Mint

Made a quick drawing of our mint plant. Fountain pen. Greg Betza ©2022

Long Days

Memories are flashing before my eyes constantly.—Dominick

Philodendron monstera

That’s its name. This beautiful plant we have in our family room. It was a joy to draw while trying out a new pen! Have a great weekend. Greg Betza ©2022

Exhibit at The Queensboro

If you happen to be in Jackson Heights, Queens this month, you can stop by The Queensboro restaurant to see an exhibit of a selection of my reportage illustration, both from NYC and further afield. Included in the exhibit is this pen and ink drawing of Travers Park from the neighborhood. While you’re there, you […]

Foliage illustrations

Here is a sheet of thumbnail sketches for a packaging project I worked on a few months ago. The package was to be covered in a pattern made of foliage, mainly tropical leaves. As is often the case in packaging, the final project took a different direction 🤷🏻‍♂️ Greg Betza ©2022

Toast

Cheers to the weekend! Greg Betza ©2022

Spread Out Along The Hudson

A bit happening this weekend. The above piece and last weeks Pressman are both showing in the Little Black Book exhibit at Mills Pond Gallery in Saint James, NY, thank you to Carol Fabricatore for including and also to Jenny Nelson for selecting Golden Storm in the Fresh Air exhibit also opening this weekend. And […]

Been awhile

During the pandemic (the height of it) I was drawing all the time via zoom. Since things have calmed down I’ve done it less and less. Many reasons why, but that’s another story. Here is a drawing I found from a year or two ago while cleaning up my studio. Greg Betza ©2022

Pressman

I say this with all sincerity, the Spring knocked me for a loop. Two years into a pandemic and the world was trying to pretend it was April 2020 and nothing had happened. Except everything has changed. We’ll make right with it all, but to pretend like it is business as usual is just plain […]

Purple palm

It wasn’t actually purple, but it is here. Infinite possibilities when you really look at nature. Greg Betza ©2022

A Day’s Works

The streets in town still look brand new and somehow the days seem cooler now than 2 months ago. When I pass one of the crew they ask, “what are you drawing today?” as I drive by with the window open.—Dominick

Arches National Park

A sketchbook drawing from a road trip in 2019. Greg Betza ©2022

Kosciuszko Bridge Project

In 2017, the Kosciuszko Bridge, the 1930s steel truss bridge connecting Queens and Brooklyn, NY, was demolished; and a new cable-stay designed bridge was put in its place. Such strength and power reduced to rubble! I was fascinated, and spent time on site that fall documenting the demolition process. (See above.) The bridge faces the […]

Aaron Judge at Bat

This past Saturday Neil and I were treated to a game at Yankee stadium by our friends Tony and Jeanne – what great fun! The seats were excellent and not only made us feel right in the middle of the action, but also allowed me to make some drawings of the game in my sketchbook. […]

Getting ready…

This caterpillar was hanging upside-down preparing for its metamorphosis. Even though everyone knows this happens, it is still almost unbelievable when you see it with your own eyes. Greg Betza ©2022

Garden Maintenance

A little drawing of Neil doing some garden maintenance for his father this afternoon. Enjoying the nice weather and thinking of all those who served and sacrificed on this Memorial Day. posted by Veronica

Game 7

I made this drawing during the 3rd intermission of game 7 between the New York Rangers and the Pittsburgh Penguins. My son and I are Ranger fanatics and what I captured here (besides his height) is his attempt to relax before overtime began. Making this drawing was my attempt to take my mind off of […]

Brooklyn Half-Marathon

This past Saturday I joined a throng of runners to race the Brooklyn Half-Marathon, a 13.1 mile course that goes from the Brooklyn Museum out to Coney Island. I enjoyed the race and was especially thrilled to round the corner at the end and run the last 1/4 mile on the Coney Island boardwalk. Some […]

Chrysalis

Friend’s of ours passed down one of these butterfly mesh houses where you can watch caterpillars DEVOUR milkweed and then finally transform into butterflies. My daughter loves butterflies so the timing is perfect. Overnight and this morning they began their transformation from caterpillar to chrysalis. Nature is amazing. Greg Betza ©2022

Not Gonna Stay

During one of the first conversations I had this morning a friend mentioned the lilacs disappearing for the season. For some reason my yard is always behind the rest of town, but when I went outside what was there just two days ago was now shriveled and nearly gone. A reminder to always savor the […]