-At Can Carpets in Selçuk – Trici Venola 2016-2020 – BOOK 33: BIKERS IN EPHESUS—–FITS AND STARTS: This book began in 2016. I was walking on a stick, in dire need of knee surgery, ignored by my insurance company, angry and scared. I also had double vision, and it was getting worse. Drawing from life was physically hard. But I’d had a bout of pancreatitis and lost a lot of weight, this made me very happy! Then a great patron fell out of the sky-being the angel that he is- and had both my knees replaced at a top hospital, a miracle. I worked on this book sporadically all during recovery in 2017, made other books in 2018, and picked this one up again in 2019. By that time I was drawing with one eye, but did some stellar portraits and finished up a couple of drawings in Izmir, started in the fallow period. Then in fall of 2019 the double vision was fixed! -at a state hospital in Istanbul. I was able to do the three drawings of the Byzantine site in Sultanahmet before Covid-19, and finished the book from photos during lockdowns. This book spans all that time of uncertainty, but somehow the drawing kept rolling along.
MY EGYPTIAN SEATMATE
-On the bus to Istanbul Airport – Much jollity with Mohamed Gomaa from Egypt and two pretty girls from Iran across the aisle – 9 September 2019——It was my first trip to the new huge airport and I was determined to enjoy it come what may. And I did.
KYRGYZ FAMILY AT AIRPORT
-Family from Kyrgyzstan at the new airport – Zuhriddin -Zeora -Zubair – 9 September 2019—–Every one of them had a name beginning with “Z.” My first trip to Istanbul’s monster new airport, which replaced an entire forest far above the city. I got there very early and had hours to draw.
FOUR GORGEOUS KIDS
-Abidin – Mohammed – Cansu – Mister Zak——-Istanbul Airport, fist time: I ordered coffee with milk and it came sans milk. Went up to the counter to get it, and never sat down again. The coffee got cold while I drew these four eager beautiful faces. Took my free coffee and treat from them up to the plane with me.
BEACH LILIES
-Beach lilies under the palms, growing toward the sea. Selçuk – 16 July 2017–10 September 2019—–From life. Protected, Izmir’s famous white beach lilies grace the sands all along the Aegean. I remember drawing those twins playing under the palms years ago, and the lilies last year, on one of many lyric beach days with my friend Frances.
AMAZONS IN SELÇUK
-A hot July day at the beach in Selçuk watching these 2 Amazons – 2016-2019—–They plowed along the beach past us as I snapped photos in awe. Did the drawing a couple of years later. Wonder what they’re up to now.