Embroidered Thoughts Paris Drawings

I rarely travel anywhere without my Rapidograph pen and a small sketch book in case I have an epiphany and need to put it on paper. I have always loved pen and ink drawings especially after learning to finesse the art of cross hatching from Dr. Moldrowski, my first drawing instructor at Eastern. So, my rapidograph pen needs to be kept functioning (it will leak when sad - just like tears) which means I take it apart and soak the parts in ammonia. Ammonia always works (thanks Michael for the cleaning tip!) and my pen will be good as new for a time. Of course, frequent use (drawing) keeps it going longer which means I am compelled to doodle as often as I can.

I decided to utilize my pen for a full scale drawing to recount and illustrate the Paris trip of 2004 for Elaine and Tom. It was a week in January - Tom had a conference and I was a tourist in my glory with guidebook in hand, good walking shoes and enough knowledge of French to get by. After two days on my own, Tom and I then spent a few days walking the city, going to amazing monuments and famous sites all of which are depicted in these drawings. Of course, time filters reality so I pulled out my photo album of Paris, some guide books of Paris and just general knowledge of Paris to put together this little ink collage of our trip. And for practicality, I also needed to have something to hang on my newly painted dining room wall therefore this drawing which is now framed and taking up wall space.

This was fun to compile and is totally illustrative but that was my intention. When I walk by this drawing I am reminded that I could be in my studio putting down thoughts of experience and lessons learned. Those drawings would then be transferred to fabric to be stitched. But this was fun to do and yes, that waiter was "oooo lala...!"