Rainy Weekend in Albany.

I'm so flippin' bored.
Which is odd since I did a lot this weekend...

Saturday -
I worked from 0730-1130.

Then I hightailed it to Mass MOCA in North Adams, MA. One hour away from Albany.

Very interesting exhibits. But, is it ART???
I'm glad I went. The Huang Yong Ping (wikipedia) retrospective was particularly interesting or provocative. I also decided that I could have a second-career as a museum docent and dispense lots of art-history lite commentary.

Dinner was Indian food at Karavalli. I ordered the Crispy Eggplant, shrimp, and lentils with rice. Pretty darn good. Indian food is one cuisine that is underrepresented in Portland, OR.

Sunday -
Went to Saratoga Springs (30 miles north of Albany) and had breakfast. It was raining so I did little window shopping and instead spent a good deal of time reading magazines at Borders Books and Music.

Then I went over to the race-track and watched the 1PM and the 130PM races. 7-furlongs. I did not place any bets. It was interesting to see all the people gambling on horses and watching the race INSIDE on the TV-screens instead of going outside to watch the actual horses run past.

Then I returned to Albany. I went to a shopping mall but forgot how queasy malls make me feel so I quickly left.

Made it to the 7pm showing of THE PUFFY CHAIR at the SpectrumTheaters. Prior to the film, I had a sandwich at the adjoining Ultraviolet Cafe. This is where I drew the sketch. There was this guy squatting outside the cafe in this alcove sheltered from the rain, playing with some gameboy device, smoking a cigarette.

I enjoyed the movie. It had a great storyline - with a great soundtrack. (Note to self, download those songs!)

Perhaps, bored isn't the correct term. I'd just rather be elsewhere.

States I've Visited

I'm bored at work. I found this website that gives you a map of all the states (or countries) you've visited. I've visited 72% of the 50 states. I hope this isn't an electoral map for 2008. Too much red.











http://douweosinga.com/projects/visitedstates

15-minute torso...

I found a figure drawing session in Albany NY where I'm on a 10-day work assignment.

So I went.

It was interesting - very different than my Portland drawing experiences.

Most of the attendees were doing very 'delicate' and 'precise' renderings of the figure. Quite unlike the approach that I've been taking with my drawing/painting.

It was challenging for me draw on an 11x14 sketchpad when I am accustomed to a much larger 24x36 sheet of paper. Even then, 24x36 can be too small. The disadvantage of these photos is that everything is reduced to one visual scale.

My figures from the evening of drawing were missing lots of heads and appendages.

Figurative and Abstract

Two pieces in charcoal.

For both pieces, the model switched between two-poses during the 3-hour sessions.
 

Waldo Lake

There was a forest fire here and the burn area is slowly coming back to life.

I loved the arched dead trees. They were skeletal or like antlers shed in the forest.
 

more fun with acrylics.

from tuesday night. painting is fun.


This one was a combo of several short exercises in 30-mins.













This painting was an hour-ish long effort. I don't like purple but it's a very useful color.

Stuff

 

Abstract painting.