Still Thrilled- and Chilled!

I missed going out on the night that he was elected and have been regretting it ever since.
So, in spite of the freeze in NY,
I layered up and headed down to Times Square.
I stuttered through this drawing and a few others, but still, wanted to try to share some of the excitement-
and a little body heat that I felt that day. It was pretty magical, I must say.

I need to try to make sense of some other drawings before I post again...

A Day for Celebration?

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the revolution that brought Fidel Castro to power in Cuba and created a communist state.
Some are saying that Cuba is celebrating, albeit, in a subdued fashion.
In lieu of offering a personal opinion about it, I will, instead, post this painting that I made on location while in Havana in 2003.
I was fortunate enough to be invited to an art school there to record their fashion show. I was official- permission from our government, a stamp on my passport and cigars as token souvenirs.
More memorable was the poignant atmosphere that I recall-
Havana is beautiful pastel mix of European architecture amidst breezy palm trees and the 1950's cars and neon signs that often symbolize life there. A hint of arabic tile works peeks out from doorways and windows where altars and rosary beads line the walls.
There is in the air a mix of passion and pride, along with a veil of unease and at times, envy, as you can see from this young boy.
Though there for just but a week, I will not soon forget it.

Keeping your faith, baby!

Whatever it may be, the ritual is always moving and awe inspiring.

At the Wong Tai Sin Temple in Hong Kong,
the smell of incense sweetened the air and the smoke created a haze of humbleness as scores of people thronged to make their offerings.

Oddly enough, I did not go unnoticed, and as I was drawing, became embarassingly, somewhat of an attraction myself.
I am, along with my journal images, part of the photo diary of many visitors, posing first with the husbands and then with the wives. Go figure.

Hong Kong People

There were so very many street scenes to record in Hong Kong-but it is also a city of fashion and fashionable people, too. Here are some quickies....

The Language of Pride

What transcends the inability to speak the same language?
Is it a shared look? A smile? Sometimes, I find it is a drawing-
In all of the little streets that I twisted and turned onto, filled with vegetables and vendors, steaming pots of soup, sparkling Christmas decorations, and glistening ducks, the language of pride came through.
When I paused for a minute or two to draw, our connections were made.
I felt like I had spoken to everyone who I drew, though I had not uttered
a word!

When Drawing Gets Religion

Today I took my class to St. Patrick's Cathedral to draw.
The mild air and warm rain belied the December date. It was only inside that the massive crowds and the festive wreaths
told us that it was near to Christmas.
We spoke, my class and I, about the conflict of drawing while there were those around us who came to the cathedral to worship.
The flash of the cameras around us emphasized our thoughts, but quietly and respectfully we drew-and listened.
I was really proud of what they drew today. I stole a little time of my own-probably not the optimum choice of words for the venue, but such as it is- here is my day's work.

Hong Kong KRAZY!

Oh, I know that it has been forever since I posted.
I just returned from a cool project that I received a grant for at FIT,
where I teach Illustration.
I traveled to Hong Kong and China as a documentary artist,
along with a group of graduate students who are involved in
global fashion management.
It is a draftsman's paradise-just fantastic- and my head is still reeling-
much to scan and to say- all to come along.