Bill Needs
  • Home
  • Gallery
    • Recent Additions
    • Portraits
    • Animals
    • Nature
    • Architecture
    • Scenes of Marietta/ Cobb
    • Travel
    • Minimalism
    • Abstract
    • Nautical
  • Blog
  • Home
  • Gallery
    • Recent Additions
    • Portraits
    • Animals
    • Nature
    • Architecture
    • Scenes of Marietta/ Cobb
    • Travel
    • Minimalism
    • Abstract
    • Nautical
  • Blog

Pen & Ink Blog

Unexpected Gift

11/25/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
My KSU OLLI instructor must have seen a talent that I didn't know I had.  Working on my 3rd pencil drawing assignment in class, he came up behind me, looked over my shoulder and suggested "You really should consider drawing that scene in ink" (rather than completing it in pencil).  He didn't suggest that to any others.  It was only our second day of class.   Embarrassed by the attention, I declined, twice.  Finally he came around the room again, threw down his pen on my table and told me I could keep the pen if I would simply draw ink lines over top all the existing graphite lines!

Reluctantly I took up his challenge, and was startled by how bold and expressive my drawing suddenly became, especially after erasing all graphite pencil strokes. Without knowing it,  I was hooked.  

Previously I had no interest in art ... zilch!   From that day forward, I find myself looking at the world around me with 2 persistent questions:  "what's uniquely attractive about what I'm seeing?", and "how can I capture or recreate that beauty on a piece of paper?"



0 Comments

In the Beginning...

11/11/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
Sara and I toured Croatia in 2006. I usually avoid gift shops but, as I quickly passed by, a tiny picture caught my eye.  Pausing, I was struck by how a few well-planned pen strokes, created an appealing image of calm and orderly perspective.                              I think I paid 75 cents for it. 
​
Upon returning home, this picture was casually tossed into a drawer where it remained undisturbed except on occasions when looking for something else. Each rediscovery ignited my wonder again about the sensibility of the artist, the image, and the feeling.



I now believe this "wonder" caused me to respond to a 2008 newspaper ad promoting Kennesaw State University’s Continuing Education course titled “drawing in pencil and pen”.  Armed with a #2 pencil and eraser, I anxiously eased into my chair among other “Senior Citizens” (I was about to turn 69) to begin my first art lesson since the 5th grade.

         The instruction was a simple one-sentence command:          
​                                 “Draw what you see”.

​

0 Comments

Welcome To My Blog

11/9/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
​“How can I reach you to see more of your art?”   This question has been asked with more frequency as my art has become displayed more regularly.   The answer, I must concede, is to introduce a website.

What began as a curious retirement hobby has taken a surprising life of it’s own.  In providing this website,  I intend to periodically post examples of my art with a narrative statement about the circumstances or inspiration of that art.    With this I hope to offer the visitor a walk with me through the process of my becoming an artist.

If you have technical questions about my art, send me an email.

If you are interested in purchasing an original or print, send me an email.

If you wish to commission a piece of art, specific to your need, send me an email.  

Whatever prompted you to make your first connection with my website, please feel free to visit as often as you wish to view new posts and comments which I hope inform, inspire or entertain.
0 Comments

    Author

    Bill Needs

    Archives

    April 2023
    January 2022
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017

    Categories

    All
    Welcome

    RSS Feed

© COPYRIGHT 2018 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.