Tango dancers in Jaffa

Milonga in Jaffa, in the heart of the old city, between churches, minarets and synagogues, hummus and baklava eaters, fitted somehow perfectly to the colorful atmosphere of this place. Last year during our trip to South America, I was lucky to sketch milongueros in the place were tango was born - Buenos Aires. I was surprised to discover that our local community looked not less professional! Dancers came equipped with their dancing shoes, dressed as it supposed from tango dancers, in different ages and origins, but all burning from inside with similar passion, they created magic when they moved together with music.
It's so inspiring to see  a group of people united by common passion. Especially when they so beautiful as tango dancers! It took to me a while to start to sketching - I was fascinated and felt like sketching with my eyes. But after a few clumsy lines, little by little I entered to the pace... It was real fun!

Gouache in Jaffa again

I'm in Jaffa again, having some sketching time with my friend Nathan. We're looking for the perfect spot, were we can combine drinking coffee and sketching. When we pass near Dr. Narghile shop, the decision comes to us simultaneously. We sat down in front of the shop on the heavy old chairs padded with red and black stripped cloth. I'm starting to sketch three men smoking narghile near me, but they're taking out their wallets and paying - what a pity! I need to wait for a new victim. It comes immediately - young bearded guy, looking for some calm moments and the last rays of the spring sun.

My second sketch - glance to the opposite side, to the busy junction with Jeffet street. There is so much going on all the time - tourists, locals, Arabs, Jews... looks like everybody have enough place and understand each other in different languages. 

I'm looking for the spot for the another sketch, decide to sketch the view just opposite me. It looks boring, big motorcycle is blocking my view, but I want to find a story in what I see. Suddenly interesting couple entering to my frame. Big blond woman wearing long black dress with a big split and red high heel shoes and red bag which complete the look. "Please, stay here for a while!" - I'm whispering. And what a gift - looks like the woman asking her man to take a photo of her, they are staying there for a few minuets, talking one to another and looking for a nice spot, finally leaving the place without taking a picture. But I got my few minuets to add them to my sketch and have the story I looked for!

I decide to do my last sketch inside my new sketchbook, which has horizontal panoramic format. Asian guy, obviously tourist, sitting down near us and ordering narghile. It turns out that the guy is from Hong Kong and he's narghile lover, have one at his home. Everything is global now ;)

Few hours passed like a one minute. Street is full of stories, all you need is to sit down in one place enough time, and all the stories will come to you :)

Sun, coffee and gouache in Jaffa

Sunny spring afternoon, we're having coffee at one of the corners of Jaffa. I'm pulling out my gouache set and starting to arrange the colors on the palette. "And what about the paints?"- the waitress is asking me while she brings ours coffee. "What about them?" - I'm asking her. "They wouldn't dirt the table?" "No, please don't worry! They are water based!"
Recently I'm in love with gouache and acrylic. I want to back to painting, the real one, as I did in the art school, but I don't have proper time for it. So I'm trying to bring it to my Urban Sketching. It requires more arrangements than just watercolor and pencils. And my bag is getting heavy. But I don't give up, and it pays back - I enjoy it a lot.

In my first sketch I'm trying to capture the whole scene - the street, the coffee drinkers and especially the sun coming from theirs back and giving all the characters kind of  aureole.
The couple on the left were speaking Italian, on the right - Russian. I felt abroad.

The group that came after were German tourists.

This girl with high hairdo arrived suddenly, drunk her coffee along, and continued on her way. I barely had time to capture her.

 And at the end - how not? My friends Nathan and Shai, smoking and chatting.

Sketchcrawl at the Fleamarket

Sketches from our last Sketchcrawl at the Fleamarket of Jaffa - always vibrant place, full of colorful characters and stories!

started sketching together with my guest from Germany, Karin

people at Shafa Bar

municipality official arguing with a peddler, both of them cursing in Russian

Ethiopian boys managing the bussuness

after the sketchcrawl - hummus at Danny's buffet - yummy!

What a fun day!

Coffee and friends at Basma

To save the trees at the Jerusalem Boulevard!

Last Friday we met for the our group sketchcrawl at the Jerusalem boulevard in Jaffa. Our sketchcrawl started from the guided tour about the history of this beautiful 100-years old boulevard. We learned about this place, full of layers of history and different cultures influences. The silent witnesses -  tall green trees, giving a great shadow and so unique look to the boulevard - are going to be uprooted soon, because of building there one of the lines of the light train.
By the initiative of Orna Marton, one of our group members, USk Tel Aviv decided to join the struggle for keeping the trees.
Tel Aviv sketchers documented the Jerusalem boulevard, each one from his authentic point of view and small group exhibition, which will be open soon, will help people to rise an awareness about this place and hopefully we will help to save the trees.

warming up at one the coffee shops at the boulevard

huge trunks and small coffee shop at the background

all kinds of people are passing by...

it was hot, but we were brave! ;)

Friday morning at the Greek Market in Jaffa

Friday morning we meet at the Greek Market in Jaffa for the sketchcrawl. It was perfect spring weather, little by little narrow streets started to become full by merchants and buyers.
Here every merchant feels like an owner of his street. At least Arik, who manages used bicycles shop, feels as a king of his corner. He yells on his workers, bargain with clients, arguing with competitors, chatting with passers by. He was very proud to be our "model". "In real life I'm ugly! Draw me young and beautiful!" - asked Arik the wish of the most of models ;)

Later I sit down to drink a coffee at one of the coffee shops, full of models as well.

November beach

Some sketches I did on one of Jaffa's beaches at one of perfect November days.

Dog and his owner - don't they look alike?

tourist in red swimming suit and a fisherman

beach panorama

pigeons - the lords of the beach

the food at the end, as usual!

Backgammon "club" at the flea market

Jaffa Flea market is one of the most colorful places in Tel Aviv, full of authentic characters, patterns, smells, sounds and stories.
After I came back from Singapore, where I was fascinated by the chess players "club" in the middle of the Chinatown, I was looking for opportunity to sketch street games players here in Israel. This week I found them at the Jaffa . Small table and two chairs in the middle of the street, two players surrounded by the group of men - was really the best show in the city! I think that Olympic Games competitors need to learn the worrier's spirit from these backgammon players!

Suddenly we saw at the opposite site of the street group of men organizing something... What are they up to? They turned to Jerusalem direction and started to pray:

Of course, there is no sketching day without food - we couldn't resist to have some humus!

Small cup of black coffee and Nathan, very concentrated by sketching people around :)

 It was perfect sketching day!

Going to sketch the people of Lisbon!

Everything is almost ready for my trip to Lisbon, I'm very excited toward this small journey. I got an invitation from a group of Portuguese fellow sketchers to give there a workshop, which I happily received. I'm excited to come back to the city connected to my many great memories - the place I participated for the first time in USk Symposium, met in person so many virtual friends! And the beautiful city by itself, I fell in love with from the first site. And, of course, my workshop - we're going to sketch on the anniversary day of the Portugal revolution, to capture the "heroes" of the city - its citizens!

some giveaways for the workshop  - flyers and postcards

As you can guess, the workshop will be about sketching people - subject I love the most. We'll do some fun and loosing up exercises and I hope that we will enjoy the process, that's way beautiful results will come as well!

Here are some sketches I did during my Drink&Draw meeting with my friend Aurore at Jaffa's Flea market last Thursday evening - the perfect place for capturing people and their stories!

Looking forward to sketching the people of Lisbon!