Tag: sketchbook

Mykonos’ Maze of Streets

(Excerpt from my book, The Artist on the Road: Impressions of Greece)

After returning on the last boat back to Mykonos, I choose to hit the streets again to find another place to draw rather than return to the hotel. I feel energized by my success over the last couple of days, and I hope to retain this creative spirit. I set out from the docks and into Mykonos’ jungle of streets. It’s almost dinner time, and the smell of grilling chicken and pork souvlaki fills the air. This will be a good way to work up an appetite. While wandering along a tree-lined pathway, I stumble upon a familiar taverna where we ate gyros yesterday. I’m beginning to feel hungry, but I’m more interested in drawing, at least for the moment. Looking ahead, the path branches in two separate directions and provides both a good place to sit and a good vantage point from which to draw. I situate myself on a short wall and watch people pass by in their best evening wear, talking, laughing, eating. I’m thoroughly enjoying being here and being a part of it all. Even though I’m not Greek, I’m beginning to relate to the local culture.

Temple of Isis with Rain Drops

(Excerpt from my book, The Artist on the Road: Impressions of Greece)

The Island of Delos, Greece~ We arrive at the dock and exit to partly cloudy skies. We pay the fee at the entrance, and I pick up a free map before shuffling off through the ruins. Lizards crawl everywhere, big ones too, a foot long head-to-tail. The island is uninhabited by humans but teeming with life. Artemis, the Goddess of all things wild, was born on this island, so maybe that’s the reason this place overflows with critters.

At the far end of the site, I see a temple on a hill that looks particularly interesting. The map I picked up at the entrance reveals the ruin as the Temple of the Egyptian goddess Isis. Walking through an ancient theater to reach it, I find conditions there damp with a few puddles, but am excited about drawing today, and with my newfound enthusiasm, a little rain is not going to stop me.

My dad takes off to climb Mt. Kynthos, the highest spot on the island, but I stay behind to draw. Raindrops splash on my page, but I continue until the rain really picks up and forces me to stop. I pack my gear and hunt for shelter but with no success. Then as quickly as it started, the rain stops, so I unpack my gear and once again continue to draw. The rain returns, but this time I’m saved by Dad’s umbrella. He made it back from Mt. Kynthos just in time. Overall, the weather has cooperated quite nicely for this time of year in Greece, so I have nothing to complain about.

Mykonos Cafe

(Excerpt from my book, The Artist on the Road: Impressions of Greece)

We wake to the sound of rain. Today is our only chance to see the archeological site on the nearby island of Delos, since we will head back to Athens tomorrow. But as I peek outside, sunlight breaks through the clouds. We take our chances and head to the dock. Sure enough, the ferry is running, so we purchase tickets. The ferry departs at 9 am, which gives us about an hour to get breakfast. Surprisingly, it’s hard to find a bakery open at this hour, but eventually we locate one with an available outdoor table. I order the same custard filled pastry I’ve ordered at other bakeries. I love the outer flakiness dusted in powdered sugar. Topping it off with a Greek coffee makes my morning.

Mykonos’ Old Port

I walk down towards the docks hoping to find something else interesting to draw. The narrow city streets are a maze to navigate, especially with tall buildings obstructing my view of the bay. But I follow the roads that lead downhill, and without too much trouble, I’m able to find my way. Parking myself at the edge of the bay, I sit atop stone steps that descend to the sandy beach below. Shallow waves lap up on the shore leaving blankets of bubbles behind. Before me lays the Old Port of Mykonos, with its buildings huddled close together at the edge of the sea.

Mykonos Windmill

(Excerpt from my book, The Artist on the Road: Impressions of Greece)

To keep my artistic momentum going, I head out to draw. One of the first things I notice is an old windmill situated on a nearby hill, overlooking the city. It’s been converted to a museum, so I go inside. A workroom fills most of the area, with a spiraling stone stairway on the left. Curious, I climb the steps to the second floor. The space is cramped, with several large wooden gears used for grinding grain, and on the far side, a small window illuminates the room and reveals sweeping views of the city below. It’s dusty in here but I like the smell of old wood. I walk back down and exit into the fresh air. It’s here that I do one of my favorite drawings and interestingly, it has a similar feel to the drawing I did on Santorini this morning. Fortunately, I didn’t over burden the page with detail leaving open space for the work to breathe. I like the way the composition seems to roll across the page, keeping the eye moving. The windmill looks formidable with its kaleidoscope arms spiraling outward over the city.

Mykonos Hotel Room

Upon our arrival on Mykonos, a middle-aged woman in a van picks us up and drives us to her hotel. Our room, actually two rooms with a kitchen, is spacious but situated along a main road that we hope won’t keep us up at night. Here I’ve drawn the desk located in one corner of the room. My dad can be seen in the reflection of the mirror above the desk.

Hydrofoil to Mykonos

On the hydrofoil to Mykonos, I draw the front of the boat where we’re seated. The final drawing is tipped at an angle and the perspective distorted, but it gives a feeling of how disoriented one can feel when out at sea. The hydrofoil is smooth running and wicked fast.

Oia, Santorini

After a leisurely stroll through Ioa to the far tip of the island, we walk beyond the whitewashed buildings and continue along a stone walkway that leads to the edge of a cliff. Climbing a set of stairs, we now stand among the ruins of the 13th century castle, Kasteli of Agios Nikolaos, built by Venetians to protect the island from pirates. During the time that the Venetians’ ruled the islands, it was christened “Santorini” after the Church of Santa Irene.

The old castle offers one of the island’s most spectacular views overlooking several other sepia-colored islands rising up from the cobalt-blue Aegean. Looking back, the pale, whitewashed colors of Oia spread out across the top of the caldera in contrast with the dark, rocky cliffs below. To the north, several prominent windmills rise above the city.

Another small note – although I was unaware at the time I painted this piece, the house that was used to film the old 80‘s movie “Summer Lovers” is at the bottom, toward the center of the painting. I happen to watch the movie again a few weeks ago just to see how Santorini has changed in the last nearly 30 years (yes, its almost been that long), and at one point, I paused the movie and noticed that my painting of Oia actually included part of the their house.