Chinatown is full of dragons and many of them are outdoors in the shape of statuary and images on signs. Since we were experiencing Noah's flood, Part 2 in New York last Sunday and Monday, I had to look indoors for those imposing creatures. I found several. Here is one:
Amanda and I sought shelter at the Rubin Museum of Art. There was a display of papier mache masks that reminded me very much of the Mexican masks I'd sketched last month at the San Antonio Museum of Art.
I have more Chinatown sketches but will post those later. In the meantime, I made a very quick sketch of my beautiful daughter K (who won't sit for me as often as my daughter C---I had to take advantage of the few minutes she spent on our computer last night to do this quick drawing of her.)
I also just now substituted later versions of the Peking duck and signs and lanterns sketches below for the ones I originally posted. I wasn't happy with the quality of the first images. I'm a Capricorn, can you tell?
Thank you, great commenters, one and all! Isn't it fun to see the different palettes each place evokes? Chinatown colors are saturated, primary or fluorescent, so different from Charleston or Paris, closer to San Antonio. I do find it odd that I seem to respond to certain things no matter where I go, how disparate the locations---but maybe that's not really odd when you think about it. And thank you, too, for what you say of my daughter. I'm a lucky person to have such a family!
Posted by: Laura | April 23, 2007 at 11:49 AM
Laura - it's really interesting looking at all three blogs and seeing the different takes on the same places.
I also have to tell you that I was gardening and getting a suntan in up country last weekend! It was really warm and dry! ;)
Posted by: Katherine | April 23, 2007 at 09:07 AM
The dragon and all your sketches are fantastic! It amazes me how much you get to travel and that wherever you go, you create amazing, beautiful art! xo
Posted by: Paris Parfait | April 22, 2007 at 04:29 PM
fleeting chances seen
encounter present and past
save quick for future
Posted by: annie | April 22, 2007 at 02:01 PM
Laura -- the dragon just ROCKS! He is so vibrant on the page! I think it's fascinating how you are able to capture the essence of a place -- you got the essential bits of Chinatown as effortlessly (or at least it seems so) as San Antonio and Paris. It's interesting that you keep finding these collections of masks, and I'm sure if it had not been raining, you would have found the one and only hidden fountain in Chinatown ...
;-) And your daughter IS beautiful.
Posted by: Linda M | April 22, 2007 at 09:16 AM
The dragon and masks are so rich and vivid in color. Loving your sketches and especially the one of Elizabeth, just lovely!
Posted by: Maggie | April 21, 2007 at 06:55 PM