Amsterdam sketches

Our second port-of-call was Amsterdam where we celebrated our wedding anniversary with the King and the boisterous orange-clad Amsterdammers of this wonderful city. Between rainstorms, we were welcomed to the studio and into the home of Dutch illustrator Gertie Jaquet. It's so nice to close the loop and finally meet people one has only admired and known through social media. She shares a studio with several very talented illustrators. I had the pleasure of comparing books and sketchbooks with another fabulous illustrator Georgien Overwater.
We were in Amsterdam at a busy time: King's Day. But I suspect it is always a bit of a pageant of individuals careening and full of passion and energy yet ready to relax and celebrate the tulips.

bicycles everywhere!

So many bicycles of all sorts and configurations

Capt. Coq from "The Night Watch"

At the Rijksmuseum: Rembrandt and Isaac Israels

The mesmerizing pen and ink "paintings" of decisive naval battles by Willem van de Velde 

two different "The Baptism of Christ" images featuring male figures with heads obscured by towels or clothing. Fra Angelico did this too. Why?

"God Saving the Infant Jerusalem" from a stained glass window. Illustrations everywhere you look. The world is a comic book!

Then an early morning Thalys train to Brussels and my head starting to spin combining memories of Copenhagen & Amsterdam and anticipating imagery of cities and familiar faces to come.