Albany, NY Sketching

I attended a conference in Albany, NY this week. The city is amazing. The collection of architecture in downtown is a living museum of styles and scales: from monumental government buildings to pedestrian brownstones and storefronts - all within comfortable walking distance. Taking little excursions between conference talks, I explored bits of the city.

The first one documents the collage of signage projecting, clinging and hanging outside of Lodge's, Albany's oldest store. The seam of the book plays as corner/edge to the building.

The second sketch is the view from my hotel room window. In the foreground is the (relatively) recently renovated St. Peter's Church. Directly behind it is the NY state Capitol building undergoing a facade restoration. To the right of the crane is H.H. Richardson's City hall. To the left the tall linear tower is Corning tower. At it's base in the distance is the Cathedral.

The final pages of this little sojourn is an analysis of the "Million Dollar Stair" in the state capitol Building. Designed by H.H. Richardson, this stair connects four floors with 139 steps through some of the most Piranessian style arches and columns. The scale is monumental in size, but personal in detail. AmAzing!

The sketch on the left is a partial section attempting to figure out the spatial interchanges between the levels. Partial plans parrallel the section on the right of the page (and the steps are counted in between)

The sketch on the right attempts to be an experiential perspective through the diagonal of the space...but seriously, nothing can capture that experience! Worth a visit and climb if ever in Albany! Cheers!

NYC post #3 06-29-2011 : subway back to Times Square

To end the day, we hopped on the Q line express back to Times square to pick up the car. We started from Syracuse at 10:30 am and were about to face a 6 hour drive back (unknowingly due to one missed off ramp). To end the sketching of the day...a quick sketch to capture the view of the transit car...not the strongest result...Its flattness and obvious struggle with line selection...shows how out of practice I am with the immediate sketch...but what a day, and what a time...captured here...captured in Line.

NYC post #2 06-29-2011 : MESA Grill for Dinner

After the show we took the subway down to Union Square to take in Mesa Grill (the famous restaraunt by that well know Iron Chef Bobby Flay) It was AMAZING!!! These are a little rough again...because the colors and obviously, the tastes, could not be reproduced. But for kicks its fun to attemt it!

Here is the Dinner card:

Have you ever had fried Zuchinni Blossoms? unbelievable (bottom left hand corner), spinach, Tuna, Pork loins, jalapeno bread, and a tamale. Phenomenal!

For Dessert: Cappucino and a blueberry/key lime tart.

NYC post #1 06-29-2011 : URBAN SKETCHER ON NATIONAL TV!!

My wife and I were fortunate enough to get tickets to the final studio audience of Glenn Beck (thanks Mollie). While some readers of this may not agree with his political perspective, it shouldn't take away from the challenge and joy of the urban experience...the experience of being in a TV studio and one with the exposure of Beck's broadcast! It was really something to behold. We are big fans and it was a unique opportunity to be a part of something as significant as this...and get filmed sketching!! Go Urban Sketchers!

Here I am next to my wife (bottom left hand corner) sketching on a pad of Strathmore 6x4 watercolor postcards:

Here is the sketch completed (Oscar is the Camera Man):