Road Trip & Workshop in NYC

I thought I'd blog during the road trip to New York City, during the workshop week - but there's only so much I could do in a day - the postings just would have to wait. So bear with me as I encapsulate it all in this one posting. Then it's time to get to painting.

Brett and I picked a route going north through Virginia and end up around Lancaster, Pennsylvania - it's a beautiful area I wanted to photograph again. But.... the weather wasn't cooperating, although it was a couple of days of Zen driving through small towns and enjoying the scenery.

Soon enough, the Zen disappeared as we drove into Manhattan, in the pouring down rain.

Didn't take but a minute to spot the Naked Cowboy entertaining the tourists in Times Square.

We finally settled into our home away from home, a rooftop apartment we rented, on the Upper West Side, with a stunning and ever-changing skyline I never tired of during our stay. Just amazing.

We spent the next several days exploring, marveling over the humanity everywhere.

All the chaos just melted away when you met up with a dog. They soften the rough edges of city life.

Once the sun broke out, we went to a flea market in Hell's Kitchen.....

...where we spotted the unofficial ambassador of the city.....



...then checked out the views from the High Line, a genius way to use an unused rail line.



Next thing we knew, we happened upon a Dancing Parade....



...which led us to Madison Square Park where this striking sculpture, Echo, by Jaume Plensa stood beautifully in the bright sunshine.



Nearby, the iconic Flatiron Building.....



.... then a stop at Eataly for some sweets.



After a day of rest, the first day of the workshop began, with
me doing a demo for my 17 students.




6 x 6"
sold

Then it was off to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for some photos. I've been watching HBO's series 'Game of Thrones', so I was diggin' the armor on exhibit.



The second day of the workshop was fantastic, the artists painted from my photograph I used for Monday's demo as well as their own photos they had taken in the city.......







This was my demo for Tuesday's class.


5 x 7"
sold

That evening, one of my generous students held a get-together at her place, which included this amazing view from her terrace. So cool.



Wednesday, we all painted in the morning and early afternoon, then hurried out into the bright sunshine for some photography. My demo was a New York dog I had met in Riverside Park.


6 x 6"
sold

In the afternoon we headed to Little Italy for a meatball sandwich and gelato....



.... then back to the apartment to watch the skyline light up as the sun went down.



Thursday's class was the longer day, I started with a demo of a mugshot....


4 x 4"
sold

...then invited my students to paint their own mugshot, the results really blew me away.
This artist was breaking in her new Paint On Tabletop Easel.



Later in the afternoon, I painted another demo for the hard-cores who stuck around.


6 x 6"
sold

The last day of the workshop went way too fast, I managed to get in
one more demo before we wrapped it up.


5 x 10"
sold

By Friday afternoon, all we could do was have our last meal at our favorite Greek place around the corner from the apartment and put our feet up. Nine full days in New York City was spectacular, my students were so great, so talented, so open. Vince Fazio, from the Sedona Arts Center, who facilitates my workshops, was incredibly helpful in class - so grateful for the opportunity. It was a fantastic experience for me.

The trip wasn't over just yet, Brett and I headed out of the city, with a stop at Rutt's Hut in Clifton, New Jersey, for a couple of hot dogs....




...then to his family's place where we were spoiled with great food and conversation and some needed rest. We had the quintessential Memorial Day holiday, visited Arlington National Cemetery .....

... and ended the day with blueberry-raspberry pie that was to-die-for.

Of course it's always wonderful to get back home - now we're enjoying our new puppies and getting back to painting and building easels.