DREAM JOURNAL GOOD REBIRTH

11" x 17"

Pilot precise V5 pen, Pentel brush pen, Faber Castell brush and General's white China marker in Stillman & Birn sketchbook

It felt like I was in a rush. I was at the end of a long line. A flashing sign read "Good Rebirth" and I started to feel a wave of panic coming over me. A rough looking dude was sitting on a wall in this alley. As I approached him I saw he had a name tag on his garage mechanic shirt that read "Morty" in red color script.

As I started to ask him what was going on he said "Just go around the alley and don't look up. It's so nice of you to keep volunteering." Before I could tell him I never volunteer for anything he said "be a helper."

FIGURE STUDY 418

FIGURE STUDY 418

11" x 14"

Ink and watercolor in Strathmore sketchbook

RIGHT FIELD BLEACHERS

11" x 17"

Pilot Precise V5 pen and Faber Castell brush pens in hand:book sketchbook

This is where we sat back in the sixties at the old Yankee stadium. One dollar ticket, hard benches and plenty of sun. All the friendly old retired guys sat there and loved to talk baseball. The Yankee bullpen was toward right field and you could watch the pitchers warming up. It was as holy and sacred as any church.

161st STREET BRONX NYC

11 1/2" x 8"

Uniball pen, Faber Castell brushes and Generals white China marker in Moleskine sketchbook

My brother and I used to take the D train to 161st street for Yankee baseball games in the 1960's. In those days they were terrible but we did get to see some great players from other teams. We always sat in the cheapest seats (right field bleachers) and spent many long summer days eating hot dogs and peanuts. I preferred going to Met games at Shea stadium in Queens but I was in awe of that great ballpark in the Bronx . When you first rolled up on the subway you could see part of that luscious green outfield. Too bad the place was torn down so that the current club could play in a new stadium that had plenty of corporate sky boxes $$$. Gotta pay those salaries!

102 EAST 7TH STREET

11" x 17"

Faber Castell brushes, Pentel brush pen, Blick acrylic and Generals white China marker in hand:book sketchbook

PEPPERMILL CASINO

8" x 11 1/2"

Faber Castell brushes in Moleskine sketchbook

QUEEN OF THE SLOTS

11 1/2" x 8"

Faber Castell brushes in Moleskine sketchbook

LIBRARY KISS INKED

11" x 8 1/2"

Pentel brush pen japan in hand:book sketchbook

LIBRARY KISS

11" x 8 1/2"

Dixon Ticonderoga @ 2 pencil in hand:book sketchbook

I'll be inking this later. Time for the Pentel brush pen.

DREAM JOURNAL AMSTERDAM

11" x 17"

Pilot Precise V5 extra fine pen in hand:book sketchbook

Being lost in a familiar city is a recurring dream I have quite often. However this time I dream that I am in Amsterdam and I'm not lost at all. I walk all over the place and realize that the landmarks Centraal Station, Dam Square and the Oude Kerk are the only places I need as navigational reference points.

As I strut around the streets I pick up snippets of conversations and even though I speak no Dutch, I completely understand what is being said. When I continue walking one stranger after another comes up to me asking for directions to this place or that. It's no problem to give them detailed instructions so that they can find the places they are looking for.

Leaning on a guardrail over looking a canal I begin to panic as it dawns on me that this is too weird. Why are these people I don't know coming up to me?

Suddenly to my left I see a woman with black hair and a hooded coat standing next to me I don't say anything to her but keep watching her with the side eye. She turns, looks me in the eye and says "The reason why is because you belong here as a helper."

ZOE

18" x 24"

4H Derwent graphic pencil, Faber Castell brushes, Pentel brush pen, Kuretake Fude brush, Shiva paint sticks and General's white China marker on Strathmore canvas paper

First stage of a work in progress. This will end up as a concert poster once I draw the name, date and venue.

JANE DOE

JANE DOE

12" x 18"

Faber Castell brushes, Blickrylic fluorescent paint and General's white China marker on paper

FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT

16" x 20"

Staedtler #2B pencil, Winsor Newton Series 7 #3brush, Dr. Ph Martin Bombay black India ink and Faber Castell brushes on Strathmore canvas paper

A scene from one of my favorite Alfred Hitchcock movies. Newspaper reporter John Jones (Joel McCrea) is sent to England during the last week of August 1939 to find out if war is imminent. He meets the lazy correspondent Stebbins (Robert Benchley), who spends his time carousing instead of investigating and reporting. In this scene they meet in front of a hotel and Stebbins tells Jones he is having lunch with old man Clark of the international press.

Just then a woman (Barbara Pepper) comes out of the hotel and greets Stebbins "Oh there you are my darling! I didn't know whether to meet you in the grill or upstairs."

Jones sees what's up and says "Hmm. Goodbye Stebbins, goodbye Miss Clark."

Great subtle burn!