My 'Detail' Fix

OK - so I had to have my fix.  As many of you know, I thrive on detailed artwork.  Putting in every nut and bolt so to speak.  So as I was looking at a photo I took of the Powers Building in downtown Rochester I wondered what it would have looked like in its' hey day from that vantage point.  So I did some research.  it didn't take long.  This is a popular building and there are many pictures of it going back to the late 1880s'.  Using a photo from 1904 I did some reconstruction of the details that are no longer there.  It took a while but the end result was wonderful(and painful to my fingers).  There may be a detail or two that I did incorrectly.  But with this much on one page how can you tell.  LOL.  Anyway here it is as it was and below is as it is today.

@ Church

 I have not been able to post for a while now because of the computer industries practices.  What I mean to say is I own a all in one scanner, printer,copier.  All of the ones out there for sale now are like this.  The problem is they are built with all the circuitry going through the ink cartriges. That means that as soon as the ink runs out not only does the printer not work but neither does the scanner.  So there I am stuck not being able to post to my blog.  What I wouldn't give for a stand alone scanner to avoid this problem.  Had to spend money at the FedEx store to have a piece scanned for a publishing gig.  And it was a bad scan at that.  Anyway, on to other matters.           
     Both Juli and I are getting more involved in our church.  She is in the Bell choir and I sing in the other Choir.  Our church has two chapels.  The original,built back in the 1950's and the new one just a few years ago.  The Choir meets every Sunday morning before service in the old chapel.  It has the feel I grew up with for churchs.  And, of course, the accustics are great.  We practice for 1/2 an hour then head down to service.  The cross is wonderful piece to look at while we're there.
      We gather in the Gym and the pastor prays over us then we all file in.  Yes, 
       I wear a big robe.  But, as tall as I am there is about a foot of legs sticking out below it.  I am greatfull I stand in the back row.  I do get a few quick sketches in, but I stay attentive to the service.  I have the sermon notes to prove it.  LOL.  Last Sunday was the annual world communion.  The Choir always goes first so I was able to scribble out the one below.  Both the pastors conduct the ceremony.  And it took just a few minutes to get everyone in the service done.  Doing these quick sketches also help me stay attentive.  I am sometimes sleepy.  But, doing these help keep my mind sharp and alert.  When the pastor starts her sermon I have no problem following her.  I quess I am just wired visually.  Todays service she talked about developing healthy relationships.  How most of the time the conflicts in our lives come from our selfish desire for something we don't have. 
     Anyway, today we had our last class for membership in this church.  Next Sunday we will going through reconfirmation in the service.  Once done we will be members of the Aldersgate United Methodist church.  It's been a few years since we've been members anywhere. 

37th World Wide Sketchcrawl

 This is the first World Wide Sketchcrawl that I have been to and it was a lot of fun.  Of course, since I travel by bus I was up at 7am to catch the first bus by 8am(which never came).  I was forced to walk to the other route and catch that one.  It was well below 40 degrees when I left home.  So by the time I got to the bus stop I was freezing.  But, I still got downtown on time for my transfer.  I was the first to arrive at Village Gate Center to meet everyone else at the Dark Horse Coffee Shop.  By the time I got there I needed the coffee and something to eat.  Others were getting there as I was waiting for my order.  After getting what I needed I joined the group to help pull together tables.  At first we spent the time sharing our sketch books and supplies.  Two of those there had been to the Urban Sketchers International Symposium in Santo Domingo.  So they talked about everything they did there.  It was still cold out so we worked for an hour and a half in the shop. However, at some point someone suggested we head outside since it had warmed up.  It took a while to gather up all our stuff.  We setup across the street in the sun and did 

 another hour of work out there.  The top sketch was of the coordinator of this groups sketchcrawl.  She was Zoned out for a while drawing a funky looking bench.  I got the same bench below in the street scene of Goodman ave.  It also seemded to be the time of day for all the local residents to walk their dogs.  It was a steady stream of them back and forth.  At one point I stood up to look away from the sun to give my eyes a rest.  That is when I saw one man walking a tiny dog through a tunnel of trees.  I quickly threw down the sketch you see below.  Someone mentioned lunch and we all crossed back over to go to Selenas' Mexican

 Restaurant.  I was funny watching 6 people around the table talking and drawing instead of eating.  What a great way to loose weight.  Draw the food don't eat it.  Finally we decided to walk down to the Memorial Art Gallery(the local art museum).  We only had a few minutes there but I did concentrate on the buildings' tower.  Very intricate and this drawing doesn't do it justice.  Will have to go back and redo that at a later date.  We all broke up at that point and went our own way.  It was great getting to know new people and fellow artists.  The network circle keeps growing.

Anderson Alley Artists Studio Lofts

     If you did not know it was there you may miss it.  The Anderson Alley lofts are in the back half of an old building on Goodman st.  The front of the building is occupied by the 'CITY' newspaper.  They are studios for rent to artists.  I found it when I was unemployed and working with the states dept. of human services to help me find a job.  I noticed the sign for them one day after doing what I had to for the day.  So I went over to check it out. 
     they have a turn of the century elevator that they use for bring in and out large pieces of work so I skipped that and walked the stairs.  Long hall ways ware lined with studios of all sizes.  Some of them big and are shared - some small.  The age of the building gives it the feel of being perfect for artists.  the floors are the original wood floor that creek.  Paint and stains are everywhere.  And the smells of the chemicals we artists use permeates it.  I feel at home there.  Just can't afford to have a space there.  So I go to visit the other artist there.
     Most of the outside is covered with vines and during the fall it is wonderful to see the reds and yellows mixed with the greens.  it is the work space I dream of and at the moment that is what it is - a dream.  Oh well.  So I sit here at my drawing table in my bedroom and do most of my work from here.  One day I will graduate to this but for now I go to keep the dream alive.

 So, continuing with the landmark theme here are a couple of sketches of the Hojack Swing Bridge here in Rochester, NY.  It is slated for Demo next month.  There is a group here trying to save it.  It was built in 1905 and served the railroad right up to the 1970's.  What I find interesting is that it is already designated as a national landmark yet the Coast Guard has ordered it torn down.   Anyway, I am documenting the bridge on the chance that the group trying to save it loose.  I would love to get permission to go out to it and get some close ups. It fascinated me the first time I saw it.  Blunt industrial look, lines ad intersections everywhere.  The group leader tells me it is still as strong as the day as the day it was finished.  They don't make them like that now.  One of my friends tells me how he and his friends used to sneak onto the bridge when it was still in operation.  Every day the railroad would turn it to keep the bearing loose.  He would get onto it just before they moved it, just as they would sound the horn.  Then they would sit it out till the bridge came back to shore.  The electricity is still

running out to it to light the hazard lights.  Recently someone snuck onto to it and put a pink flamingo on the top.  Of course the ducks and geese love it out there. For as ugly as it is it is also a beautiful structure.

The Landmark Society of Western NY is a non-profit organization that works to preserve the architectual history of the region.  They are based out of the Corn Hill area of Rochester.  Of course, in keeping with the groups main theme of preservation they are HQ. in this wonderfully restored home.  Many of the houses in that area are just as interesting and I will eventually reproduce them here too.  But for the time being I wanted to post this image.  It is the first time in a long time I have worked in cross hatching or line only.  So it took me a little bit to get into the groove of it.  It helped me stretch myself and I will do more of this kind of work since it reproduces well and takes less time then my stipleling(dots). 

A day at the Rochester Market

 I met with my group of fellow artists for a day of sketching. Well, 4 hrs of it at least.  Juli and I went there with Melanie(a friend of Julis') - she to shop, me to draw.  I got out at the gate to the market and met up with my group at the Java's Coffee shop there.  We all sat outside around a couple of tables.  It was a hot sunny day and we kept moving to get the best possible spot in the shade.  I loosened up with the drawings of some of the others sitting around having coffee.









 It was a bit hard to get started.  But once I did I took off.  It was an place with lots of people moving around and staying still long enough for me to get started on them but I got a few.  So I switched to the cars near by.  Again - good but not inspirational.  As every body started to go I decided to walk around the market - to get that inspiration.  I got it back at the entrance.  The only problem was - to get the drawing I did I had to stand out in the sun a bit.  Started to sweat a bit.  So once I had the bones of it down I went to the bakery there to sit down inside and work some more on the piece.  A couple of guys there commented on my work and bought me a pastry and some water.  We did some
networking and had a good time talking. 

After that I walked back downtown to catch the bus.  Almost all the way there I came across this home that I have admired on many occasions so I stopped again and got the bones of it down then got to the bus stop and got my ride home.  It was a long day but a fun one.