Session Three Report

Two and a half portrait exchanges were completed today: between Dario Zapata and Peter Walsh, between Lin Ruo and Peter Walsh and between Guo Kun Sheug and Peter Walsh (A busy work day at the park stopped us in mid-exchange. We’ll complete it soon). The morning was gorgeous, cool and sunny. The effects of a light shower last night were still visible this morning in various shallow puddles and the occasional raindrop being shaken down from park trees. The drawings were done at one of the main locations for professional portrait artists in Central Park - near the Plaza Hotel and across from Grand Army Plaza at the corner of 59th and East Drive. Photos coming soon!

Comments by Peter Walsh:
“Finally we appear to have found an excellent acid free paper that has many of the drawing properties of newsprint, which is the standard paper used by many portraitists in Central Park: Zerkall Book Smooth, 100 gram, in white. Dario, who frequently does caricatures when working in the park, did a spot-on portrait on the new paper, which he described as excellent. But I struggled with completing my end of the exchange! Lin jumped in and drew me in profile while I worked on Dario’s portrait and finished much earlier than I with an excellent likeness. I completed the exchange with Lin while he ate his lunch and surprisingly finished quickly and with a satisfying likeness. Guo did a fine portrait of me in a burnt umber Chinese charcoal/chalk but as the park was getting crowded and business was good, he asked me to finish the exchange at a later date.”

Thanks go out to my lovely wife Deidre Hoguet who was on hand to take photos. A number of people stopped by to see the action including curator George Ciscle and artist Micki Spiller and her young son. Thanks to all!