poor SAM to shame on so many levels.

It was a seven hour drawing marathon replete with a traditional Portland food truck tummy refuel. Although no excuse is ever necessary to
(a) road-trip with good company
(b) draw from life all day long
or
(c) loiter in museums on rainy days
I had the added incentive to geek out on Samurai history because they were obsene archers. This is when I confess to doing archery… more like I confess to devoting every Sunday to it as though I were going church. Hallelujah! The pay off was nerdgasm level huge. From long bows that towered over my size to a mind numbingly tiny bow and arrow set that could fit in the glove box of your car for, you know, the samurai in a pinch.

The first sketchbook drawing above has a symbol that I found on all kinds of things in the exhibit and turned out to be the symbol for Marishiten the Japanese goddess of archers. The second drawing is a forged creature that was attached as a Kabuto Maedate to a Samurai helmet. I managed to squeeze another measly two in before the PAM closed its doors at five. boo.

It made me remember how much more time and focus drawing from life takes. I probably spent three times what I would have spent if I had been drawing from my head or from references. Sometimes I forget that since I don’t spend entire days drawing from life often enough. Nothing is simplified, or pre-flattened, or imagined in black and white, there are so many distractions and it is GLORIOUS. Consuming everything around you along with what is right in front of you flavors your drawing like herbs to a broth. A delicious broth with noodles in it like pho… and I am so &#%*ing hungry right now. Bye bye. Till next time, my friends.