I just came back from a family trip to lovely Block Island off the coast of Rhode Island.
My daughter-in-law Candy, who grew up on the Island, kept us on the move. She wanted to share all its wonders.
One morning I joined Jessica, Leigh and my grandkids and we climbed a hill for an early morning drawing session of birds. It was organized by the bird lady who catches, bands, releases and tracks all the migratory birds that pass through Block Island heading south. Or north.
She brought some of her birds to the session. Having taught bird drawing to my own third grade art students for many years, I knew better than to think I could draw live models. So I snapped a picture on my iPhone of one yellow breasted finch.
After a few moments I looked up and there was James Stevenson, the artist and cartoonist who makes Block Island his home.
Stevenson is a noted New Yorker cartoonist and author and illustrator of 100 children’s books. He has also contributed to the op-ed page of the New York Times with drawings he calls New York: Lost and Found.
I am an admirer.
I went up to him and introduced myself.
“I am an admirer of your work,” I said.
He laughed and replied, “Really?”
“Yes,” I assured him. “I’m a retired art teacher and have loved your drawings for years.”
“You teach art? And still you admire my work? Quite surprising.”
We both laughed.
I went back to my birds.
He went back to drawing whatever he was drawing.
I didn’t look at his drawing. He didn’t look at mine.
I was grateful for that.
Fred Klonsky 