Happy Halloween! This drawing is from last year’s Halloween parade in New York’s Greenwich Village. Fellow Studio 1482 member Margaret Hurst and I went down to draw the proceedings. What fun! You can see more of these drawings on my blog entry from last year here. Trick or treat everyone! – Veronica

These are two faces/portraits from the construction site I drew at a few years ago.  I’d like to introduce Vinny and Tuna.  Tuna’s real name is Charles, hence Charlie, hence Charlie the Tuna, hence Tuna.  Tuna is a great guy.  He gave me cardboard to sit on instead of the cold, hard sidewalk.  Vinny was pretty quiet and hard working; a very sensitive guy.  I bought him and Moose and Tuna coffee one morning and Vinny actually cried.  He said it reminded him of his Mom.

I can dream of Santorini ’til Christmas if I want to, why not?

Our main destination on this day was the beautiful, beautiful village of Oia. Did I mention it was beautiful? By the time we got there though, it was about 1 o’clock(that’s around the time the natives take a siesta and stay out of the sun), and HOT.

I almost don’t remember making this drawing because of how delirious I was becoming from the heat. Back at the hotel that night, I was looking through my drawing pad at the drawings of the day, and thought “when did I do that?” That sun was so strong, and there was no place to hide from it! Which was great for my first day on the island, when the only thing on my agenda was to lay by the pool. Walking around and drawing was tougher, but very, very fun as well.

This is a famous and much photographed spot on the island. The village of Oia.

‘Til next time,

-Despina

Here is a drawing I made while having a coffee and French pastry downtown near Wall Street. This little place called the Financier Patisserie became a frequent stop for me during my mid-afternoon crash. These two men were having a debate and though I couldn’t  hear a word, I just watched the body language and could see that the guy on the right is really dominating the conversation. He’s practically laying on the table. I hate having coffee with people like that.

by Greg Betza

An a-ha moment at the Hayden Planetarium I’ll never forget.

This past week I was working on the beginnings of a new book project studying, hunting, and enjoying every inch of the museum when I came across a group of five year olds. There they were, (ironically five of them) all magnetically drawn to this one installation of what happens to a star during a supernova. Honestly, the image of the star’s explosion was awe inspiring at any age but all I kept thinking was what this wonder must look like to a five year old?

Yet the serendipity in it is that “the wonder” they were embracing was exactly what I had designed my book idea around all week. I guess (in so many words) I might be on the right track.

Maybe it is … just written in the stars.

’till next week, Michele

M • K • S • D – thanks for the support

People

Eddie Peña

The idea that you can have a potential garden in a paper envelope blows my mind. It is not a garden–yet. Can you get any more life-affirming than that? I remember little baggies bursting with the promise of tiny sweet carrots from the window sill (miraculous!!), or carefully tended, never-quite mature cucumbers or flowers. And then there was the unseemly brown paste spread unimpressively onto the skin of a what infomercial-soaked Americans call “Chia pets”, but what i remember as an unbranded clay piggie… sure, it started off a bit gross, all those slimey watercress seeds on a sad, vaguely pig-like thing, but after only a few days it sprouted the most luscious coat of green fur you ever saw–soon to be harvested and proudly eaten on a cream-cheese sandwich, impossibly delicious not just because of the delicate flavor but because of the miracle of its very existence… what had turned that brown mud into this delicous food?

Recently I presented my MA thesis work at the 34th Annual Meeting of the Semiotic Society of America. A three day conference of people from different disciplines of learning, all discussing how semiotics – the science of signs – influences our world. There were philosophers, doctors, literary types, linguists, artists, environmentalists, psychologists, physicists, nuns, anthropologists – you name the discipline, they were there. Listening to all the papers being presented, I became convinced even more of the importance of illustration and the role it will play in this increasingly visual world of communication. I drew Myrdene Anderson, former president of the society, in my notebook while she was lecturing. She is a professor at Purdue University, an anthropologist, linguist, avid researcher, professional learner and an all around extremely intelligent and lovely person. She ran an all day symposium about trash – the different kinds, physical, mental, emotional – and the different signs and sign-systems we develop for dealing with trash. I felt privileged to be able to attend the conference and hear all the ideas flying around – what a great experience. - Veronica

This is a game at Columbia that Ronnie and I went to together.  We had a great time and it was great watching the women play B Ball.  There were a couple of pretty intense players.  What a great afternoon we had at Columbia!

After a lovely morning of drawing, Greg and I stopped for some lunch. This was the view from our table.

-Despina

Here is a drawing I did this time of year at the Bronx Zoo in NY. It is an incredible place and a real escape from the city. These wild dogs really made an impression on me. Though I was fortunate to have the opportunity to experience them, I do wish they were running free.

drawing by Greg Betza

tIme  fOR  SoME gOod Ol’  hOMeMaDE aPpLE  piE …

….. dOn’t FoRGet  the ICe CReaM!

WHat CoULD be BeTteR?

Drawing by Michele •            Grandma Ople’s ApPLE Pie REcipE

Eddie Peña

A few years ago I was lucky enough to attend a performance by the great blues singer, Dr. John, at a small venue in the East 60′s in Manhattan. There he was in all his purple velvet glory, belting them out in a little chic enclave with tapestry wallpaper and crystal chandeliers. I loved the contrast! Dr. John is a fantastic performer, my favorite song he regaled us with that night goes something like this: “How come my dog don’t bark when YOU come around?” Ha ha – that’s great stuff!!! – Veronica

Another Central Park dance skater gone wild!  It happens…a lot.  They can’t seem to help themselves.  They just have to go a little nuts now and then and I’m more than happy to be there watching and drawing when it happens!  Keep going wild, and I promise, I’ll keep drawing!

Just as my fellow ODAD blogger, Kati, I am posting about my summer vacation. I am really-really-not a winter loving kind of person, so the closer it gets, the more I cling to the memories of the hot grecian (summer!) sun and the nightly cool breezes from the aegean sea. Since I can’t let go of the memories:

So if you’ve been following my day of drawing in Santorini from my previous posts, here’s the fourth from that morning. This is still the Bay of Amoudi. It’s the view from down at the port itself, as opposed to the view from above.

This is what struck me most about being on the island: most of the island offers only views from above. Wherever you go, you can look down below you…in awe. You really get to feel like a bird. And for someone who has spent most of her adult life on the street level of NYC looking up at the skyscrapers, it was a true perspective-warping experience! (it was beautiful)

So this drawing was made during one of my rare visits down to sea level. Didn’t stay down there for long, though. Next time, I’ll post a drawing of a church I made…while sitting directly above it! -Despina

here is a drawing I made while looking at some orchids. hope it brightens your Monday morning!

by Greg Betza