Tag Archives: New York City

Bricks

October 10, 2018 roxannebaldwin 2 Comments

A little background info….

I’ve been away for a while, in case you haven’t noticed. I needed some time to reflect, think about where I’ve been, where I’m going and most importantly, where I am.

And it all comes down to bricks…well, sort of.

When I first really got going working in colored pencil, I lived in Greenwich, CT. Somehow, and for what reason I can’t figure out, I became drawn to drawing (Ha) buildings with bricks. I sweated tears over each individual rectangle, making sure it was perfect.

Then I landed quite happily but totally unexpectedly in Manhattan. Again, loads and loads of bricks to be drawn! I still was sweating over each and every single detail.

So, then due to circumstances which are beyond explaining. I landed in Queens, a little community called Sunnyside. And much to my delight, I found bricks! By now, I was taking those little rectangles in stride.

Then after 20 years of ups and downs and all arounds in NYC, I ended up back in Connecticut in a small city called Danbury. It’s as a large of a city as I want to deal with for a while.

And whaddya think I found there? My first picture there, bricks.

And bricks and cats.

After this much needed break, guess what I start with?

And a familiar door. Yes, I know it’s October, I started this pic in May.

It’s Raining In New York

May 19, 2018 roxannebaldwin Leave a comment

As well as raining here.

My friend just asked me the other day if I regretted moving from NYC to Connecticut. Truth is, I don’t. I think I already went into how I remember the romance and excitement of the City, but not the humdrum stress. Like the idea of New York City in the rain.

Of course, there are some things I miss and always will. For instance, the white cherry blossoms at the beginning of spring. The skyline at night:

In general, I miss a lot of the human made parts of the vista. Yes, I enjoy nature, but for art, it starts to lack an interesting focal point. Yeah, really.

So, in honor of the memory of what is not really New York, here are some ATCs I made while I was trying to think of a way to make money. Funny thing, I never did find out a way..

The Worst of 2016….and Moving Forward…

January 1, 2017 roxannebaldwin Leave a comment

I’m still a little groggy this morning. I stayed up until midnight to see the ball drop in Time Square. Makes me think, all the years I lived in New York City, and close proximity, I never made good on my intention to go to New Years in Times Square. I think the lack of available toilets is what discouraged me.

However, let’s get to it. My worst work of 2016. I do this to keep it light on my part, and to keep it real. Everyone puts out a clunker now and then. So, here ’tis.

Shrubbery. It is. It’s not really all that bad, but then, it isn’t good either. Just laying there, in mediocrity, like yesterday’s stale sandwich.

My comforting observation to myself, is that my worsts don’t seem to be as bad as they used to be. Happy New Year…may 2017 be bright and populated with happy little clouds and trees, with friends.

After Not So Careful Consideration

December 8, 2016 roxannebaldwin Leave a comment

I’m going to work again on the Rainbow. I realize, that for one thing, I made it look as if someone took DuPont house paint, and painted the rainbow on the sky. It’s not luminous. And for that, it will take careful, detailed work. In other words, I’ve got to get back to being big.

Not a problem, really. When I think about doing an idea for a drawing, I almost always want to shout. For that, it’s got to be large.

Another thing…I wanted to make the storm clouds a better abstract composition. I’m still thinking that over. I realize there’s got to be some structure in a skyscape, which is funny when you think that it’s made up of air and moisture.

In the past I did a drawing of a late afternoon, before sunset. I realized just putting colors in abstractly just didn’t do it.

The fact, that I did this from a reference from a teeny tiny photo on a flip cellphone camera, probably had something to do with it, too.

Any, I also am posting another pic of me at the winter boutique. I must have been talking the whole time that my friend had her camera on me.

Concentrate on the Rainbow…….

December 4, 2016 roxannebaldwin Leave a comment

Let me repeat that: Concentrate on the rainbow. Sounds very Zen and wise, doesn’t it?

Concentrate on the rainbow…..

Well, it makes for a pretty lousy composition for a picture, doesn’t it?

When I was doing the original drawing, that’s what I did…I concentrated on the rainbow. And thinking of it, and the context of my life at the time, that’s what I did there, too….

I kind of flubbed in a landscape in the original drawing which didn’t really complement or add any ooomph! . Also, making the move away from NYC, I concentrated on the promise of a new life, but didn’t take into account making a whole new structure…. Work, and community. It takes a while to establish such things, I realize, now. You can’t just concentrate on the rainbow, and have it all come out right.

You have to have landscape that anchors the sky and the rainbow, and leads into it. I also realize I have to work a little harder to get established in Connecticut, in much the same way I worked hard over 20 years ago, in NYC. I forgot I guess, that such things don’t come automatically, or even all that easily.

But isn’t this a much better composition for a drawing to work from?

Remember Pumpkin? Throwback Thursday

October 27, 2016 roxannebaldwin Leave a comment

I can’t share with you what I am working on right now, so, I’m puttering around. We’ve got a cold, wintry mix in Danbury. So, good news..we managed to recapture our kitty Pumpkin. As you may recall, we captured him last December, from our former home in New York City. This past spring, however, the call of the wild got to our little feline transplant..and he ran off. We found him, but he wasn’t too pleased at the idea of coming back to us..so, we left him, and came every day to feed him in his new environment. If we tried to grab him, he’d bite, scratch and wiggle away.

So, this day was a good day to convince him to come home. So, he’s back…here’s the Throwback Thursday drawing of him…The Cat from New York City

Going Gold

August 29, 2016 roxannebaldwin Leave a comment

It’s getting close to Labor Day. Already, the trees around here are showing some touches of orange and gold. I’m looking forward to cooler weather, and the autumn colors. Yes, even I get tired of summer.

The last few drawing I’ve done have been green. I’m getting a little bored, and want to shake it up a bit.

I’ve been thinking of the old neighborhood, back in New York City. Honestly, I don’t miss it much, except for a few neighbors and a couple of the outdoor cat. This time of year, though, is the time that the butterfly weed is in bloom, gathering its winged admirers. In case you don’t remember the drawing, here’s a revisit:

As for today, the most artwork I’ve done recently is for the Danbury Rocks project. I’m made quite a few more. I’m learning to incorporate the veins and planes of the rocks, making them more organic instead of geometrical Here’s the latest batch:

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