The High Life

Much neglected blog!

Anyway, back in New York and hanging out in a part of town I’m not usually in.

A brand new building on 42nd Street called MiMA the venue of a Saatchi art show that Robert was in. Fabulous views over the Hudson to New Jersey - with the Intrepid on the right.

Looking down was rather unnerving. Spot the little church with dwarfed spires nestling in the shadows.

Looking north made the little buildings look like Lego building blocks.

The views at night were extra dramatic - the Intrepid again on the upper right...

and everything twinkly and magical.

One of Robert’s paintings of another, more classic, high rise building!

The last photo taken out of an open window looking directly downwards onto 42nd Street.

I’m still feeling dizzy!

Still Cold

Clear and bright.

Blue skies at last....

Elementary School on 21st Street.

Snowbanks obscure the children's dream of life under the sea.

 Time to get back to work.

How dull. Time to play games like: Find the camouflaged knife

What can this possibly be?

Way too easy to guess.

A very old chair.

Pure white flowers for the new year.

Things that Go

A rather usual sort of day..... subway downtown.

A walk in the new park at the end of 23rd Street

and a visit to the Museum of the American Indian in the former custom house at One Bowling Green which used to be a custom house. Here a mural makes the Hudson look much busier than it does today.

My main blog is now here 

Time Over Distance/ Robert Schmid

Robert has updated his website to include his most recent paintings.

People often want to make a narrative out of these rather complex juxtapositions

 of images. Rather difficult to explain in words things that are essentially visual ideas. 

He is represented by the Sears Peyton Gallery on 11th Avenue.

On the right is a picture of Deniz taken a few weeks ago. Strange how life turns into art.

A Visit to Essex

Liverpool Street Station is much altered from when I was a child. (What isn't.....?)
I looked for echoes of childhood memories and discovered them in all the lanky buddleia bushes growing out of walls once one left the station.
The once black station is now very clean and moderne.
A thought: 30p/55cents is too much to charge for the ladies' room. Hm.......



The actual trains had pink inside. The first time I've seen pink used that way.
Susanna's winged messenger enjoyed the ride.



I was met by a most hospitable fellow-bogger Barbara and her husband Alan. I often go to Barbara's blog when I'm in America because it's quintessentially English.
We had a delicious lunch of homemade soup and bread, and later scones and toffee shortbread. YUM.
I had not realised before that Barbara is an accomplished watercolorist and calligrapher. (You can just see two of her paintings of the Cotswolds behind her.)



Anyway, we chatted and chatted non-stop and the afternoon flew by.
The weather was typically English - rain followed by a general sort of damp - but I was able to enjoy the garden I recognized well from her blog.



The goldfish swam merrily in the pool and the whole excursion was a delight.

Distractions

I'm sure all of you who work at home or are remotely creative know the drill.
There are so many things that prevent one from actually getting down to work.
There is the standard cup of tea..........



............the sofa to sit on............



..........the early morning light falling just so. Robert's drawings of people in Djemma elFna above........



His table waiting for him him to get to work. He is much more disciplined than me.



As a last resort one can look out of the window. I do that a lot.
At about 7 yesterday evening there was a rainbow behind the Empire State Building.




From the side window, I can look down at people on the little path that runs between 23rd and 24th Streets.
I can write blogs. I can do all sorts of things.
What do you do when trying to avoid writing - or whatever it is you think you ought to be doing?