Swansons Nursery Collage

Swansons Nursery Collage

I took 311 bus from Bothell to downtown Seattle and later D line till Swansons Nursery. It was 1 hour 40 minutes journey. The entire route was spectacular as fall was in its peak. After reaching I took a glance of entire nursery, saw different plants, shrubs, dinosaur topiary, hay maze, tractor: lots to sketch. I zoomed down to my favorites. I started with Jack sparrow & his boat which was displayed at the entrance. It was fun to sketch this character and view kids reaction to it. The bright orange pumpkins were catchy and organised systematically, smaller ones on one side and bigger on the other. The huge pots gave contrast to bright orange. Before I could finish this pumpkin display, two kids came wearing pumpkin costume. I immediately tried to capture one of them and again got back to real pumpkins. The scarecrow was another attraction here. Later I visited the Hay maze where children were having fun in the maze. The stacks of hay, goats, small pumpkins for carving everything was under one roof for children to enjoy. With hay maze & kids, my Swansons Nursery Collage was ready.

Here I also sketched the man wearing stylish hat, who was explaining a girl about the goats, in my pocket sketchbook. Great Halloween display and sunshine at Swansons Nursery.

Fall Color at Swanson's Nursery

Oh, you were expecting foliage? Even the tractor was seasonal. This is the rig they use for the kids' hay bale rides. I got most of it blocked in before the rides started and filled in some more between rides. The color and some of the hatching happened in Swanson's cafe, though. Even in the sunshine it was a little chilly.

Halloween at Swansons

10/27/17 Swansons Nursery

Urban Sketchers Seattle made one of our semi-annual treks to Swansons Nursery yesterday – this one for Halloween (Christmas is coming up). The dinosaur topiary I sketched last year wasn’t ready, but several reindeer topiary pranced around instead. When I looked around for a good angle, I spotted Sage sketching a large display next to the children’s playhouse, and I decided I liked that view, too. 

Pumpkins at Swanson's

We used to go to a pumpkin farm to sketch before Halloween. But after one too many outings in the rain with no shelter we stopped going. Today we went to Swanson's Nursery to sketch their fall decor. Though there was plenty of shelter, we didn't need it as it was a gorgeous sunny day.

I might be starting a tradition. Last fall I sketched the large dinosaur topiary. Today, though, Humphrey was just a wire frame with no vegetation.   But I found some deer in the back.




The scarecrow contest was there again this year. I'd also sketched one of those last year. This one was my favorite this year.

Witness to Wartime

10/26/17 Wood sculptures by Takuichi Fujii

(Although it includes only one of my own sketches, I'm hoping this exhibit review will be of interest to urban sketchers. The exhibit has historical importance and is a rare showing of this particular experience through sketch reportage.)

When I was a child, I remember looking through our family photo albums and noticing that while there were many photos of my oldest brother Richard, my sister Linda and myself when we were babies, there were very few of my brother Frank. When I was older, I came to understand the reason: Frank was born in 1942 inside Tule Lake internment camp during World War II, where incarcerated Japanese Americans were not allowed to have cameras. My mother explained to me that the few photos of him during those years were taken by friends in the military who happened to be visiting them in camp and later gave my parents the photos.

The sketchbook and paintings of Takuichi Fujii, now on exhibit at the Washington State History Museum, are a rare opportunity to view first-hand images of the internment experience where photography was not allowed. A first-generation Japanese American, Fujii was already a painter when he was first confined to the Puyallup detention center and later relocated to Minidoka, Idaho (the ultimate destination of my family, too). His 400-page sketchbook shows raw pen-and-ink drawings of his day-to-day life: people lining up for meals; using toilets and showers with no privacy, not even curtains between stalls; killing time by playing cards; the watchtowers and military guards. On the facing pages of sketches, Fujii wrote diary entries describing what he saw and experienced.

The actual sketchbook is displayed in a glass case.

The exhibit includes some oil and watercolor paintings he made before, during and after the war, some based on his sketches, as well as a few small sculptures carved from fence posts. According to the placard, “When part of the fence was removed in 1943, people quickly salvaged the materials for use at their barracks. The carved faces of Fujii and his wife are worn by years of having been caressed.” (My sketch of these sculptures is shown above.)

While the finished paintings are interesting and more polished, I found the sketches to be the most moving and heartbreaking images to view. My only complaint about this excellent exhibit is that the sketchbook pages can only be viewed as a digital slideshow that advances automatically. I would have liked to have studied a few of the sketches at my leisure. I also wish each page of his written diary had been translated as part of the slideshow.

Individual sketchbook pages are shown in a digital slideshow.

Fujii may have been one of very few reportage sketchers of the Japanese American internment experience, with his work only now having an audience. 

Witness to Wartime is on view through Jan. 1, 2018.

Watson's Greenhouse and Nursery - Puyallup

Out back this was done under the permanent awning looking west. First time sketching at Watson's and will certainly come back. Good meal at the cafe inside, enjoyed seeing everyone and their work.

Watercolor in a moleskine watercolor book.

Pop icons at Funko

The monthly outing of Urban Sketchers Seattle was at the iconic pop-culture hub, Funko store in Everett.

Funko from Wetmore Avenue

The weather was bright, sunny with chilly winds. Being Sunday I was accompanied by my husband and daughter too. I was running late for sketching. I selected a spot near the bus stop on Wetmore Avenue diagonally opposite to Funko, to get the entire view of 1920's historic building and also the warmth of sun. This entire structure is remodeled with the display of huge pop-icons. I did the pen work only as my hands were getting numb, so left the coloring part for later.

After taking the stroll of store around, I sketched the pop entities Harry Potter and Pink monkey with fluorescent green jacket at the front entrance. Funko has only one floor and other floors are used for offices. I met other sketchers here, who were sketching the front view.

Pop-icons at Front Entrance

My daughter was thrilled by Harry Potter section inside the store and she bought her favorite character : Hermione Granger.
It was fun to sketch these characters which have so much impact on kids and adults alike. I loved the sign board with tiny lights and revolving crown icon.
Before going for the meet-up I did Funko sign board and few more pop-icons displayed on the building. I was fascinated by these highest selling geek figures made up of vinyl and bobbleheads. Unfortunately I was unaware of many of these characters.

Indeed a great Sunday fun, at Funko!

Funko Panorama

At Sunday's meet up in downtown Everett, I wanted a view of Funko's relatively new HQ in the old Bon Marche/Macy's building that captured the iconic corner figure and signage. The result is like a panorama, except one that is vertically oriented rather than horizontal.

Fun at Funko

We went further afield than usual yesterday to sketch outside the new Funko Headquarters in Everett, WA. I've been looking forward to this for weeks, ever since Tina scouted it out!

There are oversized Funko figures on the overhangs above the first floor. I went up to the 3rd floor in the parking garage to get a look.




It was from there that I did my first sketch... Harry Potter!




I took a break to look around inside and to get warm. The Harry Potter display was my favorite. The did such a good job. I'm a major Star Wars geek but the Harry Potter area was better than the Star Wars one.

I next did an Inktober sketch of the Harry Potter trio inside the store.





We shared our sketches in a plaza across the street and took a group photo with the Funko facade in the background.  

 



There were some new people and also a couple sketchers who hadn't come out with us in a while.  And then Parker was visiting from New York! 

Many more photos, mostly inside:
https://redharp.smugmug.com/SketchOutings/2017-1015-Funko/

Sun, Fun and Funko

10/15/17 Funko storefront

The intersection of California and Wetmore in Everett was a lively place Sunday morning, and I’m not talking about the line of people waiting outside the Funko store door. It was lively because sketchers were on every corner and even on the rooftop of the parking garage across the street, sketching the most colorful residents of downtown Everett.

I was there a month ago scoping out the location for Urban Sketchers Seattle, but I stayed on the street level that time. On Sunday I went up to the garage rooftop with several others, where we got a fantastic view of the storefront (and the bright sun at our backs kept us warm). I’m not familiar with this lavender-colored monkey, but I was told he’s a video game character. I never found out why a line of people began forming an hour before the store’s opening, but I was told by employees that it’s been like that every day since the store opened in August. They obviously know something I don’t.

On Wetmore Avenue, I caught Anne and Vivian sketching the storefront (plus Batgirl and the same monkey overhead). 

Although Everett is a little further north than we typically go for a Sunday outing, we got a great turnout on this chilly but sunny morning. What a fun place!

10/15/17 Wetmore Avenue

Suzanne on the rooftop

Michelle sketching the storefront

Fun with USk at Funko

Urban Sketchers from Seattle traveled about 30 miles north to the world headquarters of Funko for the monthly outing today. We met at 10am even though the store doesn't open on Sundays until 11:00. A line was already forming when I arrived at 9:30 am. We got an insider's tip and went to the roof of a 4 story building across the street from Funko.

I brought two sketchbooks, one for ink wash and one for watercolor line and wash.

My "mysterious" sketch of  Bat Girl  for Inktober Day 15

The parking garage roof was a great viewpoint for sketching the customers lined up waiting to get in and the giant figures of pop heroes securely attached to the overhang. The sunny exposure made it much warmer than the cold 50°F weather would indicate. It was positively chilly downstairs in the shade.

Formerly the old Bon Marche, this was where I bought onesies for my babies. In the distance, down Wetmore Ave., you can see the tan colored Funko building reflected in the blue glass sides of the last tall building.

My finished spread with building reflections, fall foliage, people lined up and Carolyn sketching.

The Crown Logo casts a shadow across the sunny sidewalk where Carolyn was sketching.

I was hoping that I could Pop! myself at the little Do It Yourself action figure counter inside, but it's not quite ready yet. So I had to settle for a digital Pop!elganger with the Pop! Yourself avatar creator online. I do hope they add sketchbooks and pens in the accessories section.

I "popped" myself  as a super hero sketcher on the parking roof across from Funko

Stay for the Scones...

Once again, the proprietor of the Stonehouse Bakery in Rainier Beach welcomed the Ad Hoc Urban Sketcher group to his cafe for our sketch outing. USk is often made welcome in local businesses when we come to sketch, but Patrick's enthusiasm for our group is personal and genuine and extends to having a batch of hot Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Scones ready when we arrived!! On my first visit, it was the quirky cobblestone building that fascinated me, but it was chilly yesterday, and I stayed inside and drew several small scenes - my scone, the chrysanthemum on a nearby window, and Tina before she decamped to sketch outside.


Here's my sketch from a few years ago. As Kate and Tina have mentioned, Patrick is moving to a new location in White Center in January 2018, and I look forward to visiting him there!

One Last Time

For the past 2 years we've sketched  at the Stonehouse Bakery and enjoyed the hospitality and delicious baked goods of Partrick Choy. He will be leaving that location at the end of the year so he invited us to sketch one last time at this unique building.

He made special treats for us and I found the cream cheese pumpkin scone to be the best! It was fresh out of the oven so I ate it rather than let it cool while I sketched it. Several of us chose to stay inside, sketch, eat our scones and have pleasant conversation.  It was a delightful time. 



While I ate my warm scone, I sketched the people in front of the decorated fireplace mantle.  I liked the "East More Pie" sign.



By 11:30 the weather was sunny.  I planted myself in the sun and was able to stay warm while I sketched the truck and pumpkins.



Patrick joined our group photo one last time in front of his unique location.



A few more photos:  https://redharp.smugmug.com/SketchOutings/2017-1013-Stonehouse-Bakery/

A Farewell Scone

10/13/17 I delayed sketching until my scone was half gone.
Nothing keeps me from a warm pastry -- not even sketching.

The Stone House Bakery on the south end of Lake Washington has been a sketcher-friendly venue the past couple of years. The first time was almost exactly two years ago when, after warming up first with a scone and coffee, I was able to go outdoors long enough to sketch the Stone House itself. When we went in July last year, we all went outside to sketch the colorful décor, including the blue truck parked there permanently. The owner, Patrick Choy, is moving his popular bakery to a new location, so Urban Sketchers Seattle met at the old Stone House location today for the last time.

Again fortifying myself first with a scone (cream cheese pumpkin!) and coffee, I intended to eventually sketch outside if the morning warmed up. Almost all of us began the same way – sketching our scones. I decided I needed to stay warm a little longer, so I sketched the view out the window (including a bit of the lovely stonework around the window).

10/13/17 Looking out the stone window

With only a half-hour left, I zipped up my jacket, pulled on my hoods (yes, plural), and went out to the café’s haunted house. I gave the fellow below 15 hasty minutes before I scurried back inside, rubbing my hands together. I guess there’s no denying that fall is here. 

Many thanks to Patrick for being a gracious host to us the past couple of years. I’ll certainly get to his new location for more scones, if not sketching.

10/13/17 A slender patron

Check out Sue's sketch of me! I think it's the first time I've recognized myself in someone's sketchbook!

Meet the Correspondent : Ujjwal Mahajan

Hello fellow Sketchers!

I am super excited to be writing my first post for Urban Sketchers Seattle blog. It's a great honor and pleasure to be a part of this forum.

My name is Ujjwal Mahajan. I was born and brought up in India. By profession I am an Architect and Product Designer. Me and my family moved to Seattle, Bothell in 2015. My husband is a Software engineer and we have a lovely daughter studying in Elementary school.
Since childhood drawing and sketching was part of my life. At the age of 9, I started doing oil paintings and had inclination towards art, thereby choosing the field of Architecture. Sketching is like meditation to me and I enjoy every bit of it.

I was introduced to Urban Sketchers group and Gabi's sketches by my brother, 9 months ago. The concept of visiting new places and sketching them live with actual surroundings appealed to me. It was a door opening to my passion and Urban Sketchers Seattle group. Thus, the journey started of carrying a sketchbook and a pen always! 
My first sketch crawl with USK Seattle was in January 2017 at Hing Hay Park, Chinese New Year celebration and it was a completely new beginning for me.
With USK Seattle I revived my architectural sketching skills, working on perspectives, trying different mediums, exploring new places and many more, it's simply amazing! Till date it's being so energizing, encouraging, meeting new people, sharing knowledge and learning new techniques each day. For a new comer like me, it is a warm and welcoming experience.
Apart from sketching, I enjoy traveling and calligraphy. Fortunate to move to a city like Seattle, which is full of natural beauty and artistic talents. I have been visiting new places in and around Seattle, capturing all the memories through sketches in my Travel sketchbook. Following are few sketches.

Center for wooden boats, Seattle

Meadowbrook Park, Seattle

Landscape Arch, Arches National Park, Utah

Ballard Locks, Seattle

I look forward to share my experiences through sketches and stories here. I'm thrilled to be a Urban Sketcher Seattle Correspondent.
Happy Sketching!! Let's 'see the world one sketch at a time'.
My blog : www.ujjwaltushar.com
Flickr : ujjwaltmahajan