My (mini) Vacation in DR

I just spent 3 dreamy beautiful days dozing off on the beach in Dominican Republic's Punta Cana resort. I can still hear the hum of the ocean...these few lazy drawings that I brought back with me are shedding sand. I feel warmer just looking at them in the dead of this endless New York winter. Maybe they will bring some warmth to you, too.

Resort's plaza

Vacationers

Amazing Dominican Republic clouds

Sunbathers

Posing for Facebook, naturally

The beach

The resort

Resort's architecture

Purple sunset

Montréal, Part 1: Old Port and Old City.

Sunset over Montréal's Old Port

I spent the Labour Day weekend in la ville aux cent clochers (the city of a hundred steeples). Mark Twain once said, "This is the first time I was ever in a city where you couldn't throw a brick without breaking a church window."  He is right! Here are some drawings of Ville-Marie aka Montréal, Canada. Such a beautiful and history-rich place to draw!

Night view of Côte de la Place d'Armes / Ruelle des Fortifications with Notre-Dame Basilica peaking in the distance

Notre-Dame Basilica. One of the four Roman Catholic basilicas in Montreal
Top right: flag of Montreal with symbols taken from the coat of arms. It represents 4 main European ethnic groups that were settled in the city in the 19th century. Fleur-de-lys for the French, who were the original settles of Ville-Marie. Rose of Lancaster for the English and the Welsh. Shamrock for the Irish. Thistle for the Scots. 

Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral.
One of the four Roman Catholic basilicas in Montreal. 

The Historic Museum in Old Montreal, with horse-driven carriages that give tourists rides on cobble-stone streets.

View of Old Montreal from an abandoned railroad along the river.

Old Montreal. 

Bustling streets of Old Montreal. A fond memory of delicious crepes I ate that evening is forever embedded in this drawing!

The Sailor's Memorial Clock

The tower is dedicated  to the Canadian Sailors who died in the First World War. 

Statue of the Virgin as Star of the Sea atop one of the oldest churches in Montreal. The church, "Our Lady of the Harbour", is known as the Sailor's Church, overlooking the harbor and giving "good help" for safe sea voyages. 

Barcelona, 6 years later...

2007 stamp design for Spain

I'm very excited to be on my way to Barcelona, Spain, this year. Yes. Butterflies and all. It's been 6 years since my first solo reportage trip to this gorgeous Catalan province. You can check out the 2007 reportage drawings here. This time around, I'm attending the 4th International Urban Sketching Symposium. Stay tuned for more on that and my other European summer travels. Adéu for now!