Sketch Class

Tuesday night is life drawing night here at the Vytlacil Campus, except they don't seem to call it that - it's "open sketch" instead. This particular chap (Robert) was great, very athletic, and we seemed to decide n mainly 10 minute poses, which really suit me. Longer poses tend to be more static and I get bored, end up doing to much.

These are done with a dip pen and Dr Marten's Radiant Watercolours (with the white being chinese wite watercolour). I bought several different papers in Pearl Paints the other day and this is me trying them out. Think it will take me another few sessions before I make my mind up which papers I like, though.

Vytlacil Campus Sculptures

There are a wealth of sculptures scattered in the grounds of Vytlacil Campus, so much so that you never quite know what you are going to stumble across next, or what is natural and what is created. The following are a few that are round the back of the house - the first is particularly friendly.

Others are a little more startling and have a very strong presence. The last one pictured blends with the life-drawing barn, shifting in mood with the light.

Remember we have an Open Studio event on the afternoon of the 24th of May, with bus leaving from the Manhattan campus on 57th St, so you can come and see them for yourself.

More NYC Museums

Yesterday I learnt that Americans call all places that sell artwork Art Galleries, and all places that show art but don't sell it Museums. Just one of the many little misunderstandings I am having with people - it is really making me wonder how much of my blog is readable by non-scots, and how much of other people's blogs I am really understanding. Huh, as New Yorkers seem keen an saying. Anyway, I've been wandering around a few of these museums - MoMA, where this marvelous goat statue by Picasso lives in a lovely little outdoor space. Unfortunately I was generally underwhelmed by the place - I was expected tons of abstract expressionist works, lots of people I'd never heard of, and a better understanding of abstract art as practised in America. But no. What you have is like a mini Tate Modern, with the impressionist/post impressionist bit of the National Gallery added on. Oh well.

So I went to the Guggenheim. Half of which, it turns out, was closed. But again, the strength seemed to be with the post-impressionists. Still, I had fun drawing the inside of the building, and lots of legs of folks appreciating these big torn metal sculptures. Then I thought I'd have something substantial and warm to eat, so ordered the fixed price menu of a sandwich, chips and a glass of wine. OK, I thought, chips and a sandwich seems a strange combination, but I'm in a foreign country so I should try and eat what the locals do. Except I had forgotten that what they call chips here are crisps. Duh. Still, the sandwich was nice, as were the wine and the crisps, and I had another go at drawing the building, this time with a little bit of Central Park thrown in.

And Back Home . . . PAI 2012

If any of you are paying attention, you'll notice that this painting was posted back in December. However, this particular image is the product of Lighthouse Photography who has done a much better job than I have ever managed. Also, I believe it is currently on display at Paisley Art Institute 2012 exhibition.

Exploring the Metropolitan

The Metropolitan Museum is huge. I knew this, but it really didn't prepare me for the reality of just how huge. Think the National Gallery and Tate Britain and The British Museum all added together.

So far I have been twice and am planning on going back at least another couple of times - although I wandered around the Impressionist section (so many Degas! Heaven!) I was too tired to really pay attention (like you can sorta see from my sketch I was in the American wing).

This wing is interesting and I particularly liked the storage area, which has rows of paintings hung vertically in glass containers. What was particularly good was that you could get real close to the paintings and the area was deserted - enabling a very good gander at how the paintings had been painted. Invaluable. In that section there was, of course, lots of stuff other than paintings - including this statue. (Sorry no scanner presently, so all pictures photos - hence much darker and less clear than normal)

First Night at Vytlacil Residency

First night at Vytlacil Campus and I am rather knackered, so please excuse the out-of-focus photograph. There are more (of varying quality) at my flickr page. It was lovely of the last resident to leave me a nice smiley face to welcome me - thank you!

Dreaming New York

"You want fame? Well fame costs. And right here is were you start paying, in sweat."
If you are in your 30's and British you know the show. Re-watching the series has been an unexpected pleasure - not least for laying bare what is probably the root of my wish to go to NYC.
A very high propertion of movies/books/T.V. shows based in New York (especially the ones close to my heart) seem to be based on dreamers - from Travis to Gatsby, via Tootsie, Tony Manero, Joe Buck and Ratso and the real fake Miss Golightly. Let us not forget King Kong and, of course, the Kids from Fame. Even Michael Corleone was a dreamer in the beginning, and Matthew Scudder negotiated the journey from a drunken cop via almost-bum to being teetotal and happily married whereas Popeye Doyle got his man. The Ghostbusters dreamed of ridding the city of ghosts and the Warriors of getting home.
New York must be one of the most written about cities in English, and a fair amount of writers are dreamers themselves - and have, of course, made the journey from hicksville to the Big City. London has a few of these tales itself, but they have never lodged in my imagination in the same way - partly because to become a success in London for a Scot is type of failure and partly because I am a visual person and New York has become the symbol of city on screen (even if most of it is filmed in back lots!)
So 30 years later I am following in the footsteps of Bruno, Leroy and Doris by going to school in New York - even if only for 4 weeks. I hope the cost is worth the effort and not too much sweat is involved. Wish me luck!