Queens, New York, is the most ethnically diverse city in America. Or so they say, so when I was hanging out in a park in Queens one recent Saturday morning I was not surprised to see some Chinese practitioners of Tai Chi. I decided to do some drawings, as I love drawing the figure in motion, and I was having a blast doing it. A few women from the group noticed me drawing and came over during one of their breaks to see the results. They decided that I should be drawing the leader, a Tai-Chi master visiting from China. I told them, yes, of course I will draw him, and thought the matter was decided. But no, I wasn’t doing it soon enough nor giving him the proper attention!

So…feeling the pressure, I laughed and moved to the front of the group to get a better view of the teacher. He was good! Somehow he moved slowly but quickly at the same time. I couldn’t figure that one out, but that’s the only way I can describe it.

I wasn’t the only one trying to keep up with him! In the drawing above you can see that the leader has already completed the turn the others are just embarking on! I know there’s a philosophical meaning behind all of this, but honestly I was just trying to get his movements down on the page. Finally I decided to focus on the Tai Chi master himself and do a portrait of him in full force, which he ended up really liking.  I posted it last week on our Studio 1482 blog, one drawing a day. You can check it out HERE if you’d like. Another great day of drawing in the great city of New York!! : )

PS – Tia Boon Sim has just posted a lovely interview she did with me on the Urban Sketchers Symposium blog. You can read it on the blog HERE if you are interested. I’m really looking forward to visiting Portland and working with her and the other artists at the symposium!