the last saturday sketch at battery park city

well the last for this year.
last year our last sketch class was
preempted by Sandy.
today it was very very very cold
and i, like a fool, stayed in the
shade with my beloved rocks...

and then there was the matter
of finding another bird,
gone,
this time
on the steps
of the subway station.

once is happenstance.
twice coincidence.
i hope to leave it at that...

wednesday afternoon by the river

the afternoon was warmer
(see previous post)
but only just.
alana is one of our best models
her angles are fun to draw,
even (maybe especially)
 the one minute poses

and you have to love
her signature striped socks

wednesday morning at battery park city

it was so cold
so very cold.
there's only
one week left
to this wonderful
free program
so i braved
the cold.
so glad i did.

on the way

on the way to the river
i found a bird
on the sidewalk.
exquisite patterned,
soft, fragile.

immortal
in my memory
and here.

a northern flicker,
now buried
near weeping willows
and the river

  

larger than life

i enjoy drawing models of all shapes and sizes

except when their attire serves
as camouflage...
enormous billowing sweat pants,
pattered jacket over patterned t shirt
overlaid with pattered scarf...

so i drew a twig from my quiver and
dipped into the sumi ink not caring,
truly not caring, about the outcome.

the best way to draw is not caring about the outcome.
it's a lesson i keep needing to be reminded of
over and
over
and over again.
and again...

more from the book of shadows...

livre des ombres

i'm filling a 6x12 sketchbook with
shadow drawings in sketch and wash pencil
and sumi ink using twigs.
there are 50 sheets. i have 32 drawings so far...

wednesday work

it was a summer day in october
and the shadows beckoned...

in the afternoon
the model insisted on angular,
irregular arm and hand gestures
which i found odd and difficult yet i'm, oddly,
satisfied with the sketches that resulted,
distorted as they may be.