Robert Reich at Wheeler Hall, UC Berkeley

Attended Robert Reich's Wealth and Poverty class today at Wheeler Hall. Reich was absent -- he's at Harvard today on a book tour for his 18th publication: The Common Good. Pitch hitting for Reich was Hilary Hoynes, an economist specializing in the American social safety net for disadvantaged families. 723 students packed the auditorium today, not including the unregistered sitting on the floor at the back of the hall.

Robert Reich is a brilliant, accomplished and much-admired man: Author of 18 books, Secretary of Labor under Pres. Bill Clinton and named one of the most effective 20th Century cabinet secretaries by TIME Magazine. His Wealth and Poverty lectures and a discussion of government policy are also available on his popular Facebook page. ~~Susan Ford

"This is What Democracy Looks Like" Show at UC Berkeley

Sketch by Vivian Aldridge 2017 

The Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology at the University of California in Berkeley is hosting "This is What Democracy Looks Like" with the SF Bay Area Urban Sketchers. These drawings chronicle resistance and demonstrations from the local (Bay Area, New York, Oregon) to the global (England, Turkey). The sketches, like the events themselves, are part of a worldwide effort to highlight community engagement in social and political action.

The show runs from February 15 to March 30, 2018. The Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology is located in 102 Kroeber Hall on Bancroft Way at College Avenue on the campus of the University of California, Berkeley.

We want to express our appreciation to both Blick Art Materials and Flax Art & Design in Oakland for their support.

...one ninja turtle says to the other...

as previously noted: visitors from the past...

Before heading in the the newly re-built Bear's Lair, I stopped to sketch "A Musical Offering" — a wonderful, intimate, classical music shop which has been on Bancroft for decades. Glad to see it's still there!

More Bear's Lair. . .

. . . and more non-turtles (see below) sitting at the bar in the new Bear's Lair, part of a $223 million dollar upgrade of Lower Sproul Plaza on the UC Berkeley campus. 

Speaking of "walking into a bar" jokes, here's an offering from the New Yorker:

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/09/21/why-the-long-face

Quite a bit more chic than the former 50 year old venue.

Yo-Yo Ma at the Greek Theater, UC Berkeley.

The Greek Theater at UC Berkeley sold out for this event, 8500 spectators. Yo-Yo Ma played three of Bach's cello suites. Magnificent.

Yo-Yo Ma at the Greek Theater, pen and ink, watercolor and digital darkening, 16x5in.

Caffe Strada continued

People, dip pen and ink and watercolor, 9x12in

Caffe Strada, dip pen and ink and watercolor, 9x12in.

It was a beautiful warm night and there were people everywhere around the UC Berkeley Campus. 

Morrison Reading Room, UC Campus

Morrison Reading Room, UC Berkeley, pigment liner and gouache, 16x5in

I decided to try another view of the Morrison reading room, this time doing more of the ceiling that I did not even attempt the first time. The perspective is a bit awkward but I like to do it by eyeballing the angles and letting it grow organically.

UC Berkeley Campus

UC Berkeley Campus, dip pen and ink and watercolor, 8x10in.

From left to right Wheeler Hall, the Campanille, South Hall, Stephens Hall and the LBNL dome in the back. I was happy that the big oak tree was there otherwise it would have been too much to draw.

South Halll, UC Berkeley

South Hall, dip pen and ink and watercolor 9x12in.

I went to draw South Hall two days in a row. The first day I was overwhelmed by the detail and could not pass from an initial sketch that I later erased. The second day sketching just flowed. The Mind works in a strange way.

South Hall was built in 1873 and it's the oldest building on Campus. It hosted the first Physics laboratory in the US!

Morrison Library, UC Berkeley

Library composition, pigment liner, ink and watercolor, 18x12in.

The Morrison reading room opened in 1928 and has confortable chairs and beautiful lamps. The wooden panels, the chandeliers and the carpets give it a very warm atmosphere. It's located on the right of the main entrance to the Main library building.

UC Berkeley sketches

UC Berkeley, dip pen, colored ink and watercolor, 9x12in

I did a little sketch crawl around the Berkeley campus drawing and enjoying the beautiful spring weather.

UC Berkeley Campus, two of my favorite things

These are two of my favorite things to draw in the Berkeley Campus, the old tree close to the Faculty Club and the South Hall. I these sketches in August. I had just joined the urban sketchers group and I think that they already show improvement thanks to the show and tell sessions with my fellow sketchers.

Old Tree, pen and ink and watercolors, 9x12 sketchbook.

South Hall, pen and ink and watercolors, 9x12 sketchbook.

UC Berkeley sketches

Now that I have a niece that studies at UC Berkeley I'll be there sketching every so often. These two sketches are from the front porch of Cafe Strada, looking up towards the International House and off to the side towards the Architecture department.

Oh, and I lost a whole book of sketches while on campus ( a few weeks ago), so if you are ever on campus and spot a book, let me know!