Woman on a Chair (Blue and Orange), by Ciana Pullen

Woman on a Chair (Blue and Orange) by Ciana Pullen. Figure drawing from life, chalk pastel, 2009.

Chairs Stacked in a Restaurant Window, Paris, photograph by Ciana Pullen

Chairs Stacked in a Restaurant Window, Paris, photograph by Ciana Pullen, 2014

Portrait of a little girl in a hat (detail) by Ciana Pullen

Portrait of a little girl in a hat (detail) by Ciana Pullen. Charcoal, drawn from life, 2012. Image: head and shoulders of a 6-year-old-ish Hispanic girl wearing a hat looks up at the viewer. She's lit from the side which creates graphic shadows on her clothes. Drawn in realistic black & white charcoal.]

This is only a portion of the drawing since it's for a client. This girl sat for me while her parents distracted her with a smartphone. She was *so* serious.

[This is a re-post, originally published April 8, 2012.]

Figure Drawing of a Seated Man, by Ciana Pullen

Figure Drawing of a Seated Man, by Ciana Pullen 2009

Graffiti in Paris, photo by Ciana Pullen

Graffiti in Paris, photo by Ciana Pullen 2014.

Storefront with an Elephant, Paris, photo by Ciana Pullen

Storefront with an Elephant Head, Paris, photo by Ciana Pullen, 2014.

A single man watching a couple toss away their key on the "Padlock Bridge," Paris, by Ciana Pullen

A single man watching a couple toss away their key on the "Padlock Bridge," Paris, by Ciana Pullen, 2014

There's been a tradition since about 2008 for lovers to attach a padlock to the railing of the Pont des Arts bridge in Paris, then toss the key into the Seine to symbolize eternal love. So many thousands upon thousands of padlocks hang off the railing in glittering clumps that authorities are removing the railing and replacing it with plexiglass in order to protect the bridge from undue weight, thus ending the tradition. As I was passing under the bridge I caught this man standing alone and watching a couple toss their key into the Seine.

Sketch of a Hand, by Ciana Pullen

Sketch of a Hand, by Ciana Pullen, 2002

Roofline in Paris, Canal Saint-Martin neighborhood, photo by Ciana Pullen

Roofline in Paris, Canal Saint-Martin neighborhood, photo by Ciana Pullen, 2014.

Julia Child, drawing by Ciana Pullen

Julia Child, by Ciana Pullen. Charcoal, 2011.

I drew this from one of Julia Child's cookbooks while working at the Farmer's Market one day and a man bought it right from my drawing pad as a gift for his wife. I snapped this photo before it disappeared, but it's not quite print quality, so unfortunately this isn't available on Etsy. But I'll do another drawing of Julia to list. With a chicken.

Boat Scene on the Canal Saint Martin, Paris, photo by Ciana Pullen

Boat Scene on the Canal Saint Martin, Paris. Photo by Ciana Pullen, 2014

While most tourists take boat tours down the Seine, a boat tour of the Canal St. Martin is a lesser known (and cheaper) but still very interesting thing to do in Paris. It will take you through the Seine and past the Île de la Cité and Île Saint-Louis, but turns off down the canal commissioned by Napoleon. You'll go through an incredible 19th century underground tunnel, a series of locks, and a beautiful neighborhood popular with more local Parisians than tourists. I took this near one of the locks to capture the perfect blue and black lines and shapes.

Sketch of a Man Crocheting Near Centre Pompidou, Paris, by Ciana Pullen

Sketch of a Man in Paris, by Ciana Pullen, 2014.

I sketched this man as he was crocheting quietly on bench near the Centre Pompidou.

Reeds in Water, photograph by Ciana Pullen

Reeds in Water, San Juan Islands, Washington. Photo by Ciana Pullen, 2009.

Reeds in Water, San Juan Islands, Washington State. Photo by Ciana Pullen. This camping and hiking island paradise neighbors the Orcas Islands. Simply take a ferry from Seattle through the Straight of San Juan. From the highest peak on the island you can easily see the islands of the Canadian border to one side and the Cascade Mountains of Washington State on the other. Summer is the best time to go.

...And Now, For Something Completely Different!

An announcement: From now on this blog will function as a daily repository for my various artistic output. And maybe a little art-related journaling. I hope to highlight my working process and the things I make that don't quite fit in my Official Portfolio, but that I'd still like to share.

I'll still be sharing art and music by other people, along with pieces of my own, on my Pinterest account.