Plein Air Drawings

This series of Tom's drawings are all done plein air, and are all the same basic size of 8.5 inches X 5 inches. Some are portrait and some are landscape in orientation, depending on subject matter. Most were drawn with an HB automatic pencil. A few in the early 1990's were drawn with a rapidograph ink pen.

Ponte Vecchio Florence

March 4, 1998

Ponte Vecchio is one of my favorite bridges in the world. The tiny shops and residences on the span are very charming. I wish we could have kayaked in the Arno River, passing underneath.

The bridge from the Doges’ Palace to the adjacent prison is all stone construction, even the bars on the windows. The “Sighs” in the name refers to the way a prisoner no doubt felt when crossing over the bridge to the dungeon, likely never to return to freedom.

Venice Gondola Dock

February 27, 1998

Sitting on a low wall in Piazza San Marco, I sketched one of the main gondola docks in Venice, looking across the canal to the Chiesa di San Giorgo Maggiore. The gondolas are beautifully crafted.

Rialto Bridge

November 8, 1997

The Rialto is a very ornate 16th Century footbridge over the Grand Canal in Venice. I sketched it from a nearby cafe on a pleasant November day.

Il Duomo Milano

November 2, 1997

Il Duomo church is in the center of Milano, and quite ornate. It is all white marble construction, including the roof, which makes it gleam in the sun. The piazza in front is a great people watching place.

Mesa Verde

September 17, 1997

There are many beautiful Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings in Mesa Verde. Oak Tree House is one of my favorites. I sketched it from the rim of the opposite cliff.

Ouray Colorado

September 16, 1997

Jill and I stayed at the historic St. Elmo Hotel in the beautiful high altitude Rocky Mountain town of Ouray. Mule deer roamed the streets seemingly unbothered by humans.

Temppeliaukio

February 23, 1997

Temppeliaukio, the beautiful Rock Church, is literally carved out of a solid rock formation in the center of Helsinki. I enjoyed sketching from the rear pews while some musical rehearsals were taking place. The space has excellent acoustics, largely because of the very rough rock surfaces.

Koln Cathedral Chapel

October 1, 1996

I had limited time one morning before catching a train from Koln to Amsterdam. I did this very quick gesture sketch to capture the dynamic structure and ornament of the flying buttressed chapel.

Quincy Ruins

August 10, 1995

I sketched the Quincy Mine ruins from the Houghton side of the Portage Canal. The smelter is in the foreground, and the Quincy number 6 shafthouse and steam hoist are at the top of the bluff. Ripley ski hill is to the extreme right.