Recycling the Datsun

Parked just off the Dash Point Park parking lot, this rusty back half of a Datsun Pickup sits loaded with wood just off the beach. It kind a seemed out of place with all the well cared for homes that surround the area.

Kirke Park in Upper Ballard

University Bookstore on a Friday Night

I thought the hanging Display(top center) was interesting as was the vantage point.

Seattle Center Habitat Build

This was a well attended sketch crawl and everyone was in close proximity because of the small size of the Habitat build site.  Usually the group gets spread out over a large area and i don't see many sketchers  during the sketching time.  This time I sat next to a number of people and was constantly seeing others move to new spots nearby or through my view point.

Habitat House at the Center

Kinda shocking to see how much Seattle Center has changed. I drove a forklift for a living as a young man and felt compelled to make it my focal point.

Comparing Cultures - World Home vs. Home of the immediate future

I really didn't "get" the story behind the build until just before I left Seattle Center and I talked to Jason,  one of the Americorps workers who was making bricks.

 Making bricks for the World Home

The small "World House" (about 12'x15') is typical of houses Habitat builds in third world countries. Currently there are many of these structures in Cambodia and other Southeast Asian countries. This structure would house about 6 people. Even though the climate allows for much more outdoor living, it is very small by American standards. The workers were making bricks for the structure's facade.

The larger structure "Home for the Immediate Future" was also relatively small compared to a McMansion. Jason said it is designed to have moveable walls. Except for the "wet areas"--the bathroom, kitchen and laundry area--the walls can be repositioned to allow for expansions and contractions as the family grows, then contracts. 

Delayed Sketchcrawl Appearance at the Seattle Center

Habitat crew making bricks for the Habitat World House

Some weeks are just bad!  This week was a bad car week.  Besides having our Prius in the shop,  I bottomed out my van at the Seattle Center Parking lot and noticed liquid streaming from the bottom of my car.   Thankfully Steve Reddy was there early and contacted AAA for me and I was able to get my car towed our mechanic.  I did come back late to the sketchcrawl saw Mark Ryan, Gabi Campanario and family and Jane Wingfield.  Jane ended up sketching while I was there so I felt like I had a sketch partner.   Here are sketches I did.  The first sketch done while waiting for the tow truck. This time allowed me to sketch the art screen between the EMP entry and the parking lot.  The second was the House of the Immediate Future...the habitat crew is sitting and having lunch on the right hand side of the sketch.  The last is the tent where bricks were being built for the World House.  This is the house Habitat builds in third world countries.  This is a side by side comparison to the homes we have in the U.S. adjacent to the homes built in the third world.  All in all it was an eventful day.  Hope everyone else had a great time.

Habitat Build Site at Seattle Center

Seattle Center Parking Lot

Habitat for Humanity at the base of the Needle

There was another huge showing today for the sketch crawl at the Seattle Center. It was great be there to see the faces behind the sketchbooks. The project was a Miller-Hull designed temporary "House of the Immediate Future". They are exploring every aspect of design in this home from pre-fab components and zero energy to aging in place. Check out their blog for more at millerhull.com/blog

Sketchcrawl Saturday June 16th

Join us Saturday June 16th for a sketchcrawl at the Habitat build site in Seattle Center.
We will meet at Center Square next to the EMP at 10:00 a.m.  and sketch while they are building the Habitat house of the Immediate Future before our very eyes.
See Habitat House of the Immediate Future.

Kirkland House

 

The ink wash and watercolor versions of a house near the Kirkland waterfront. I went looking for something to sketch and settled on this house because there was a convenient park across the street from which to draw. The sky was overcast so it didn't bring out the shadows the way I normally like, but what are you going to do, this is the Northwest.

Pacific Connections Garden

Though the Pacific Connections Garden was unveiled in 2008...it is a new exhibit to me.  I just visited it for the first time a couple of weeks ago and then again today.  It is the first new exhibit in the Arboretum in 50 years and will cover a total of 14 acres.  This garden features plants from  forests of 5 different countries that are connected by the Pacific Ocean .  The commonality is that they occur along the same latitudes north or south of the equator.  These forest represent Cascadia region, Chile, New Zealand, Australia, and China.  The focal point amongst these gardens is an interpretive shelter  with a green roof.  The columns  were salvaged from trees on site and then carved with patterns that were inspired by indigenous art of the 5 different cultures.

Interpretive shelter @ the Pacific Connections Garden, Washington Park Arboretum.

Queen Anne Avenue

Learning/Teaching a one point perspective at a delightful corner; with many dogs and passer-by's; all about awareness, acknowledging your place in space.

McNeil Island

This sketch was done on the Anderson Island Ferry that passes McNeil Island and the penitentiary (I actually had to look up how to spell penitentiary....sheesh). Because this was done on a moving boat and time was limited, it kept me from overworking the subject. Just glad it was a forty year old ferry with three guys downstairs peddling as fast as they can.


Sketched in a large Strathmore recycled paper sketchbook in ink with a watercolor wash.

Kirkland Waterfront Boat

Finally, a sketch from the Seattle area. (That is Seattle off the bow, isn't it?) I'm visiting with and staying at my Aunt Luann's in Kirkland, and when the sun peeked from between the clouds I rushed to downtown Kirkland looking for something to draw. Can I stop feeling guilty for posting from everywhere but Seattle for 10 months?

Not an Octopus

The market renovations have gradually been unveiled piece by piece over the past months. Last month I wandered into the light-filled atrium space to find improved circulation a new glass elevator and the familiar public art. Today I went back and sketched while nibbling a slice from Delaurenti. All in all it is a much better space to give sasquatch a high five and gander at the giant squid sculpture.