Buffalo Grove traveler uses sketchpad not camera

John Green of Buffalo Grove doesn't use a camera when he travels to places like Antarctica, Timbuktu or the Himalayas.

Instead, the well-known local architect who is a partner in the architectural firm of Groundwork, Ltd. and owns The Green Ink Art Gallery, both located at 351 W. Dundee Road, Buffalo Grove, takes along a sketchbook and a pen to record the things that inspire him on his many adventures.

He spent three days sitting in front of the Great Pyramids of Egypt, drawing the huge stone blocks from which the pyramids were constructed. Their unique angles, shapes and positioning - along with their massiveness - struck Green.

Green's representation of the pyramids does not show their triangular shape. It shows a tiny person juxtaposed against the myriad weathered stones which make up a pyramid.

Using shading techniques, Green captures everything from the subtlety of delicate plants to the great monuments of lost civilizations and brings them home for himself and others to enjoy.

He will share some of his artwork, and the stories that go along with them, from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday in a benefit program titled "Getting There is Half the Fun" at the Indian Trails Public Library, 355 S. Schoenbeck Road, Wheeling. The event will consist of Green sharing his worldly adventures, mementoes and sketches in a formal program and a champagne and chocolate reception, which also is a benefit for the Foundation for the Indian Trails Public Library District.

"I never take a photograph and then come home and draw from a photo," Green said. "I always sketch at the actual location because I need to taste, smell and feel my location when I am drawing."

"And I rarely draw buildings because that is what I do for a living," he continued. "I prefer to wander aimlessly until something inspires me. Sometimes that 'something' is big. But lots of times that 'something' is very small like a slug in Glacier National Park."

"Actually, I have found that the best way to meet people is to sit down and start drawing," Green explained. "I have gotten free tours of places I never would have expected to go and I learn a lot about the various cultures."

"In Bhutan the monks were fascinated when I drew a picture of an elaborate railing they had painted," he related. "It was funny. They were awed by me drawing when I was awed by them making."

Over the past dozen or so years, Green, who is locally renowned for designing the Buffalo Grove Village Hall, has visited 40 different countries and 42 states. And he has taken his sketchbook on every trip, recording everything from the Tiger's Nest Buddhist monastery in Bhutan to an incredible sunset over boats on the Niger River in Mali.

And even though every drawing is done in pen and ink, the lack of color in no way diminishes their impact. The viewer's mind seems to fill in the missing colors somehow.

Saturday evening, Green said he plans to tell many a story behind the various sketches he will display.

The hair-raising plane flight he took weaving through the Himalayas to the secluded country of Bhutan between India and China won't even rate the presentation. He has better stories.

He will similarly skip the story about escaping from a bandit in the Sahara Desert on his way to Timbuktu.

But if you pull him aside, you can expect to be entertained by these and many other adventures.

The benefit evening will cost $25, according to Larry Cahall, Foundation president.

"Usually the Foundation is paying for programming at the library," explained Cahall. "But this time we decided to raise money by bringing in this very interesting local character who takes off on world adventures and uses his artistic abilities to draw the things he sees instead of photographing them."

Originals and prints of some of Green's many artistic works will be available for viewing and purchasing at the benefit. Green will donate a portion of his sales to the library's Bookmobile Service Program.

If you go

What: "Getting There is Half the Fun" program by architect/artist John Green, followed by the champagne and chocolate reception

When: 7 to 9 p.m., Saturday

Where: Indian Trails Public Library, 355 S. Schoenbeck Road, Wheeling

Cost: $25 per person, payable at registration

Contact: (847) 459-4100 or www.indiantrailslibrary.org