Paper and Threads

For days when I can't even imagine sketching outside of the apartment, I have 3 x 5" blank index cards and a pencil/pen in my very small purse.  Thursday evening we took our oldest grandson to a concert by the Orchestra of St. Lukes at Temple Emanu-el.  This was the synagogue in which Henry was a Bar Mitzvah one year ago.  We sat in the second row of this space that seats 2500, and I suddenly realized I could sketch the place where he stood during his part of his service.

Drawn with a soft graphite pencil. 

And then I sketched the cellist.

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This is a huge art exhibit month in New York City.  In addition to the Fall Museum Exhibits, there are terrific gallery shows, and the huge auction previews.  Both Sotheby's and Christies now have combined auction previews for Impressionist /Modern and Post-War/Contemporary that last in each auction house for more than a week.  During my visit to Gagosian Gallery's exhibit "Nudes" and both Auction Gallery Previews I sketched pieces of sculpture that I liked and photographed many paintings that inspired me.

Matisse Sculpture at Gagosian Gallery on Madison Avenue:  The balance achieved in this life-size sculpture was fascinating.

 Maillot and Degas Sculptures at Sotheby's:  These life-size sculptures were next to each other making it fun to place the drawings together.

 Mbole Figure from the Congo:

 Moore Sculpture from Christies:  I love the family series of sculptures done by Moore and this one was very small and just right for my sketchbook drawing of the day.   

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I met my friends, the day after we returned from Barcelona, for two museum visits in New York City.  We marveled at Dubuffet's Drawings at the Morgan Library, had lunch, and then went uptown to the Met Breuer to see the Paul Klee exhibit.  I always draw from the originals at these museum visits and here are 3 sketchbook pages from Dubuffet and 1 from Klee.

Dubuffet - La Vache:  Loved the whimsical drawing.

Two drawings: Jean Paulham and Personnage:

Several fun figures - two in cars - from a very complicated painting called Baba Solstice.  Such weird little figures in his drawings:

I love seeing Paul Klee's paintings, but so many of thesm are exercises in painting and design.  I painted one of the most realistic draiwings:  Adam and Little Eve from 1921. 

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These are a few of the sketchbook pages I created in the last 2 weeks.  I walk through Wagner Park on my way to Battery Park City Figure Al Fresco, and occasionally draw single flowers.  These are a few of the flowers that were in bloom on a single day.   

I love drawing single flowers and have many sketchbook pages that look like this during the Spring and Summer months.  I have no idea what the lavender flowers are.  I've never seen flowers that have NO leaves.

My friend Kathy was visiting from San Antonio and I finally got to see the Stuart Davis exhibit at the Whitney Museum.  I love several of his more representational paintings in the exhibit, especially his Manhattan and Paris paintings, and sketched one at the museum and painted it later. 

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner is one of my favorite German Expressionist painters.  There is a new exhibit at the Neue Galerie and I was inspired to sketch one of his paintings from the permanent collection from the exhibit. 

Kathy and I spent hours at the 9/11 Museum - 2 days after the bomb blast in Chelsea.  We got an emergency text right before we arrived at the 9/11 museum with the name of the bomber and a New York Times Breaking News email while there telling of his capture.  It is a very emotional museum visit and another terrorist event in the City made it even more so.  I sketched a badly burned firetruck and then Fireman Dan Potter, from a photo taken while he was sitting thinking about his wife who was on the 81st floor of the North Tower.  But she survived!

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I am taking a painting class at FIT this semester - using either oil or acrylic.  After using acrylic for the first time last semester, I was happy to get more experience with it now.  In my first week, I selected a still life from among 4 that our professor set up, sketched it on the 18 X 24" canvas, and then painted it in monochromatic colors.  I used raw umber mixed with a little yellow ochre. 

During the rest of the class, we added color over the underpainting. 

Last evening was week 2 on this painting, and I spent my time repainting the flower on the right, and then continued to add paint/color to the background.  I still don't have a feel for acrylic paints, but hopefully I will end this semester with more skills.

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