Yeni Cami

Last week I tried out some new watercolor pencils in the courtyard of Yeni Cami.  I love the softness that comes with this material, especially on a humid summer day.  Though the softness was working, I felt as though the drawing was lacking intensity, and needed something to pull it all together.  In the end I used a black brush pen to push the darks in the foreground pillars, and a light blue wash for the sky.  

When I am at a loss of where to draw, I know I can always be satisfied in Yeni Cami.  Perhaps it is the female influence, the multi domed structure, or the stunning calligraphy tiles lining the courtyard....it is peace amidst the immense chaos of Eminonu.

"Yeni Cami" Gabrielle Reeves 2014

Harem Hotel

I go every Monday morning very early (05:30) to Ankara from Istanbul departing usually from the Harem Bus Station. As the duration of the days prolonged at this time of the year, the view of the Harem Hotel and the view behind became much more visible and pleasant with the early light of the day. Behind the hotel there is one of the towers of the Selimiye Barrack and minaret of the Defterdar Efendi Mosque.

Rytons are animal shaped antique wine cups.  This particular ox-shaped ryton was found in Enez/Ainos excavations conducted by Istanbul University during the summer of 2009.

This sketch of Narmanli Yurdu is 5 years old already.  I have found it today as I was browsing through my drawing notebooks.  I remember myself climbing the stairs of what used to be the Four Seasons Restaurant of my college years, sitting at the balcony and drawing this sketch...  The studios of many turkish artists, novelists and poets such as Bedri Rahmi Eyuboglu, Ahmet Hamdi Tanpinar and Aliye Berger used to be within this building.