Paper and Threads

While my husband and I were preparing dinner for our 15th Annual NYC Family Thanksgiving holiday, cousins were balloon handlers for the giant Snoopy balloon in the Macy's parade.  This sketch was taken from a photo on the front page of the New York Times yesterday - showing the Kermit balloon floating down the Avenue.  We learned that it is really hard work!

Yesterday my 88 year old mother and I took the 5th Avenue bus down to Rockefeller Center to see the Christmas decorations and the annual tree.  Although it won't be lit until Wednesday night, the lights are already on the tree and the entire area around the skating rink is beautifully decorated and full of visitors.  This sketch was made from a photo that I took of one of the 3 soldiers on the north border of the rink.  It was really cold and outdoor sketching just wasn't going to happen!

I love the Christmas decorations in New York City - and even don't mind the crowds.  My, mother, who hasn't been in NYC for the holidays for many years, had a wonderful time.  She's amazing and kept up beautifully!

Posted by Shirley at 9:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (22)

I'd rather sketch 10 buildings - or many figures in motion rather than sketch and paint a tree.  So this was definitely a stretch for me!  I love the gold-orange-red trees of autumn so I take many photographs on my walks.  This tree was on the sidewalk across the street from my son's house in Capitol Hill in Washington DC.  I had no time to sit outside this week and paint, so I was happy to have my recent photo.

Posted by Shirley at 2:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (15)

It was difficult for me to find something square in my apartment.  I have a kitchen timer and a square alarm clock, but I kept looking for something else.  Then I found an old 3 1/2" computer disk and disk holder - near my stash of transparent tape which is in a square red package.   In this age of CDs, DVDs, and flash drives, I haven't carried computer files on a diskette in more than 2 years, so I sketched the diskette as a ghost. 

Posted by Shirley at 7:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (11)

I still take occasional ballet classes at Steps on the Upper Westside of Manhattan.  Then I have coffee in the Barre Cafe at Steps until it is time to pick up my grandson at Nursery School .  While there I sketch and paint dancers from magazine photos for my daily sketch and for more figure drawing practice.  I could never sketch dancers in class and photography isn't permitted in the studios.

Posted by Shirley at 12:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (14)

I had a few minutes on Tuesday after my meeting at the Marriott Wardman Park in Washington DC ended and walked up Connecticut Avenue to the National Zoo to see and sketch the Giant Pandas.  More than 20 years ago, I sat with my young daughter and sketched a Panda eating bamboo - and it didn't move for 20-30 minutes.  The Panda Habitat has been recently renovated and there is a baby that was born in July 2007.  I was able to see Mom, Dad, and Baby (who appears fully grown) and they were all in perpetual motion!

Here are a few quick sketches that I did when they stopped for 30 seconds!

There are 3 cameras in use at all times to track the pandas and volunteers (working in 3 hour shifts)move the cameras around continually to keep the Pandas in view on the screen.  If you Google Panda cam you can see the 2 from the National Zoo and the 3rd that is sponsored at the zoo by Animal Planet. 

I still love watching them - and was thrilled to have the time to walk up to the Zoo.

Posted by Shirley at 5:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (13)