Sketching the Pandemic Year 2020 week 4

Week 4 January 19-25, 2020 

Life was flowing along as planned and this week was busy with preparations for our trip to London and then on to India. During our stop in London, the first outing was with our grandchild to his favorite Hyde Park.  At the park, when this mute swan as tall as me walked over and stood there checking me out, I was both nervous and excited - but was mostly making sure my grandchild was safe! This was the first time I had seen a swan up close. It was mostly the stuff of ballets and folk stories until then!  And when I finished sketching the swan for the week and spread the pages out to take a photograph I was struck once again how unconsciously I had paired the sketch for the week. The swan is considered to symbolize beauty, grace and fierce loyalty as reflected in the painting of Michelle Obama by Amy Sherald in the Smithsonian Engagement calendar. 

Mute Swan at Hyde Park, London. watercolor Color pencils by Meera Rao