Stay Warm...Wear Layers

It's been getting chilly here in the northeastern United States. I've been putting on extra layers to stay warm - which reminded of this poodle portrait I put together a few years back.

You can view more fun equations here.

Indian Lake

I spent last weekend at Indian Lake - located in the Adirondack Park. All along the coastline, there were rocks piled up (as in the sketch above), known as cairns. I'm don't know their intended meaning, but these simple constructions added a poetic mystique to the rugged coastline. For me, they will mark a wonderful Autumn weekend spent with my family - celebrating my father's 90th birthday.

A quick sketch as dinner was on the grill.

I drew these pictures as the morning fog was lifting on Sunday.

"There are no words that can tell the hidden spirit of the wilderness, 

that can reveal its mystery, its melancholy and its charm."

~ Theodore Roosevelt, an Adirondacks enthusiast

Jury Duty

Everyone dreads getting that call to show up for jury duty. I certainly did. Fortunately, sketchbooks are not banned from the courtroom. So for one day, I got in touch with my inner 'courtroom illustrator', and recorded the action...

Potential jurors listen to instructions from the judge.

Potential jurors answer questions from the judge, DA and defense attorney

A lunch-hour sketch of Bardavon Opera House - located across the street from the Courthouse.

There's no law banning stenographers from dressing snappily.

The judge came across as fair and compassionate

I wasn't chosen to serve on this particular jury - but came away from this experience respecting all the checks and balances we go through to remove biases from the legal process.  I'm fortunate to live in a country which attempts to make it's legal system as fair as possible. My only qualm was seeing "In God We Trust" so prominently displayed in the courtroom. I'm not anti-religion - but was under the impression that there is a separation of church and state.

You can view a big gallery of sketchbook excerpts here!