New York 2

Loved all the different fire (?) hydrants I saw on my trip. Don't know what all the different colours meant, but I especially loved what looked like gold ones on Park Avenue. How decadent.

 Went to a Korean restaurant as we used to live in South Korea when I was a kid, so we wanted to try all the food we used to adore, and it was far better than I remembered. I'm afraid the oil pastels didn't even remotely capture the delicacy and beauty of the food we were served, but great tasting bulgogi and kimchi again. Yum.

 Drew these collection of people from our breakfast table one morning all walking past in their own little worlds getting ready for their day ahead.

Loved all the reflections in the glass. You would see hidden buildings reflected but you could never find the actual original building that made it.

Trump Towers to Tatamagouche

 So, I've been on a transatlantic whistle-stop trip around New York and Canada. A wee taster of two completely different places, both fascinating, and both great. Not nearly enough time spent in each place, but a good introduction to both brothers lives across the pond.

 So, a few drawings will follow in various posts. A sketchbook was filled in all of two weeks, but I won't scan everything. But here are two of the skyline from the hotel.

Loved the water towers that were all over the place in New York. Apparently they all have to be the same style, only one company makes them, just to keep the integrity of the New York skyline. You don't really notice them at first, but once you spot one, you start to notice hundreds all over the place, I just loved the patterns and uniformity they made amongst the totally different buildings.

What a turkey!

Loved drawing these turkeys. Could hardly walk under the weight of their own importance, all fluffed up and noone taking the blindest bit of notice. Never really noticed how beautiful their feathers were, quite subtle until you really look. Wish I had my paints when I drew them, but seeing as I was supposed to be working when I whipped my sketchbook out,  probably would have been really cheeky if I had done so...

Two gone and counting

So where have the past two months gone to? Gone far too fast, but must show I've been having far too much fun. Either that or just got too many things to do and not enough time.

So I'm back to doing my drawing calendar, did it last year sort of, but I tended to draw the days about a week or so later, and couldn't for the life of me remember some of the days, so its only a half filled diary. I've kept this one in the midst of my current sketch book, as last year I kept it separate and never took it around with me. If I can keep this years one going daily, as its always with me,  it would be great, then at least I've got a reminder in the years to come of what a crazy ol time its been lately.

Natural Geometry

How on earth do woodpeckers get perfectly circular holes? I've walked past this tree many a time and always marvelled at the perfect circles, so I finally decided to stop and draw it, and celebrate the clever wee elusive birds. Yet again the dogs waited patiently, well sort of. A stick kept being dropped at my feet at a not so subtle hint to get moving, stop drawing and start playing. One day I hope to catch a woodpecker on paper...

St Bride's Day

Heard when I got up that it was St Bride's Day, goddess of fire and light. St Brigid is said to have helped the Virgin give birth to Jesus - whence she is the protector of pregnant women and midwives. Her pagan namesake, the Celtic goddess Brigit, was also associated with fertility and childbirth. Her feast day, is also the Gaelic spring festival of Imbolc, On this mystic day adders were believed to abandon their winter lairs: and the oyster-catcher birds, called in Gaelic Gille Brighde, ' the servants of Bride', made their appearance, bringing Spring with them. We saw a huge flock of them in a field today, coincidence? Not sure if I can remember seeing them earlier this year.
So this first day of February, we were told it was a good day to sow some seeds, so our new propagator bed was put to its test and tomatoes were sown. Shame she doesn't guard against forgetfulness. Forgot to turn off the hose filling up the water tank in the greenhouse, so guess what is now flooded...

Pottering On

Can't wait, its feeling oh so that much closer to Spring and all it holds. Drew these pots in a friends' greenhouse while it was getting fixed after the snow bought all the panels in. Was meant to be helping but got distracted by all these cacti in their terracotta pots. Only very quickly painted afterwards, but it got me all excited about the planting plans and ideas that are shortly to be put in place. Also just started a fascinating book about the 'Secret Life of Plants' by Peter Tompkins. Written back in the 60's but still relevant. Makes me think twice now about how I talk and deal with plants. A must read for anyone who is even vaguely interested in plants.