From The Potter's Wheel

Diameter range 5-6", height range 3-4"

I've taken up pottery this winter (here's what my first out-of-the-kiln crop looked like). Time for an update! I am enjoying it immensely, and have worked with white, brown and dark brown clay so far. Throwing on the wheel gets easier with time, as it's all about muscle memory and practice. And I love decorating surfaces with paints and glazes. Currently, I'm focusing on utilitarian items with handles; hope to share those in the next update. In the meantime, here's vases and bowls.

Thumbnails for round bowls

Round bowls, bisque-fired, pre-paint and glaze.

Diameter 6", height 3.5"

Left: diameter 5", height 3.5". Right: diameter 6", height 4"

Height 5.5"

Brown clay, fresh of the wheel, pre-bisque firing.  Below is what these look like after glazing.

Inspired by Italian Futurism art movement. Under-glaze painting, glaze.

Inspired by Italian Futurism art movement. Under-glaze painting, glaze.

Inspired by Italian Futurism art movement. Under-glaze painting, glaze.

Inspired by Italian Futurism art movement. Under-glaze painting, glaze. Diameter 4", height 2"

Carved surface, oxide and glaze. Height 5.5"

Carved surface, oxide and glaze. Height 7"

Oxide and glaze.

Oxide and glaze.

Oxide and glaze.

Docked in New London

"First journey under sail in nearly a century" has began!

I was with Dalvero Academy in New London last week, continuing our on-going reportage of the historic 38th Voyage of the fully restored Charles W. Morgan whaling ship, the last of its kind in America. Here are a few pen and ink snapshots I did on June 11th in New London, CT, after the sea trials. 

C.W.Morgan docked in New London, CT.

"Time lapse" of workers bending sails.

Workers bending sails.

Summer & #TBT

Summer has arrived on my website's landing page

Here's a look back at selected seasonal landing page images from the past > (click and scroll down) It's #TBT, after all...

Day 15: "One Watercolor A Day". Geometric Landscape.

Japanese Garden at the Brooklyn Botanical

Japanese Garden at the Brooklyn Botanical

Japanese Garden at the Brooklyn Botanical

DUMBO, Brooklyn

DUMBO, Brooklyn

I'm doing one watercolor exercise a week, following a delightful book called "One Watercolor A Day", written by my art teacher Veronica Lawlor, with my other art teacher Margaret Hurst, and their co-members of Studio 1482 artist collective. Check out the One Watercolor A Day Facebook group, where participants of the challenge are posting their exercise results on weekly basis.

The 38th Voyage of the Charles W. Morgan

The Charles W. Morgan whaling ship, the last of its kind in the world, left Mystic Seaport on Saturday, May 17, for the first time since 1941, to commence the historic 38th voyage. As the news reporter, who was doing a live report right behind me, pointed out, the Morgan was at Mystic before Pearl Harbor happened and before WWII began. I thought to myself "…and before my father was born."

One of the two tug boats at Mystic Seaport that pulled The Morgan

She was toed by a tug boat via Mystic River across Fishers Island Sound and up the Thames River to New London. As the ship disappeared from view at Mystic, we jumped into cars and drove to Avery Point by UConn to watch her pass in the distance from a scenic overlook.

Watching The Morgan from Avery Point

Welcoming crowds in New London's City Pier

Charles W. Morgan docked in New London's City Pier

Charles W. Morgan in New London

New London's train station right across from the pier

The ship docked in New London's City Pier and that's where she will be outfitted for June sea trials.

Worker bending sails on top of the mast

Following Sunday the outfitting began with workers bending sails, i.e. attaching them to masts. It was so amazing to watch and draw them!

Bending Sails on the Morgan

Bending sails on the Morgan

I have yet to see and draw the Morgan in her full glory, with opened sails. Can't wait till June!

Dalvero Academy is working on a new show, scheduled to open in 2015 at the Museum of America and the Sea. Stay tuned for more on that! 

Day 14: "One Watercolor A Day" Challenge: Happy Spring Feeling

Rain, petals and aroma. Spring at the Brooklyn Botanic Japanese Garden.

.....

I'm doing one watercolor exercise a week, following a delightful book called "One Watercolor A Day", written by my art teacher Veronica Lawlor, with my other art teacher Margaret Hurst, and their co-members of Studio 1482 artist collective. Check out the One Watercolor A Day Facebook group, where participants of the challenge are posting their exercise results on weekly basis.

Drawing Music :: Nels Cline Singers @ LPR

Nels Cline the Rock Star

Great music makes me want to draw the people making it. Here's The Nels Cline Singers with Cyro Baptista on percussion from the recent May 1st show at my favorite New York music venue (Le) Poisson Rouge. What an amazing experience THAT was. Here's a link to Nels Cline Singer's latest album "MACROSCOPE".  It's really beautiful. Nothing compares to hearing music live, of course...the band is currently on US tour, see if they're playing in your city.

The Nels Cline Singers with Cyro Baptista on Percussion

Portrait of Nels Cline

Fast fast fingers

Cyro Baptista and Nels Cline

Drawing Music :: Look & Listen Festival at BRIC

Cellist Michael Nicolas

Today, my friends and I attended day two of the on-going Look & Listen Festival at BRIC Arts Media House in Brooklyn. Here's what the website says about the Festival's mission: "The Look & Listen Festival is an annual event dedicated to presenting new music in art galleries. The Festival seeks to expand and engage audiences of 20th and 21st music by providing a unique opportunity to simultaneously experience a stimulating visual environment for new music and a vibrant aural context for contemporary visual art. "

I can't believe that it's been 4 years since my first Look & Listen event...

It was an absolute pleasure to be there today! I will let the drawings do the talking. You can still catch two more days of this beautiful event on May 1st and May 2nd.

Hush by Phyllis Chen & Robert Dietz, being composed in real-time and looped.

Mario Davidovsky's 1960s composition, performed by cellist Michael Nicolas
with electronic computer loops.

Violinist from the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE)

World Premiere of Sebastián Zubieta's piece commissioned by Look & Listen
entitled Coronata di stelle and performed by Adam Kent, Michael Nicolas and Adda Kridler

Composition Chorus Music by So Percussion.

Oscar Bettison’s Apart, performed by So Percussion. Playing tuning forks.

Adam Sliwinski of So Percussion playing a tuning fork for
Oscar Bettison’s Apart.