STEVEN SNAKE-EYES
Steven Snake-Eyes / Istanbul—–Aerosmith was supposed to play Istanbul, but their concert was cancelled due to the worst mining disaster in Turkey’s history. Steven Tyler and his retinue stayed eight days anyway, saw all the sights, and interacted with the people, like a jeweler near the Car Wash in Karakoy. The raffish rock ‘n’ roll delegation bought so much there that the jeweler was able to take a full month off to spend with her newborn baby. Steven loved the Byzantine Car Wash, running his hands over the 800-year-old brickwork as his retinue stood transfixed across the street, gazing at the ancient bricks and saying, “This is SO COOL.”
FERRY TO PARADISE
Commission piece for a couple’s wedding invitation This couple found me somehow and asked for this drawing, which I emailed to them as requested. I still have the original, and it’s yours, folks, if you’re out there!
TRAM STOP EMINONU
Reflected city in the clouds at the tram stop in Eminonu – A Greek face—–Missed several trams drawing this but couldn’t stop, and didn’t have a camera…
CAFE BUDDY GOLDEN HORN
My buddy at the cafe over the Golden Horn—–A couple of enterprising neighborhood fellows made a nice thing of a teashop at the park overlooking the Mouth of the Bosporus. For a few years you could just walk down the hill, spend a few cents and enjoy one of the best views in the world.
ELIF IN THE DARK
Elif drawn in a blackout at Kahve 6—–When the electricity goes out for most of a cold rainy winter day, only thing to do is to head out to your favorite cafe. Elif Özizmir translated my book Drawing On Istanbul 2 into Turkish. Her work is as beautiful as she is.
DEVIL FACE EROL
Devil Face / Angel Heart Erol – 18 January—–What a face! At Şimde, the coolest coffeehouse in Asmalimecit, the waiters are all interesting but Erol was a real sweetie-pie. He left after several years to pursue photography. Hope he’s doing well.