"Building World Trade"

"World Trade Center"

Contact Info

tlgarch1@aol.com

"Travels"

"Shoestring Sketches"

Yankee Stadium had always been a favorite place of mine and my family's.  Somewhere in 2003, I starting sketching while we would be sitting at games.  Then I brought pencils and a sketchbook.  Then I brought water colors with me.  It evolved into an important part of the game for me.  I'd be very busy, eating, drinking, keeping score of the game, and drawing the entire game.

 At some point, it was announced that 2008 was announced as the final year of "Yankee Stadium", and the Yankees would be moving into a new stadium across the street.  That accelerated my drawing of THE Stadium, and resulted into a large collection I called "Shoestring Sketches".  I reproduced and sold many of the drawings and exhibited widely as the end of the Stadium drew near. 

Another "Shoestring Sketches" exhibit in 2008.   

It was great that "Shoestring Sketches" began to get a lot of attention, especially from some charity groups.  The Roy White Foundation (the former Yankee Great) asked me for a drawings for their blind auction.  I was happy to comply and help to raise money for the great work that they do.  Here I am helping out with the auction.   

Posing with Mr. White after a successful day. 

In addition to the blind auction, lots of the drawings were displayed for sale, helping to raise money for the Foundation. 

With Chris Chambliss, another Yankee Great, in attendance at the event. 

A "Shoestring Sketches" exhibit in early 2008, at the Dixon Library in Dumont, NJ

This was a piece I drew specifically for the United Way charity.  They had heard about "Shoestring Sketches" from a local newspaer article, and asked if I could create a couple specifically for a charity event they were holding.  The event was held ON THE FIELD (yep, I got to walk on the field) at Yankee Stadium.  My drawings were auctioned off as part of the on- field event. 

This sketch was another one that I did specifically for the United Way event at Yankee Stadium. 

I thought of this as a Father and Son- the current stadium in the foreground, about to give way to "Junior" across the street. 

Here I am, proudly in front of the sketches I did for the auction, displayed on the warning track in left field.  Not sure which was a bigger thrill- being asked to prepare two drawings for an auction, or getting to walk on the field at Yankee Stadium. 

A very quick sketch of the facade/ fascia that was a featured piece in the outfield. 

"The Middle Years"

For a number of year, the 80's and  90's and early 2000's (whatever we end up calling that decade)- I was primarily focused on other things- Family and my career as an architect, primarily.  However, whenever time permitted, I would break out the sketchbook.  Here's a some samples from those days.....

Working at the world Trade Center, I too advantage of and spare times I might have to get outside, explore Downtown Manhattan and draw as much as I could.  The Trade Center was very close to Trinity Church near Wall Street.  It's a very visual place, filled with 'sketchworthy' elements. 

Also in Lower Manhattan, St. Paul's Church also became a favorite of mine. 

The view from my office on the the 72nd Floor of the World Trade Center also proved to be a great location from which to sketch.   It was indeed...'A Room with a View', as I called this. 

The neighborhoods and temples of Narita soon became a favorite place to visit on Sunday afternoons.  I spent a lot of time there studying the buildings, watching the peo ple and drawing. 

In 1998, I had the amazing opportunity to go to Japan for three months as part of an exchange program with my company.  Working and living there was great, but I brought my sketching materials with me.  I would often venture out on weekends, holidays, or whenever I could to explore Japan in my own way.  I traveled from Tokyo to Hiroshima on Sunday- naivelly having no idea how far apart they really were.  It too 5 or 6 hours to get there by train.  I had only a few hours there to get back in time for the last train home from Tokyo.  But, while there, I utilized my time as best as I could.  The sketch above, of 'Hiroshima Dome', was the last drawing I did before I have to get the train.  I had struggled to draw it throughout the day, and the pressure was on to capture the dome in just 10m or 15 minutes, sitting on the banks of the river.  I think the results were successful, in fact, I had exhibited this drawing in a number on contests and it has won several awards. 

The walk from the train station to the temples of Narita was a great place, filled with shops, people, tourists, restaurants, and locals shopping.  This is one of the locals shops.  I was drawing it sitting on a curb.  After a while, the lady in the drawing came of to see what I was up to- she seemed to like it. 

 In, I guess you could call them, the early to mid- 80s, I was dabbling with lots of different techniques and styles.

Hawaiian Tree- there on our Honeymoon, I had packed my brushes when this tree caught my attention.  With no other resort, I slapped the paint onto canvas directly from the paint tubes.  The result was pretty cool, these thick slogs and batches of colorful paint.  It was raining and so humid out that this took so long to dry, I wasn't able to put it away but had to carefully carry it through our journey. 

Backyard Tree- I do believe this was first on-site water color sketch. 

Blue Boy- An attempt at drawing an image, not that I saw but something imaginary- a scene I invented- just not my thing, i suspect.  Somehow, for me, capturing the scenes and events that I come upon somehow seems much more compelling. 

Self Portrait 1984

Self Portrait, 1984

Self Portrait, 1984, Detail

But I have always also enjoyed painting, and around that same time, I did this self- portrait that was published in a publication at Pratt called 'Ubiquitous'. 

I drew it looking onto a dirty, broken mirror up against a white wall which is what some of the funky stuff is about. 

On- Site Sketching

South Street Seaport

Municipal Building

It was a drawing class at Pratt Institute in 1984 that really jump- started me in the world of on- site sketching.  Walking around the streets of New York capturing the things that I saw was quite an experience and set me on a path that I'm still on today.  

My teacher, Barbara Carr told us that drawing isn't so much about drawing as it is about seeing.  I (obviously) still remember that and still find it to be true today.  To wander around looking and taking pictures of things isn't really seeing them.  But to sit (or stand, or keep walking) and draw them- that's when you have to really see something.  

We had to draw everything on large newsprint paper with big, fat markers- usually Nubian Brown with some occasional color.  I think I also learned an appreciation for drawing very quickly in those days.  

9th Avenue

9th Avenue between 39th and 40th Streets.

Chinatown