McSorley's Drawing

The images I draw freehand from ideas turn out differently from the drawings I create from looking and observing. This is an observational drawing which I did while looking at a photograph of McSorley's by Berenice Abbott. Drawing sharpens the perception of the elements of a place, the way the parts of a room create the whole, how they connect and function. This kind of drawing also involves a kind of problem solving; what to leave out, what to include, how to depict perspective on a flat piece of paper and character using a black line. I've spent time in Greenwich Village but never visited McSorley's and was never there at the time shown in the picture––drawing from Abbott's photograph was a kind of tourism, imagining myself into another place and time. Besides the influence of the photographer I must acknowledge the influence of other line artists, notably John Sloan, but particularly Marvin Friedman, another Gourmet magazine illustrator like myself but by far the greater master of line. I wish I'd spent time in this bar. I also wish I'd had the chance to meet Abbott and Friedman and Sloan who've influenced my art.

Drawing:Ballpoint Pen on Paper

Original:One-of-a-kind Artwork

Size:9 W x 7.5 H x 1 D in

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