California Sketching

California Sketching

For years Venice beach has been a place for rejuvenation of my creative energies.  Life in Manhattan is perpetually stressed, leading to rigidity and stagnation.  Nothing remedied this better for me than hopping on a plane to California to chill out in Venice. I would...
Turner Watercolors at the Mystic Seaport Museum

Turner Watercolors at the Mystic Seaport Museum

I’ve long been a fan of J.M.W. Turner’s huge luminous oils that hang in many museums including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in my hometown of Manhattan. However I was unaware of his watercolors, and when I learned about the exhibit at the Mystic Seaport Museum I had...
Remembering Susan Perl – Illustrator

Remembering Susan Perl – Illustrator

While thumbing through a pile of used books for sale  by a homeless vendor in Union Square I came across one entitled Through Darkest Adolescence by Richard Armour.  The book contained illustrations that depicted the tribulations of young teenagers in concise and...
Returning to Cow Canyon Trading Post

Returning to Cow Canyon Trading Post

My relationship with making art has been complicated, mainly because of my day job as a medical doctor in New York City.  Years ago I maintained a painting studio, but gave up the medium when I moved into a small Manhattan apartment to pursue my training.  But the...
The Thrill of Watching Paint Dry

The Thrill of Watching Paint Dry

In the heat of the southwest desert, among the towering buttes and mesas of Red Rock country, I discovered the thrill of watching paint dry.  I’ve been doing watercolor for years and found the most difficult part is waiting for each wash to dry before proceeding to...