"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.