The Robert and Margrit Mondavi Center, at UC Davis, is a huge performing arts venue. It’s a pretty spectacular looking building, but I’ve not been inside to check out any performances. One day I will. It’s on the same square at the edge of campus as this building and this building.Years ago, when I did a degree in drama at Queen Mary in London, I took an enjoyable course in places of performance (taught by Dr. Schoch, who would call me ‘Scully’), studying theatre spaces through the centuries, how they allow audiences to relate to the plays or shows, the urban semiotics of the building and how it fits in with its community. Visited at Shakespeare’s Globe, looked at Greek theatres, explored East-End music-halls; it was interesting stuff. I was personally into theatres-in-the-round, and by extension football stadia – I subsequently wrote a piece about the old (and soon to be demolished) Wembley Stadium, but from what I remember it was a fairly tired and so-last-century piece of writing. In my defence, it was the last century at the time, and I probably was tired. I did learn a lot though, reading Marvin Carlson and co, and in fact I still think of what that course taught me when I’m out sketching urban buildings here and there, because I’m always thinking about how each building is a performace unto itself, speaking to and defining its environment, and how each sketch puts that building or that scene into centre stage. Just in case you’re wondering about what goes through my head when deciding how to compose a picture.
Oh yeah… I have changed the layout theme of my sketchblog. New header, wider space for pictures, different colours, and easier to find those categorized things (though some much-needed reorganization still to be done). I like it. It’s long overdue.
petescully 
I’m glad you said you’d reorganised, because my first thought was ‘this looks different!’ followed by ‘nah, don’t be silly’.
Visited *at* Shakespeare’s Globe? Anyone would think you were living in America!
My great grandfather designed the interior of the Dunfermline Opera House in Dunfermline, Scotland. Grand name but essentially a music hall, as I gather. It closed down, and some time in the last century the building was to be demolished. The exterior was not a listed building, for some reason, although the inside was protected. Not sure of the details. In any case, Burt Reynolds paid to break it down and ship the whole lot to Florida- it’s now called the Asolo. True story, which we didn’t, as a family, know until about five years ago.
Wow Burt Reynolds, that’s incredible! You should go and visit it. Or visit at it.
Yes, I visit ‘at’ these days, and I also ‘visit with’, like ‘visit with family’ rather than ‘visit family’. It’s slowly going haywire for me linguistically. I still say ‘zed’ though, and use the letter ‘u’ in words that need it.
I just noticed, there were google ads at the bottom of this post, that has never happened before. Hope it doesn’t happen often. Otherwise, I like the new look of the site, I was starting to feel a little closed in on the old one.
Pete, excellent work. What sketch book are you using? Moleskine watercolor? I enjoy your site, tremendous work.
Thanks Jeff, yes I’m using a moleskine watercolour, large size, it’s really good for the colours but the texture kind of eats up my pens quicker than I’d like, still I really like them.
I’m a fan…and @ UCD also. Got your link from Brit pal who was @ Stanford for many yrs before returning to London. GO to the Mondavi. They have tons of performances that are semi-sensible in price, the aucostics are wonderful, sight lines excellent~! Your UCD views are wonderful, but I feel you have missed some interesting buildings and views….South Hall, CCC, the Art/Music/Drama buildings, the crafts center @ South Silo and goofy old stuff like Freeborn. And student /staff offer so much variety and your work wth faces is great. Just wanted you to know you had a local fan looking for more local stuff to enjoy.
Thanks for your comment! But in fact I have drawn most of those building already (especially south silo which i’ve drawn about ten times). You can see all my davis drawings (more than 200) together in the sketchbook section in the bar above, or my flickr site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/petescully/sets/72157600874205898/
thanks for the link. loved the slide show. sent it on to a pal who misses davis 8-)
great redesign!
cheers gabi!