RAMBLING  SKETCHER

I did this commission last month, and had a blast with it. It was supposed to depict a June night at the River Cafe (the gal commissioning it had gotten engaged there a few years prior). She was very specific about wanting it to be night, but not too dark, and to focus on the cafe. I couldn't help but sneak the bridge in there (its such a great feature!), but I kept the restaurant light, bright, and in warm colors to pull the eye down. I went and did research on what was actu

Last month I did two golden hour sketches of Prospect Park and never posted them. So they make a perfect Flashback Friday!

These are my thoughts on last weekend's political happenings. I think they speak for themselves.

The day I signed my contract for my Bryant Park residency, I had gotten tickets to opening night of Midsummer Night's Dream in Central Park. I was stuck with a few hours to kill, where it didn't quite make sense to go home. Naturally, I brought my sketch kit and spent the time doing a couple of sketches in the park and walking around. I started with a sketch of Gapstow Bridge, which was very close to where I entered the park. It's from a different angle than I caught it from

Before you all get too sick of Bryant Park, here are two sketches I did before I found out I'd be doing a residency there. During the second, I was told that I couldn't be on the sidewalk, because the sidewalk closest to the building was private property. So I relocated to next to the curb, and that was more acceptable for security.

One of my favorite artists, James Gurney, occasionally does plein air challenges. The grand prize is usually one of his books or DVDs, but mostly it's just fun. A couple months ago, he issued a "Dead Vehicle" challenge. The rules were that it had to be painted on location, and of a vehicle that is no longer in working order. Conveniently, the challenge came with two days left in a contract I was working in Connecticut. This was convenient because the shop I was working at is

The final day! I had my very last workshop, another one on perspective, this one with Stephanie Bower. Know when I say she wrote the book on perspective in urban sketching, it isn't a metaphor! We were provided with gorgeous weather, and were tasked with doing panoramas of the equally gorgeous river walk. A major bonus of the workshop was getting to see Stephanie in action! (her half-finished sketch below!) I begrudgingly brought along my watercolor moleskine as it was the e

Today's Flashback Friday post is from the very first time I sketched in Bryant Park. It was before I was meeting up with my urban sketching group; right around the time I discovered the Urban Sketchers blog. The reason I'm sharing this sketch of Bryant Park? I was recently selected to be an artist in residence there for two weeks! August 21-25 and August 28-September 1st, you'll be able to find me plein air painting in all different locations all over the park! I'll most like

On the 28th instead of a workshop and a demo I had two workshops, so it was a long day of sketching! I skipped waking up early (clearly came to my senses that doing BOTH an early morning sketch AND a nocturne might not be the most advisable choice), and started the day with my first workshop. This was perhaps the one I was most looking forward to, and it didn't disappoint! Instructor LK Bing is a genius, but also incredibly kind and a great teacher (and has much better Englis

For the first full day of the symposium, I decided to get up extra early (because I'm insane and should have my head examined) so I could sketch Alexander Calder's Flamingo sculpture. I loved the reflections on the building, and again getting to use my favorite Vermillion (did you spot it on the Wrigley Field painting too?) I was joined for a bit by a new friend from Switzerland, who bought one of the Woodward and Father boards I had on me! After proceeding to the Hub for mor