Roman Sketch Book.

"Spanish Steps"
Pen and ink drawing. Rome 1961

I spent a lot of time during my first few months in Rome walking around the city drawing in pen and ink. I liked the technique as there is no turning back, the first line was always the last, The discipline of not being able to correct a drawing is to be highly recommend. It reminded me of a drawing class at I had experienced at Desiderius Orban's Art School at Circular Quay, Sydney a few years before were we were given 30 sec. per drawing. He would run up and down the studio urging his students to go faster, faster. Only draw from the shoulder not the wrist, he would shout. Not that pen and ink was anything like that, but the requirement to draw instinctively has remained. Too much caution will quickly tighten up the work so it becomes wooden, only direct drawing retains the life and integrity .Another technique of Orban's was never take the charcoal off the page. A Scot's friend in our class possessed the same philosophy , he taught me a lot and was highly skilled draughtsman. 


Only recently returned from Egypt were he had been  doing National Service in the aborted invasion of Suez by the British and French trying to regain control after Nasser had nationalise Suez.  Gordon was very supportive and encouraging, later becoming lecturer in printmaking at the Liverpool School of Art.

"Roman apartments"
Pen and ink drawing. Rome  1961

Rome is such a visual city that the only way to really enjoy the sights is on foot. Around every corner there is a new delight. I have been told that it is possible to discover worthwhile visual experience every day for four years without repeating yourself. The city becomes even more alive the more you study her history. Only a short distance from the Academe stands the Arch of Titus erected to commemorate the sacking of Jerusalem with it's relief sculptures of the spoils being brought back to Rome. The council is not beyond the practice of dropping off a few broken pieces of sculpture for tourists to photo.

"Baroque Doorway"
Pen and ink drawing. Rome 1961.

"Roman Palazzo"
Pen and ink drawing. Rome 1961


 

Another very good friend of mine the Canadian painter Brian Fisher would spend hours wandering around the city, avoiding the street dropping of the dog population while looking for the unusual. At night  both  being short of money we would frequent the Roman Council Cafe for the poorer members of the community. The food by our standards was quite reasonable and cheap, but when I took my Italian friend I had meet on the ship there he was not overly impressed, claiming pasta should never be served without butter! At other times we would visit offal restaurants in the poorer quarters of the city, personally I had no objection to this type of food but Brian found the experience unpleasant. On his return to Canada he became quite successful painting the large mural at Montreal's airport. Most likely many of my Canadian readers are familiar with his work as he is represented in most Canadian Art Galleries'

"Trevi Fountain"
Pen and Ink Drawing. Rome 1961

" Church Doorway"
Pen and ink drawing. Rome. 1961

There were many South American students in Rome at this time, generally left wing politically ,who for one reason or another were happy to be out of their countries. Franco was still in power in Spain, so Italy was their natural choice to keep out of harms way. I often wonder what happened to many them, particularly those from the Argentine as it was only a few years till the Generals came to power, hopefully they are still all alive.

'View from my window"
Pen and Ink Drawing. Rome. 1961

One of the great delights of old cities is looking out across the rooftops, observing all the additions made over the centuries.  Japanese artists love the different textures of all the materials. When I ran the Harrington Street Gallery years later in the 1970's , I used to import many woodblock prints from Japan and I still marvel at the variety of textural treatment .

"Old City apartment"
Pen and Ink Drawing. Rome 1961

"Typical Balcony"
Pen and Ink Drawing. Rome. 1961

New Year's eve is always great entrainment, Romans throw all their unwanted garbage, furniture and so on out the window or from the balcony. One year legion has it that a husband throw out his wife, but such is life in the Eternal City.