Amsterdam Canal

Niut Meer

For some reason still unknown to me, I did not want to take my paints to Amsterdam. Katie convinced me to bring something, soI chose to bring some acrylics, which I had used ony once before without incident. It was a bit of a disaster. Instead of working outside, I had to work only in my studio to keep them from drying out instantly. This painting, was the culmination of my acrylic adventure. The subject is the nearby park, which housed the memorial to Amsterdam jews killed at Auschwitz, which is barely noted on the extreme right of the composition. Each panel is 18"x24".

postcards home

So, one day in Amsterdam, I went took my large drawing pad to the Van Gogh museum to copy a painting. I found the painting I wanted, a poster of which hangs in the entry of Simon's school. I had to go out to call home before I could sit down to draw and when i came back, they wouldno longer let me take the drawing pad inside. Instead, I purchased postcards to send home and made watercolor copies of them before I would send them back to the states.

home again

Ahhh, the pleasures of being home.

Yesterday I returned home after being in Amsterdam for a month. Whew!.

It has been wonderful. Simon ran down the security ramp to give me a huge leaping hug. Followed by about 3 seconds by Eloise who toddled over in her Spider costume. That was some serious cute, let me tell you. It was a wonderful night. we got home and Simon and I went out Trick-or-treating on our block. I think we went to about 5 houses, but Simon was pretty nervous for the first couple. But he got into the mood of it all after trick-or-treating our own house. After which, Eloise wanted to join in the fun so I got to carry her around the block.

(What's new about Eloise in the last Month?

She's extra squishy.
She loves candy--I mean LOVES candy.
She's talking alot and will tell you when she does not like what you are doing)

After getting a sack of candy, we came back to the house fo the first dinner as a family in a long long time. Katie made pot roast (incredibly yummy) and Simon made a smoothie. Katie also made a fire which we settled around to snuggle and play until time for bed. I gave out the presents I had brought back with me and showed the art which had actually made it to Omaha (one bag was delivered about 2:00 in the morning). It was a great night.

I got to put both kiddos to bed, reading Simon an extra new book so he would "go right to sleep, i promise". Eloise got books and a nice long snuggle with a bottle. It was great.

Exhausted, Katie and I were in bed at 9:30.

My best night in a long long time.

a day in the life

The tally so far:

Drawn copies of old master paintings and Gothic church carvings: 14
Paintings: not very many...about 10
Watercolor copies of museum postcards: 26
Drawn linocuts: 36

With a week to go I may be able to deplete my supply of linoleum and postcards, (although I have more paper to tear down for them).

Since I discovered the grocery store, my dialy routine has been something like this:

Wake up 8:30 or so.
shower
(important not to be the smelly artist, if you're bound to be the dirty artist.)
go on the archaic computer and email Katie/read emails from Katie & occaisonally Simon
Go to the studio downstairs
do a watercolor postcard
go to a museum and draw something
call Katie and the kiddos
Wander around some neighborhood looking for Linocut compositions.
(sometime after its gets dark and too cold to stay out)
come back to the studio do another watercolor postcard
journal
go upstairs and email to Katie & Simon
sleep around 12:30-1:00

I guess somewhere in there I eat. I basically bought all food that you could leave out in the studio for a number of days without worry. I'm going through a lot of fresh fruit and cured meats. Viva la cured meats! (For a better idea, click on the flier for my studio smorgasboard.)

Now, with one week to go, I'm starting to think about what I need to bring home in terms of my remaining materials and the subjects here. Oh, how I want this last week to fly by productively.

everyone is invited

OK, I won't hold it against any of you if you're a little late...

Ailene

About five
in the morning,
we’d sneak
my parent’s car out
and
drive around
the neighborhood until six
and
then put it back.


We did that
for a good
year and a half
before I got caught.