Most Perfect Container in History

Cooper, stemming from the Latin "cuparius", has the same root as the word "cup". Cooper makes barrels: individual staves of wood held by metal hoops.

 "The oak for a wine maker is like the sauce for a great chef". 

Egyptian painting depicts first known barrel. Then, Greek and Roman art reveals that barrel design remained the same throughout history. It's a perfect container: it can be as big as you make it,  it can be dis-assembled and re-assembled, it can hold as much weight as you put inside, and it can be moved by a 5-year-old, by rolling it on it's side.

Tobacco is held in white oak barrels. So is wine and Tabasco sauce. Bourbon is aged in new barrels, while Tequila is aged in old barrels. And during the Age of Sail, barrels stored and were a measurement of whale oil.

Mystic Seaport's 19th century village is a time-capsule with historic buildings that are home to many old trades. Here are my drawings and notes after visiting the cooper's neighbor, a blacksmith >>  

You can also visit a sail loft, a rope-making shop, a print shop, an old drugstore, a rigging loft, sailor's reading room and other 19th century New England historic buildings along the Mystic River at the Museum of America and the Sea.>

And while you're there, stop by the Stillman building, where I'm exhibiting along with 23 fellow artists in a group show we ourselves curated for the Museum of America and The Sea.  Visit "Restoring a past. Charting a future". >

Mystic with Van Gogh

Vincent Van Gogh's pen & ink drawings from Arles make me cry. He's with me when I draw. He was with me when I did this very recent drawing at Mystic.

33 days till the opening of our show...

see all my posts with Mystic drawings > 

see posts by artist Alex Charner with his Mystic drawings >

see posts by artist Evan Turk with his Mystic drawings >

Animation :: In Transit

Animation "In Transit" drawn on the NYC subway during my daily commute. iPad & iPhone Brushes app, After Effects.

Drawing Music :: Ecstatic Music Festival 2012 : Dan Deacon

A chance, post-sunset email encounter brought me to the Merkin Concert Hall last night for the Ecstatic Music Festival's premiere of Dan Deacon's new composition. I was impressed by his concert "happening" during last year's Ecstatic Music Festival (captured in drawings and ruminations here >), and was curious to see what will be his new program. The show was streaming live on NPR, so maybe some of you heard it or will hear it as the recording goes up. It was exquisite, performed by the composer himself, NOW Ensemble and Calder Quartet . I really loved it. Couldn't help but hear "Music for 18 Musicians" by Steve Reich throughout the piece, which must have really influenced Dan Deacon. All in all, I am really into whatever it is this composer is doing, his taste level and the choices that he makes.  Now, if only I could get a recording onto my playlist...mmm...

So, as I was listening and watching from the balcony, I drew on the iPad. 

An Opal Toad with Obsidian Eyes (2012) by Dan Deacon. NOW Ensemble and Calder Quartet at the Merkin Concert Hall
drawn on my iPad

Two members of Calder Quartet, playing pizzicato.
drawn on my iPad  

An Opal Toad with Obsidian Eyes (2012) by Dan Deacon. NOW Ensemble and Calder Quartet at the Merkin Concert Hall
drawn on my iPad

Dan Deacon with laptop and cables, and a member of Calder Quartet
drawn on my iPad 

Calder Quartet performing Glitch by Daniel Wohl. *loved*
drawn on my iPad 

A shout-out to Judd Greenstein, the composer who organizes and curates Ecstatic Music Festival. Nice to see you again! Till next year.

24 Artists. 1 last surviving American wooden whaleship in the world. 3 years in the making. Over 180 artworks on display at The Museum of America and The Sea, Mystic Seaport, CT. Opening April 28, 2012.  www.dalveromystic.com >

logo design: Margaret Hurst, Todd Rawson.

Mystic Seaport Show :: Follow Us on FB & Twitter

In light of our approaching gallery opening at The Museum of America and The Sea at Mystic Seaport, artists of Dalvero Academy have launched a Facebook page> and Twitter @DalveroMystic>. Follow us to see the behind-the-scenes photos from 2009 up to date!

The Preservation Shipyard at Mystic Seaport, 2011

The Morgan Restoration, 2011

New York Classical Theater :: Moliere @ WFC

Reportage drawing of the scene from Sganarelle

(Lucky) 13th season for New York Classical Theater opens with Molière's three comedies: Two Precious Maidens Ridiculed, The Forced Marriage, and Sganarelle, or the Imaginary Cuckold. Presented by arts>Brookfield.

It's happening now, through March 11th, at the World Financial Center's Winter Garden, 7pm, Tuesday-Sunday, for  f r e e.  It's spectacular, unhinged and hilarious. The acting is just phenomenal. The costumes are beautiful. I love drawing these performances because of the "panoramic" nature - I can literally touch the actors. I get so involved in the play - it's a completely immersive theatrical experience. And, of course, the expressiveness and body language of the actors are great to draw.

I've been a fan of New York Classical Theater for a few years now-is it fair to say this was the best one? Ah, I say that after each performance. All are brilliantly directed by Stephen Burdman who greets the audience in the beginning. 

Amazing how Molière's satire is so on point today, even though it was written..when..in the 1600's?! Because humans will be humans, marriage will be marriage, fops will be fops and that's that.

Get to enjoy it for yourself!

Reportage drawing of the scene from The Forced Marriage

Reportage drawing of the scene from The Forced Marriage

Reportage drawing of the scene from Two Precious Maidens Ridiculed

Reportage drawing of the scene from Two Precious Maidens Ridiculed

Reportage drawing of the scene from Sganarelle

Reportage drawing of the scene from Sganarelle

The Charles W. Morgan

The Charles W. Morgan in Scaffolding. Mystic Seaport, CT. Pen and Ink, 2011

Meet the Charles W. Morgan, the last wooden American whaling ship in existence. It is under the restoration at the Mystic Seaport, CT. Artists from the Dalvero Academy, myself included, have been recording the restoration process over the past 3 years, in both analog and digital artistic formats. Here's a pen-and-ink (analog) drawing of the ship's rudder in scaffolding from 2011. In less than 2 months, we will be ready to open doors to our group exhibit at the Museum of America and the Sea at Mystic Seaport,  CT, where our diverse art works will offer interpretations of the whaling legacy and history of America. More info: www.dalveromystic.com >