En Plein Air: Companion (oil 6 x 12) and Morning Reading (Oil 12 x 9)

Companion

Morning Reading

Sketches: Oil and Ink

This afternoon, I went out to paint with two newly-made friends and young artists in New York. They were David and Ariel. When I was painting the Austin Ale House a week ago, They two happened to pass by. Without I knowing it, David made in his notebook a sketch of me painting there. You may find the sketch below. The whole thing was totally a stroke of serendipity. David's full name is David Ezra Stein. He is an established children picture book author and illustrator. He won 2011 Caldcott Honor Award. I happened to be a picture book researcher.

Today we agreed to paint/draw together at Forest Park. I did two really quick oil sketches of people on the lawns. Then we went to a pizzeria on the street corner of 116th St. and Metropolitan Blvd., sitting under the umbrella and sketching the pedestrians. It was fun. I made a sketch of Ariel there. The color sketch was about the houses across from my home. David did it a few days ago. He lives nearby.

Enjoying the Sunshine

Mother and Children

Ariel

Houses Across from the Street 

by David Ezra Stein

Mo Painting Plein Air

by David Ezra Stein

En Plein Air: Park Lane S. (Oil, 9 x 12)

I knew the best time to paint this scene was around 3 PM when the sun lit up the sidewalk behind the woods, but I didn't feel like going too far from home since I had a dentist appointment in the afternoon. So right out of my apartment building, I walked down Park Ln. Shortly after I made a right turn, I stopped in front of an English villa. I liked the view of the Park from street.

En Plein Air: Long Island Railroad Tracks over Ascan St. (oil 9 x 12)

Sketches of Lincoln Center Memorial Day Concert and New York Subway

I went to Lincoln Center this afternoon for the Memorial Day Concert. As usual, I also sketched on subway on my way to and back from Lincoln Center.

En Plein Air: Audley St. (oil 12 x 9)

I didn't go very far this morning. After leaving home, I turned onto Beverly Rd. Walking a few blocks, I came on a hilltop. It was the intersection of Audley St.. I remembered I painted about two years ago the water tank on its right-hand side. As I turned around to see its left-hand side, I noticed a quiet sidewalk in the sun, intermittently shaded from the roadside trees. The street was lined with a variety of cozy residential homes. All these things formed a naturally beautiful picture. Therefore, I stopped walking and set up on the street corner to make this painting.

En Plein Air: Chase Bank at the Intersection of Grenfell St. and Lefferts Blvd. (9 x 12)

It took two hours from 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM. It was only a block away from the Austin Ale House I painted a few days ago. The intersection was a hill top. From where I stood, a small curving back street, the place was almost at my eye level.

Sketches at the Concert: L A Blacksmith & Jazz-Plus

I went to the Forest Hills Library this afternoon for the "Soulful Sounds" Concert. It was one of the best concerts the Library has ever sponsored, as far as I know. Saxophone player Ka Blacksmith gave a very beautiful and authentic presentation. His music evidently struck a resonant chord in the audience and they responded with great enjoyment. I made a couple of sketches there. The following are two of them. One is the musician; the other a lady sitting across the aisle.

En Plein Air: Forest Park in the Morning (Oil, 9 x 12)

I went pretty early to the Forest Park. It was 7:30 AM. The sunshine was beautiful even though it was a little chilly. I set up in the woods. The painting took not quite two hours.

Oil Sketch: Austin Ale House (12 x 9)

This is the first painting I have done in New York this time. When I reopened my painting kit, which I left behind when I went back to Florida, I noticed the mineral spirit had became a kind of milky gel. Since I was in a painting mood, I tried to make do with it, knowing it could be a problem. I didn't want to change my plans and go get a new jar of it. However, I made the painting almost without using any thinner. The mineral spirit  I left in New York a half year ago didn't work at all. The Place I painted is a restaurant named Austin Ale House, not far from my NY residence. It was on Austin St. next to the Long Island Railroad.

Sketches in Paris and Dublin

Paris Sketches

Barcelona Sketches (IV)

We arrived in Paris this evening from Barcelona. While waiting for our train at Barcelona Sants Railroad Station, I caught three sketches.

Barcelona Sketches III

Sketches in Barcelona II

Catedral, Barcelona

Two Columns Inside Sagrada Familia

Young Man Drinking at Sidewalk Table of Restaurant