Saturday, November 7, 2015



Heading towards Centraal Station on Warmoestraat brings you to Niewebrugsteeg. Coffeeshop Funny People could be found down this small alley. I say could, because it has moved. It had been functioning as a smoker friendly cafĂ© for a while. A new Facebook page alerted me to its rise from the ashes. It is functioning again but in a different location in Amsterdam Noord.  If you want to catch them at their new location look them up on Facebook.

This watercolor scene was created using Japanese brushes with a faster technique. The low yet powerful Dutch sunlight creeping around corners of Amsterdam creates a unique effect. The result is simultaneous value conditions of rich colors and bleached out highlights. This special lighting has made its presence known in Dutch art for centuries.

In the background you can see a sign for the Hotel International and another for the eatery "Kam Yin" both on Warmoestraat. During long sketching sessions in Amsterdam, Kam Yin was the place to step in and have your hunger dealt with. They offer a quick hot meal with no fuss. During times of discouraging rain or just as a rest stop, the bar at the Hotel International became a comfortable place to grab some pints and a laugh or two!

Watercolor  (30cm x 40cm)