Holiday Merry-Go-Round

Each year the Tilden Park Merry-Go-Round is decorated for the holidays and open at night. The park is dark, dark, dark and the Merry-Go-Round is lit up like a jewel box! (See Ceiny's sketches in the next post.)

Carousel at Tilden Park, Berkeley

Tilden Carousel Animals

Every holiday season, we sketch at the carousel in Tilden Park, which is abundantly decorated inside and out and hosts Santa and a merry band of elves.

Built in 1911, the carousel was installed at Tilden Park in 1948 after service at amusement parks in San Bernardino, San Diego and Los Angeles. One of the few antique carousels left in the country, it is on the National Register of Historic Places, the official list of places worthy of preservation.

More Tilden Carousel Animals

Tilden Park Merry-Go-Round

It was a great sketching night! The display of Christmas trees, the ornaments, the lights, Santa, the Elfs, it was difficult to decide what to draw!

Merry-Go-Round, pen and ink, 9x12in

Merry-Go-Round, pen and ink, colored pencils, 9x12in

Tilden Park Christmas Fantasy

They added air-filled woodland characters this year, the tree must be taller by another 4 feet, and there are many ornament-encrusted trees inside the carousel.
http://www.berkeleyside.com/tag/tilden-park-merry-go-round-christmas-fantasy-in-the-woods/
Since it was quite dark, I tried drawing on my iPad with Sketchbook Pro - I got an impression of the giant tree in front which is magical because of being extremely outsized. There are many fun, light-string-outlined shapes covering the lawn. I added one paper/ink drawing.