Paper and Threads

We lived in San Antonio, Texas for 18 years before returning to the Northeast and New York City and one of our very favorite dishes was green chicken enchiladas.  We had friends and family here for dinner last evening and before I started cooking, I sketched and painted the main ingredients for the sauce: tomatillas, onion, garlic, and jalapenos. 

I realized that I had never included any information about my dear friend Paula Nadelstern's current Art Quilt exhibit at the Folk Art Museum as she and I were talking during dinner.  The EveryDay Matters art group has many art quilters and this morning I decided to add links to her fabulous work for them to see. 

Paula's website has a link to her current museum exhibit - and a gallery section with photos of many of the art quilts that are all based on kaleidoscopes.  For those close enough to NYC, the exhibit also contains kaleidoscopes from some of the major artists for you to see.

Posted by Shirley at 9:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)

I joined the Central Park Sketching and Art Meetup Group this Spring and finally attended my second session.  Although they usually meet monthly in Central Park, today's session was held at the newly renovated Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village.

I arrived a few minutes early and did a quick warm-up sketch of cone flowers in one of the many flower beds in the Park  I sketched it in pen, took a photo, and painted it at home this evening.

It was a  very hot day in the City and for the first 30 minute drawing session I sat on the ground in the shade under Washington's Arch and sketched.  The first sketch is of George Washington as Commander-in-Chief of the Army - one of two statues on the north side of the Arch.  The Park and the Arch underwent major renovation (2007-09).  This was my first visit since the Arch scaffolding was taken down.

While I was sketching George, a 4 man doo-wop singing group began performing with a bass accompanist and I had just enough time to do another sketch.

During the second 30 minute sketch I went off to find the Speed Chess players that are usually playing at the Southwest corner of the Park.  I was immediately attracted to one in a geometic black and white printed shirt with a white scarf on his head.  I did the drawing with my Pilot Varsity Pen and then spread the ink around the drawing with a Niji waterbrush. 

The group will meet again in two weeks at the Conservatory Water (Central Park at 72nd St entrance).

Posted by Shirley at 8:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

I finally added watercolor to the remaining drawings from our recent beach visit with Annabelle.  Early one morning, when we were finishing our beach walk, a plein air painting class was just beginning on the deck of the Snack Shack at Cooper's Beach.  Most appeared to be oil painters.  I watched them for several minutes, then took pictures and used the photos to recreate the images.

This was the first time that 1 year old Annabelle saw the ocean and she was very wary.  But my husband and I were able to take her for a little walk at the edge of the surf.  Her father, our son, took this picture and provided it for me to sketch for my journal page.  Someday I will need to collect together all of the sketches I've done of my family from the back.  It would be a unique portfolio....

Posted by Shirley at 10:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)

We just spent several days in Southampton with our youngest grandchild, Annabelle.  Our other 4 grandchildren live in Manhattan and spend lots of time with us.  Annabelle needs to figure out who we are and reestablish trust with each visit.  These are the first 3 journal pages from our visit.

When we arrived the pink hydrangeas at the house were finally in bloom and we brought one flower in to brighten an otherwise rainy Sunday.

This is Annabelle, on arrival in Southampton, sitting so nicely next to the pink hydrangea.  The circle to the left of the picture is one of the bubbles being blown as she plays with her cousins.

The following day Annabelle played with her cousin Sydney's flip-flops and I decided that these may be the only butterflies that I would see all week.  So this is my entry for EDM Challenge #235 - Draw a butterfly.

We had beautiful sunny days and after a morning walk on the neach with Annabelle, we took her to the village park and children's playground.  Wen we arrived these 4 "friends" were clustered together on the dock and I was able to rapidly sketch them before they swam off.

Posted by Shirley at 10:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (10)

EDM Challenge #234:  Draw Something That Belongs to Someone Else

We gave one of our grandchildren the Vtech Kidizoom  camera last week for his 4th Birthday.  It is a robust point-and-shoot digital camera made for children and he took 600+ photos during the first 24 hours!  I set up a folder for him on my computer and we saved a few of the first pictures.  Now I need to decide how I can take our 4 oldest grandchildren on a "photoshoot" in Central Park with their children's digital cameras. 

Posted by Shirley at 7:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)