Tea Culture

These are several scenes from Turkey, where contrary to popular belief, the national drink is tea, not coffee. You can buy this strong black tea in a small curvy glass practically everywhere - from restaurants and cafes to road-side boots. And everyone there drinks it. I quite liked its taste and still make it at home now and then.
In the small towns men do not gather at the pub, but rather at the tea house. This is where they discuss politics and the latest football game while playing backgammon.

The Tea House 1, watercolor 38 x 28 cm

The Tea House 2, watercolor 38 x 28 cm

Serving tea, watercolor sketch

Two men, watercolor sketch

At Peter's Restaurant

At Peter's on Eglinton, watercolor 38 x 28 cm

Yesterday we had lunch with friends at a restaurant, which attracted me with its style and design. There was something retro in it - wicker style chairs, stained glass, beautiful chandeliers, waiters wearing bow-ties... I had to try painting it

Another walk in Sofia

Cafe by the Theatre, watercolor 38 x 28 cm

Boulevard Ruski in Sofia, watercolor 28 x 38 cm

There are some really beautiful old buildings in Sofia, which I have been noticing more lately. The cafe in the park in front of the National Teatre has this typical European atmosphere, which one cannot find here, in Canada. For some reason, ambiance is not a priority for the cafes and restaurants here. I like the character of the European cities and that's why I enjoy painting these city scenes.

The Grand Bazaar

Kapali Carsi 2, watercolor on Arches CP, 38 x 28 cm

Kapali Carsi, charcoal sketch

The busy galleries of Kapali Carsi - the grand bazaar in Istanbul - is not an easy subject. I wanted to convey the abundance of shapes and colors without getting bogged down in fussy details. So, I started with a charcoal sketch to establish the areas of light and dark. Then painted it a couple of times. This is the second version, which came out a bit fresher and with better positioning of the figures, but not significantly different from the first version. As it happens usually when I repaint something, there is a different picture in my head, but my hands keep doing the same thing all over again.

Below is the first attempt

Kapali Carsi 1, watercolor on Arches CP, 38 x 28 cm