The one thing every artist should do, the thing I enjoy doing, and still know I don't do often enough... sketch.

When I was in high school, my friend Chris and I would take the train from Bronxville to Fordham and explore the Bronx Zoo. The purpose of our adventures was not only to enjoy the animals but also to improve our drawing skills.

Drawing from life, especially animals who tend not to hold still as long as you might like, is challenging. I built a decent portfolio of animal sketches and believe they helped me achieve acceptance to art school.

Today, I still enjoy bringing my sketchbook to the zoo, the aquarium and to the beach.