Solo Show in Olympia

I just finished hanging my first solo show of sketches at Batdorf & Bronson, a local coffee shop, in downtown Olympia . . .

 . . . and man, what a job! I've been planning out my weekends for two months to make sure I could get all the matting and framing done. One big lesson learned - sketch in standardized sizes that fit into those inexpensive ready-made frames. As it was, I had many different individual sizes. I finally decided to forego frames due to expense and go with glass and clips. A great feeling though, to get it hung and let go of the results!

If you If you're in downtown Olympia area anytime during the month of December, stop in and check it out. And let me know what you think!

Good Bones Workshop Update

Hi again, Seattle Sketchers--thanks for the wonderful response to the workshops!
March 1 is full, February 1 and February 15 each have 2 open spots.
I will also start a wait list in case spots open up, so please contact me if you would like one of the remaining spots or to be added to the wait list.

Also, thanks very much to Joe at C2F Inc. for sponsoring this workshop! 
C2F is providing each participant with the Pentalic 5" x 8" Aquajournal (thanks Gail Wong, what a great recommendation that was!) and the 9"x 9" Super Deluxe Aquabee sketchbook, my two favorite sketchbooks.
See the Pentalic at Vaux le Vicomte outside Paris, below...

Soulumination Artists Sale this weekend

If you happen to be in the Ballard and Fremont area this weekend stop by for the Soulumination Artists' Sale on Saturday December 7, 10am-7pm and Sunday 12pm-5pm.  It is a great holiday sale for the non profit Soulumination.  I will be selling cards, calendars and some original sketches.
Swing by if you have time.  There are a total of 30 artists involved in this event and portions of their proceeds go to support Soulumination's work with children and families who are dealing with life threatening or terminal illnesses.  Hope to see you there.

Gage Drawing Jam

Saturday, December 7
9:00am - 9:00pm
Go here for more information.

Before we leave Thanksgiving....

Here is a sketch of our thanksgiving spread at the end of a day of eating... a total of 9 pies and cakes on the table.  I ran out of room and didn't get the last one in.  This is a holiday tradition our kids have really gotten into. Both kids and the adults bake their favorite pie or cake.  It ends up being about a half a pie for each person. Even a little sliver of each to taste fills our plates.  Fun tradition although I am sure it is bad for our health! 

Because good sketches start with Good Bones...

Hi Seattle sketchers,
It's official, this morning I posted workshop details for Good Bones.  Please go to www.workshops.urbansketchers.org for information.  There are 10 open spots at the moment!

Thanks so very much to Gabi Campanario and Orling Dominguez, as well as to Gail Wong, Virginia Hein and the others on the workshop committee for approving this Urban Sketchers workshop. You all are amazing, and I am so proud to get to contribute to the Urban Sketchers organization and efforts~~

A Gastronomical Adventure in Seattle's International District

Uwajimaya is the preeminent Asian food market in the Pacific Northwest. The store specializes in importing rare and unusual Asian foods for a clientele interested in traditional Asian cooking. The store also features a range of more traditional super market produce and goods.

I usually cook for myself, and I am always looking for dishes that are easy and keep well. So I was excited when I came across a recipe for Japanese cabbage pancakes, Okonomiyaki. I had tried this dish several years ago in Japan and remembered it as a tasty and easy meal.

The recipe called for some unusual ingredients though: katsuobushi (dried and shredded tuna), nagaimo (a yam native to eastern Asia), and dashi (Japanese fish broth). There was only one place to find these items, Seattle's International District.

The western end of King Street is dominated by a Chinese arch, which marks the entrance to the International District. Beyond this gate is the King Street Train Station and clock tower.

 

Light poles throughout the district are decorated with yellow and red dragons.

Connecticut Junk Shop

Drawn while visiting my book backers on the east coast. Drove by this place and had to stop. The owner didn't mind me sitting on his merchandise and left me there to draw after he closed up and went home.

Extreme sketching

Joshua Tree National Park

First Santa

11/29/13 Northgate Mall

I haven’t been out on Black Friday to shop in years, possibly decades, but I’ve found that it can be fun to be out in the hustle-bustle if I’m doing something other than shopping. This afternoon I went to Northgate Mall with a sole purpose: to sketch Santa. I had so much fun sketching Santa last year that I captured him twice – first at Northgate and then at Pacific Place. But surely I see more than two Santas in any given season; I’ve challenged myself to top that record this year.

Today might be the busiest day of the year for retailers, but Santa looked bored. I passed by him twice without any clients. On my third pass, a reluctant little girl was on his lap, refusing to smile, so I grabbed my opportunity. As has happened each time I’ve sketched Santa, his client was long gone before I finished sketching her, and then Santa went on a break.

On my way out of the mall, a young busker named Sarah Emerson was raising money for a trip to Ghana next summer to work in an orphanage. It felt good to know that the only money I spent at the mall today was the dollar I put in her bowl.

Toe Truck - Seattle's Museum of History and Industry

My wife works for the Puget Sound Blood Center who had their annual awards and holiday dinner at the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI). If you grew up in or around Seattle, you surely saw (on your way to the Seattle Center) the pink Lincoln's Toe Truck parked just off the Mercer exit.

That blast from the past now resides just inside the entrance to MOHAI and for this event, the backdrop to a no-host bar.

Pen and ink with watercolor wash.

Good Bones coming soon...

Thank you, USk!!

Yesterday, I got word that my workshop proposal was accepted by Urban Sketchers!!  So to celebrate, I went to the location of the upcoming workshop, Pike Place Market.  Even in the cold winter (my fingers got numb), it was bustling with activity--it truly is the heart of Seattle.  

Information about the workshop, Good Bones, will be posted shortly.  Thanks again Orling and to Urban Sketchers~~

Saint Edward Park

Thank you David Chamness for suggesting this building for a sketch. I took the kids for a hike then sat down to enjoy the sun on this classy building.

Call for Submissions for Symposium Programming

UrbanSketchers.org



Call for Submissions for Symposium Programming

We have a city: Paraty, Brazil. We have dates: August 27-30, 2014. Now it’s time to create programming for the 5th International Urban Sketching Symposium! To do that we need YOU, urban sketchers of the world, to submit proposals for workshops and extra activities before December 20, 2013.

Teach a Sketching Workshop
These are the workshops that have been a mainstay of past Symposiums. You can see some samples here.

In previous years we offered 3-hour workshops in the morning and the afternoon. This year we are tentatively planning for 3.5-hour workshops during the morning only, with other programming in the afternoons.

Selected proposals will be announced in January.

Compensation: If your proposal is selected, the Symposium organization pays for airfare and five nights of accommodation. Local instructors who will not need to travel will receive an honorarium.

In addition to the workshops, we are planning to offer a diversity of other programming in Paraty. What could you propose? Here are some ideas:

Lead a Sketchcrawl
Organize a "follow me" sketchcrawl in Paraty. People will draw where you lead them and rely on you for tips to become better urban sketchers. This is your opportunity to earn some cred and promote your work! We are looking for sketchers with previous experience organizing sketchcrawls.

Give a Lecture
Enlighten participants with a sketching-related talk. Whether it is about your own sketching, or the findings of your research on 19th century artists reporters, we want to learn from you!

Do a Demonstration
Show us how you do your magic! What can you show other sketchers that will inspire us while promoting your work?

Surprise Us With Something We Haven’t Thought Of!
Do you have another activity idea that can take place over a few afternoon hours? Yoga for sketchers? How to find the best fire hydrants for sketching? Tell us how you can catch the sketchers’ attention and passion with something different from a workshop.

Compensation: If you are selected for an extra activity as mentioned above, you will receive free registration for the Symposium.

Some details to keep in mind while designing your proposal:
We recommend you to get to know Paraty’s possible workshop locations before you create your proposal, in order to match your workshop theme with the city’s environment. Click here to view photos of the locations posted in our Facebook page.
You can propose a workshop for a general location or for a specific spot.
You should keep in mind that workshop locations are subject to change and the Workshop committee reserves the right to make the best arrangements / combinations of workshops and locations.
Keep in mind the weather: "Dry season (May through September) - The average temperature in Paraty during these months ranges between 17 and 25 °C (62.6-77 °F). We recommend bringing a light sweater for the evenings and chilly nights, as well as sunglasses, a cap or hat, and shorts for the hot days."

HOW TO SUBMIT PROPOSALS

All proposals must be emailed to symposium@urbansketchers.org.
If you are proposing a workshop, you must use this form and include sample sketches..

DEADLINE

All proposals are due by Friday, December 20, 2013 (11:59 p.m. EST)

University of Washington Botanical Greenhouses

           The University of Washington Botanical Greenhouses are best known for their rotting corpse plan (Amorphophallus titanum). About once every seven years you can catch a whiff of this unusual plant if you are quick enough. However, the bloom collapses within a week.

            While you are waiting, the greenhouses offer a wonderful collection of unusual ferns, cycads, orchids, palms, cacti, and tropical plants. The collection is divided into four separate greenhouses with different climates.