Lions of Michigan Ave. and Adams

The Art Institute of Chicago is one of my favorite places in the city. There's something for everyone! This week I was there several times for a variety of reasons. Each time I had the pleasure of crossing the street with the Streetwise vendor. I don't know his name. I should ask him the next time I'm there. This has been his regular corner for years so I'm familiar with his friendly banter, his tall tales of Chicago and his corner of the city. Each time I'm impressed by the pride and effort he puts into his job. Most of the time I end up crossing the street with a Streetwise under my arm but always with a smile on my face. When he's not on duty I miss him.

If you're in Chicago and at the Art Institute be sure to meet this other lion at Michigan Avenue and Adams! Oh, and buy a Streetwise!

To Post or Not To Post

Our Monday sketch group met on Wednesday this month due  to the Easter holiday.  We call ourselves a sketching group but I think we're a chatting group that sketches – even in the Newberry Library where we met this month. Either way we have a good time. 

Right now the Newberry is hosting the Chicago Calligraphy Collectives annual exhibit, a remarkably beautiful show. I'm amazed at the creativity and skill of these artists. I'm envious!

These pages, done in my 8 x11.5 Moleskine watercolor book, are just some fast visual notes from the library lobby. Nothing much or great going on but it is what it is and I enjoyed doing it. 

And Very Early in the Morning…

It was a beautiful Easter Sunday in Chicago. I don't often draw in church but is was the perfect way to entertain a robot-obsessed three year old on Easter morning! With a seven, five and three year old enjoying the holiday at our place that was the only time to sketch anyway!  I hope you all had a glorious weekend too.

Revelation

LUMA (Loyola University Museum of Art) and the Center for Intuitive and Outside Art are co-hosting and exhibit of outsider art with the theme of Heaven + Hell – LUMA hosting the Heaven side and Intuit, the Hell. On Monday the docents from LUMA toured the Intuit presentation with Jan Petry, one of the curators. Familiar now with both installations I am astounded by the creativity and vision of mankind when we just let go and let the artist out. 

Point of View

Monday our local sketch group  met at the Chicago Cultural Center. We had a brief discussion about upcoming venues and then headed off in different directions to sketch. It was one of those Chicago days that was lovely one minute, iffy the next and then back to lovely. I chose to stay inside and sketch just in case.

This was done from a second floor  (maybe it was the third floor) window. Looking east, toward the lake, the Pritzker Pavilion looks like it's in full sail. I sketched at the window and then added color when we regrouped in the CCC lobby. 

I usually don't duplicate posts on different blogs but I've posted several other views of this sketch over at Urban Sketchers-Midwest. 

Sounds Like a Plan

The morning should begin with a quick sketch or two. I really like that idea. Maybe I'll incorporate Cathy Johnson's lessons at the Online Strathmore Workshop 2 as a starting point. Two of these pages are from lesson 1. The third one is my palette. When I rearrange my palette I make a swatch map. I scan it and print it to paste into my various sketchbooks. 

The eucalyptus pods caught my eye when I was out shopping the other day and I couldn't resist buying a branch. I think they'd be gorgeous in a larger still life. They've certainly been great to see the first thing in the morning!

So Much to Learn

It's been a hectic week and I'm glad I have the watercolor class to make me take time to paint.  Dan Goodwin at A Big Creative Yes had a post recently about the first port of the day. As you begin the day's adventure, he suggests that you start the day doing something creative. A while ago, I also read about someone who began their work day, everyday, with a sketch taken from a photo in the morning paper. (I wish I could remember who it was so I could give them credit. It was in one of Danny Gregory's books I think.) Anyway, I believe they're on to something - maybe "Morning Sketches" instead of Morning Pages! Hmm–seems like a plan is brewing in my head…

This watercolor was done in class last week. It's from a photo I took in Santorini. The doorways tucked all over the curving, hilly and narrow streets  fascinated me. It's painted on 300 lb. Arches paper though Fabriano is more to my liking.  This painting, though not a gem, was worth the effort. I learned a lot.