Thursday 23 October 2014

Umberella meeting of Urban Sketchers Berlin

'Urban Sketchers Berlin' Met up yesterday in the Market hall on Bergmann Strasse (I've always known it as this only to discover recently it's called 'Marheinekhalle'. We were a healthy sized group and it was great to met, in person, a few people whom I know only as three centimeter photos on the Internet. The weather was not at all conducive to drawing or painting of any form luckily the Markthalle has a roof and we all remained in doors.


Fruchthaus Lorenzen
 They were all very busy at the fruit stand but the boss gave me the luxury of a three minute pose


Some familiar and some not so familiar faces of 'Berlin Urban Sketchers'. While we are not quite Honk Kong's Umbrella movement we are moving with Umbrella's.



After a strenuous round of afternoon sketching there was a little trouble finding a restaurant that was both big enough for a group of our size, and interesting enough inside to give us all something to draw. In the end Cafe Josephine won our custom I ignored the decor and drew Werner, Annette and Christian. It was great to have the opportunity to met up with the group again and thanks top Katrin for organising it  

Wednesday 22 October 2014

Organ grinders alive and well

Organ Grinders, (or "Leierkasten", "Lyre cabinet" men as they are referred to in German) are alive and well on the streets of Berlin but their monkeys have been stuffed. Here's one spotted recently on the train looking absolutely spiffing old chap.


taking a well deserved reading break

 Perhaps it is all in a name. I used to see organ grinders in Dublin when I was growing up but they are now a thing of the distant past, no longer to be seen. The name "Organ grinder" has negative connotations, and has had for quite some time. Where as It wouldn't necessarily bother if me if I heard the 'Lyre cabinet' man was coming around the corner... even if he was dressed very similar to Otto von Bismark...


'Lyre cabinet' man in front of Alexanderplatz station with a stuffed monkey

Thursday 16 October 2014

Proper Nouns

 People in  Places
Just People

People in Places with some Things
People in Places

could be Lassie