Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Open House Chicago
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Roast duck in Chinatown.
Thursday, October 3, 2013
San Francisco, CA Part 5. Painted Ladies
Going around San Francisco city is easy. My friends and I used the hop-on hop-off bus to move from one location to another. The bus stopped two blocks from the Alamo Square, I wanted to sketch the Painted Ladies. I arrived with my tongue out, those hills are a killer. I used to live in a city geographically like San Francisco, but now that I live in flat land, I got use to it (♫ excuses). While sketching, an Asian girl asked me if she could take a picture of me and my sketch, she found me more interesting (?) that the Victorian houses itself. I'm founding I like being the subject of interest, I'm even enjoying it. Little by little my outgoings are making me grow as a person by defeating what makes me uncomfortable. Thanks Urban Sketchers, who would have though. Click here for Part 6
Monday, September 30, 2013
San Francisco, CA Part 4. Fisherman's Wharf of San Pancho
This area being so touristic is always busy. Lots of people and traffic. It turned out I sat in a busy corner at the opposite corner of this image to sketch it. The fact that I was smelling of the pollution of the buses and cars passing by, in one of the most ecologically conscious cities in the U.S. was ironic to me. A tourist approached to me to asked me for directions to a place I had never heard of, and my immediate response was:-I'm from Sshikkago. I tried to mimic the Geico Lizard speaking like a Chicagoan. Oh boy! Was it funny! A tourist teasing a tourist! It may be she didn't expect this sort of answer but hey! I was in a good mood. I continued with my sketch with no further interruptions. Click here for Part 5
Friday, September 27, 2013
San Francisco, CA Part 3. Para surfing at sunset in the Bay.
No, it's not that I have seen one of the iconic symbols of San Francisco Bay on a magnificent sunset what I will remember every time I see this sketch. It's not the cold wind blowing in my face. It's not that the American Cup was held in the Bay and I didn't had a chance to sketch it. It's not how much it impressed me how these para surfers love doing that despite the cold water. It's not that I had no time limit to sketch without the worry of someone waiting for me. It is, in fact, the phone conversation I held with Bob during the making of this sketch and how much I enjoyed his company at that moment despite the distance. THAT is what I will remember every time I see this sketch. Click here for Part 4
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
San Francisco, CA Part 2. Sea Lions at Pier 39
Aww! The life of sea lions.... so funny, so cute, but noisy and dangerous! I just witnessed how the biggest male threatened the smallest ones and pushed them out of the raft to claim their territory! I've always had my suspicious about this "friendly animal". They are no different than any other in the animal kingdom. I had the opportunity to swim with them in the wild in Baja, a little one was very curious, to the point that it came so close to us to play that I could have touched it, but I didn't, I was told not to. Once you touch them, they loose the fear of you and can bite you! So here they are, taking the sun in San Francisco, taking advantage of the sunny day, and me? Up in the restaurant sketching them from a safe and comfortable place. Am I missing being close to them? No, not really. Click here for Part 3
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
San Francisco, CA Part 1. Seal Carving
During my days in San Francisco, CA. I walked the streets of Chinatown, they say it is one of the most authentic Chinese neighborhoods in the world out of China. I expected just to stroll the streets and get the feeling of being transfer to China by hearing people speaking only Chinese. The town has two main streets, one for the tourist and one for the local Chinese where all they do the daily shopping, and dry washed underware hanging outside the windows. I had nothing planned to buy, I just followed my friends who wanted to explore the town. Suddenly an idea sparked in my head while walking the streets. I've seen several artists who stamp their artwork with Chinese characters in red ink. Ooooooh! It looks so professional. So I decided to ask locals about it. The first person I asked gave directions to John Wong shop. This man is a professional calligrapher. He studied in China. His store had plenty of interesting things, among them a piece of newspaper showing a picture of himself with the mayor of the city of San Francisco. The article describes he was granted with a Certificate of Honor, which I think is a big accomplishment for someone who just came to the United States in 1990. His 9 year old granddaughter was there. She was our translator. I asked for the seal carving work. I wanted my name Adriana carved in the stone. I chose from several stone blocks with my Chinese zodiac animal on it. The work was going to take about 30-40 minutes. I asked him if I could sketch him while he was working. He said yes. I've never being more comfortable sketching a person, since it is not my forte, he remained very still. He wrote his name and mine in the sketch and of course Jazlyn wanted to write hers too. I asked him to write the word friends as well. He showed me how to stamp correctly, you can see it in my sketch. John loved my sketch so much he asked me to sketch Jazlyn as well, which I did gladly, she was a good help as a translator and made things easier. In return he gave me a calligraphy piece of paper with my name written in Chinese and free red ink. Fabulous! I told him I would make a print and mail it to him. I think I will never forget my new favorite word: Xièxiè. Click here for Part 2.
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Joliet Regional Airport.
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Patience test.
Monday, August 12, 2013
The trade of a little bag for a fountain pen.
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Saturday, August 3, 2013
Overcast
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Saturday, July 20, 2013
The back of the Old State Capitol
Friday, July 19, 2013
The Rippon-Kinsella House
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Artisan Beers of Missouri
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Superior Pagoda Well
I didn't know about this town until I went to visit a fellow artist whose work I really like, Cathy Johnson, check her artwork here. Then I realized that this town has quite a history for having 20 separate mineral springs with four different varieties of water. Locals used to sell spring water to drink directly bottled from the springs and usually constructed pagodas around it. Many people came from all the United States to receive treatments for weeks and therefore ended up being expensive treatments if you consider that you have to stay in hotels. This boom decline in the 1960's when people found out other alternative treatments that were more affordable and effective. Today there's only the romantic past left as well as an original and well preserved well called Superior Pagoda, which reminds the locals and tourists what this city once was. |
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
The Dana-Thomas House
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Stinky shoes.
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Rock Run Preserve in Joliet.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
A little pleasure
Thursday, June 6, 2013
The veggies of our garden.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Monday, June 3, 2013
Otomi doll and a gorilla.
Friday, May 31, 2013
Balero
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Jury Duty
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Lincoln Square Chicago
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Mexican wool frog toy.
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Historic Rail Road Bridge
Monday, April 22, 2013
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Chicago Wells Street Parking
Monday, April 8, 2013
Saturday, April 6, 2013
My strawberry cheese pay.
Monday, April 1, 2013
Orange blossoms
5 x 8 in. A friend of mine is an orange farmer in Rio Verde Mexico. He built a hotel, cabins in the orange fields and invited us to show it. It’s a wonderful place, take a look at it here. When we arrived at the cabins, the first thing I noticed was the scent in the air. Oh Lord! It was a punch of orange blossoms scent to my nose. My friend kept showing us the place, but I had a hard time focusing on his words, all it was in my mind was that scent! It was around 6 p.m. He told me at that time is when the intensity of the scent is at its highest! Boy! I’ll be back on a second to be wrapped in this orange heaven! |
Sunday, March 31, 2013
The mistery of the Australian lobster
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Tacos.
8 x 5 in. Yesterday I went to the barber with Bob. While
waiting, I saw this man preparing food at this taco business across the street. It’s quite popular here in
San Luis Potosi city. For those who don’t speak Spanish, the two outer sings
states “line to go” and “line for table”, those signs are very clear about
the success of the place, but I wonder why they haven’t fix the missing U letter? Too busy, or no
budget because they are not as successful. What I do know is that I sketched from the car, seating straight, turning my head to the side window, and ended up with
a neck pain. Why didn’t occur to me to get out of the car? I was in hurry to
finish the sketch, before the natural light was gone or before Bob returned to
the car. Just in case you wonder… my neck pain is gone.
Friday, March 15, 2013
Demand and supply in OXXO.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Habemus Papam.
Saturday, March 9, 2013
1000 years old tree @ Los Peroles, Rio Verde
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Airlines experiences.
Layers and layers.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
The looms of wool in Bernal, Mexico
Monday, February 25, 2013
Quiet Tequisquiapan, Mexico
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Sparkling wine from Ezequiel Montes, Mexico
Friday, February 15, 2013
Old Prison in San Luis Potosi
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