Studio Time

I am enjoying my re-visit to Amsterdam very much. Two days ago, I took an adventure to see the Rijksmuseum. I was astonished by the long lines, but was informed there was not a better time to see the paintings, so I entered. The lines and crowds continued indoors, where I saw dutch masterpieces from the 14th century onwards, often betweem the heads of other tourists. I occasionally found a painting which had no onlookers, which I felt inclined to see. I made study drawings from a few. I stayed at the museum through the afternoon before my exhaustion led me to walk the streets in search of a cafe. In my searching, I came across a gem of a sculpture gallery. The artist's name was Leon Strous.  His sculptures reminded me of Shel Silverstein characters. We talke for some time while he worked on a sculpture. I felt inspired by his work. Shortly after, I found a lovely cafe, where I set to make some interpretations on the characters I saw in Leon's studio/gallery ( a photo of which can be seen herein). 

Yesterday, I began preparing works and books for shipment home. I will be on the road shortly and will have to travel light. 

I am in conversation with my friend in New York about busking in a subway station for a few days upon my return to the states, thus I am looking for efficient ways to make drums out of found objects. This morning, I set to making a drum out of cardboard. I layered thirty cut squares with glue, then carved out the middle. I affixed a final cardboard square to the top to act as a beater head. I was curious to see if any resonation could be produced from such a crude drum. The result was surely a work of art, but it would be a stretch to call it a drum. I will have to sacrifice it somehow along with other larger unfinished sculptures and paintings. 

In the afternoon, I set up a small studio on a table and continued to work on a series of paintings which I began in Berlin. I am pleased with how they are evolving. 

On the left page are studies from paintings at the Rijksmuseum, as well as hand studies from Heinrich Kley. In ochre, a quick sketch from a painting by Vellert titled The Judgement of Cambyses, in which Cambyses is in the process of being beaten with a stone and flayed. On the right are characters inspired from the sculptural work of Leon Strous.