On the Statue of Liberty 125th Anniversary

Artist and Miss Ludlow Searching for

Lady Liberty Drawings

     After digging through my Studio I managed to located my pen and ink drawing series in tribute to our dear Lady Liberty...with of course the invaluable help of Miss Ludlow. Miss Ludlow and Kimba her younger sister are new additions to our family, left behind when our friend and downstairs neighbor Richard passed unexpectedly last month. Great sadness brought their joy into our lives. May he rest in Peace. He loved spy thriller novels by all the great names. His favorite was Robert Ludlum for which Miss Ludlum was named. A little was changed in the translation. She has all the requisite  curiosity and doggedness of a Spy Master Novelist. Above all she is a Lady.

    

Artist Wife as Lady Liberty

Pen and Ink 2009

     I began a series on the Statue of Liberty a year back to get not  only into the spirit of Liberty but it's skin. As I was to find out in meditations and studies, many faces, many spirits, many bodies of all shapes, sizes, creed and languages have inhabited her all embracing cloak since her unveiling some 125 years ago in New York Harbor.

Many Liberties - 2010

     I found that aside from the full length projective or stereoscopic studies that  it served me best when riding out by Circle Line to draw and photograph her in the flesh so to speak, to take her in pieces rather than all at once. Her rising arm and the fold of her robe transformed in to feathered wings.

     I wondered what fashion of today might like using these Grecian folds.

     As you can tell the first attempts were clumsy and distressed the model considerably. If at first you don't succeed.

     I decided to leave the model's face out of this drawing, although she whispered in my ear that his one was hitting its stride. Could you make it down a runway. Would it look natural and exotic as the same time. I realized I could not improve on the original but noticed the certain magic the original had inhabited by a modern person.

Right On! You go! Liberty on the March!

Happy 125th Anniversary Dear Lady. You continue to inspire us all.