Looking East

We met at the Art Institute on Sunday for our monthly sketch crawl. I sketched in the Asian collection, an area I rarely explore. Since the Art Institute only allows sketching in pencil I added the color to the axe and disk sketches from memory at home. The tomb guardians were completed on site. It was a fun afternoon. I throughly enjoyed working only with a Tombow 4B pencil and a Stillman & Birn, Gamma series sketchbook for a change. It was a connection with the ancients by working with hand, tool and material – nice.

A Caffeinated Mind

My last post mentioned Mandy Patinkin. His voice is incredible! That got me to thinking about some of  my favorite songs I've heard him sing. That got me to thinking about Coffee in a Cardboard Cup, a song from a musical 70, Girls, 70. That got me to thinking about Starbucks and how much time I spend there catching my breath and sketching while running errands. It's a very different take on coffee in a cardboard cup than the one presented in the song.

That got me to thinking about the song's basic premise and I still think it's a good one.

"The trouble with the world today, it seems to me,
Is coffee in a cardboard cup.
The trouble with the affluent society
Is coffee in a cardboard cup.
No one's ever casual and nonchalant,
No one waits a minute in a restaurant,
No one wants a waitress passing pleasantries
Like "How're you, Miss?"
"How're you, Sir?"
"May I take your order please?"
The trouble with the world today is plain to see,
Is everything is hurry up.
It's rush it through, and don't be slow,
And BLT on rye to go,
With coffee (I think she said)
Coffee (I know she said)
Coffee in a cardboard cup."    70, Girls, 70

Thursday at the CST with Bob

Another round of sketches from Navy Pier where the Chicago Shakespeare Theater makes its home!

A long, long, long time ago I saw Sunday in the Park with George in New York, starring Mandy Patinkin and Bernadette Peters. It was fabulous. When we headed out to Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Halloween night to see CST's latest version of the show I must admit I was afraid. I couldn't imagine how it could live up to a show I loved and that had been further polished by fond memories. SURPRISE! Jason Daneley, as George Seurat, and Carmen Cusack, as Dot, did not disappoint - they were fabulous! The show was great. It was a night of treats.

The scribbled sketches were colored later at home. The CST logo is from the program.

Return to Navy Pier

Last Friday, I returned to Navy Pier to meet three of my cousins for dinner.  I arrived early, so I went up to the Crystal Garden to relax and do a little sketching.  I couldn't believe I did not have one pencil or pen in my purse - what was I thinking?  But, I had my tiny Altoids watercolor palette, a water brush, and my little Moleskine watercolor book, so I sketched directly with watercolor.  I am not great at sketching with watercolor, but it helped pass the time.  I added lines with a Micron pen when I got home.

I also sketched the condiments in the restaurant while I was waiting for my cousins.  (I borrowed a pen from the waitress, and added the color at home.)

After dinner, we went up to the Crystal Garden - my cousins had never been there, so it was fun to introduce them to it.  And, I was craving the peace and quiet by then.  Navy Pier is fun - but it is so noisy inside, especially with a very loud band playing on the main floor.  The Crystal Garden is like another world.

Catching up and reminiscing - it was a perfect evening!

Crystal Garden

Harry Caray's condiments