Administration Headquarters, Devens, Mass.

Devens is an administrative entity that came into being when the U.S. Army's Fort Devens was decomissioned. Fort Devens was made up of land from Ayer, Harvard, Shirley and Lancaster, and I think the old Fort administration building must be in the Ayer or Harvard section.

This was my first drawing on my new pad of drawing paper. I got a higher grade paper than the newsprint I was using previously. The paper is apparently made to be torn out so I can't keep my drawings bound in the pad. I also started using an easel to draw with. Before I just put the pad in my lap. The easel makes it easier for passers by to see what I'm up to. I still need to move the pad to my lap to finish the bottom of the picture. I think it might make it easier to draw, but I'm not totally convinced. I used to paint on this easel back in Culver City, and it still has tempra stains. I brought it out east when I started drawing after taking the M.I.T. drawing class. It works reasonably well and is very portable. It is rather flexible compared to some easels I've worked with. Is that a plus or a minus?

July 21, 1996