In the last month or so, I have not really focused on painting as much as living - I decided to give up my studio space, for the time being, at Brooklyn Artists Gym, but am keeping my work there - and I plan to revisit that arangement later this fall.

But I’ve still been sketching, as usual, and going to openings, when they attract my attention.

Here’s some recent sketches - I’ll put up a few now and the rest in a few days:

This is a sketch of a new friend of mine, Nancy H.   One of the things that’s interesting about Nancy - she’s lived in many places in the Middle East and Central America - I find her story interesting - though her circumstances now, are difficult.  In fact, another friend of mine, Liz C. is having a pretty difficult time and almost died this week - but is recovering.   My life has touched many people, lately, in all kinds of circumstances - and I’ve tried to help, where I can, and yet, not be swallowed up by it.  Sometimes, I feel depleated - exhausted from it all, and my work on the Board of Directors of the WAA, plus my Monster WorldWide work.

I guess, that’s why I decided to take a break from painting - it felt like another “job”.

I drew this picture of the interior of a restaurant that is mostly French - I indulged in Steak Tatar and some wine, the wine glass broke (a waitress knocked it over) and I thought it time to leave.  Meanwhile, I read in a magazine about France nearby where I sit about “Mr. Big” character of Sex in the City - turns out he often visited and lived in Aix, and visited Cezanne’s studio, just like I did last year.  Who would have known?  Life is full of interesting tidbits.

But I have to admit - I don’t feel as committed to these sketches or to the dimensions of this sketchbook - which it more for landscape painting - I don’t care for the aspect ratio - but am committed to finish the sketchbook before going on to another.

In fact, this drawing was an experiment in summerizing my feelings about the sketchbook - and I felt, in some ways, it was more real than some of the other drawings I’ve done lately.

Also, this drawing, above, was done one weekend, while sitting in a cafe down in the financial district of lower Manhattan - it was pouring hard outside and I tried to capture the feelings of the day - a day I had gone to Governer’s Island.

By the way, I’m looking forward to Amy Crehore’s opening here in New York City - and also meeting her - probably in the next day or two - Amy Crehore’s Opening at Ad-Hoc-Art on July 25th.

Ok, I’ll put up the rest of the drawings I just scanned later on this weekend - need to get some sleep and dream.

Google Books has a new feature allowing anyone to take a part of a public domain book that Google has scanned and embed it into a blog.

And guess what I picked to embed…. a page from my favorite painter, Paul Cezanne.

By the way, I’m getting ready to send 2 paintings to Christine Boulet, my friend who lives in Aix-en-Provence.   I miss Aix, miss Cezanne and had a good time with Christine.

Here’s the paintings I did last month of Christine, after I got back from France.  Darn, wish I spent more time there.   Maybe next time.

I also had some Moo Cards made up recently, and these two images among those on the cards.

I did a portrait from my videos of from France of my friend Christine against Mount St. Victoire.   It was actually her idea but I did not quite get what I was after in this picture and I realized, once I did it - it was not really the scene she had in mind - so I’ll probably attempt another picture, somewhat different than this one in the next week or two.

The color, though not too far off in the photo, is missing some of the ranges I have in the oil pastel sketch.

Also, I have a hard time painting faces, always have.