Perspective? Daniel Smith this Sunday 11am!

A familiar Seattle scene? 

Please join me this Sunday at the Seattle Daniel Smith store for

"Simple Tips every artist (and sketcher!) should know about Perspective". 
     Sunday, December 2
     11am-12:30pm (note, a Seahawks game starts at 1:25pm)
     Daniel Smith Artists' Materials, Seattle

Yes, many people fear or fake perspective, so it's my mission to show how easy it can really be! The talk will be an interactive lecture, so bring your sketchbook to draw and take notes--followed by a quick perspective and watercolor demo. 
I'll also bring lots of my recent India and Asia sketches!

Hope to see you there!!

Urban Sketching as Improv

11/29/18 Gallery space at the Pocket Theater in Greenwood

How is urban sketching related to improvisational acting? Before Thursday evening, I would have shrugged trying to respond to that question, but thanks to urban sketcher and University of Washington urban design student Robin Hunt, the answer for me is now clear: It can be an innovative, creative evening of art and interactivity.

A few weeks ago, Robin invited USk Seattle members to participate in an exhibit of urban sketches in the Greenwood neighborhood’s Pocket Theater. I considered participating, but I didn’t get around to prepping my work. However, very curious about what the “interactive gallery” would be, I decided to attend the event.

I was glad I arrived a few minutes before the exhibit officially opened so that I had a chance to start sketching right away before it got too crowded; the small gallery space filled instantly. Sketches of Seattle by Robin and several other local urban sketchers were displayed on two walls. Beneath the rows of sketches were long, horizontal strips of tape, sticky side exposed. Hmmm. . .

On tables around the room were stacks of small slips of colored paper. The slips began with various open questions that could be prompted by a sketch: “Share a memory that you are reminded of.” “What is a lesson you learned in this place?” “Write a note to someone who shares memories of this place with you (please include a name).” Event attendees were invited to write their responses on the slips and then adhere them to the tape on the walls beneath the sketches they were responding to.

A-ha! Suddenly my initially passive viewing of the sketches when I had first walked in was insufficient. I went through the exhibit again, looking more closely at each sketch, thinking about the last time I had visited the familiar locations – Fremont, Pioneer Square, Swanson’s Nursery – or whether I had recently visited at all. I picked up a few slips, wrote my thoughts and memories, and adhered them to the walls. Then I walked back through the whole exhibit to read what others had contributed. I had a few conversations prompted by what we were reading and viewing, and the whole room became livelier once the interactivity began. While viewing sketches of familiar places often prompts memories and associated feelings, people rarely share those thoughts. Titled “Your Where,” the event encouraged that sharing.

11/29/18 The Collective Improv Troupe interprets viewers' memories
prompted by sketches.

That part of the event alone would have been an innovative way to evoke memories and conversation based on sketches. But the evening wasn’t over yet. An hour after the exhibit opened, doors to the adjacent Pocket Theater opened. Every seat in the 50-seat theater filled with curious attendees.

The Collective Improv Troupe, which Robin belongs to, took on the second part of the program. Using the slips of paper with our written responses, Robin periodically entered the stage and read from them. The improv members would then interpret the readings with humorous dialog and stories they developed on the spot with no preparation or rehearsal. (As someone with no public speaking skills or acting experience, I was so impressed by their ability to perform improvisationally!)

I left the event satisfied that Robin’s production (her senior project for her UW urban design-related degree) had fully answered the question of how urban sketching and improv can come together. The evening was an engaging confluence of art, comedy and audience participation.

Pocket Theater gallery space

Responses to sketches from participants

Producer and urban sketcher Robin Hunt

Urban sketcher Tony Robinson, whose sketches were included in the exhibit

Black Friday at the Fairmont

11/23/18 Fairmont Olympic Hotel lobby

The other admins and I were a bit nervous about scheduling a sketch outing on Black Friday in the downtown retail corridor, but we thought we’d give it a shot. We chose the venerable Fairmont Olympic Hotel, where the 41^st annual Festival of Trees was certain to make its grand lobby ornate and colorful. Then we heard that Macy’s holiday parade was scheduled for the same time – right in front of the Fairmont! Commuting downtown could be a worse problem than usual.

With some trepidation, I hopped on the bus downtown, but traffic was fine and didn’t cause delays. When I arrived at the Fairmont in the pouring rain, the parade was in full swing. Leisurely viewing all the beautiful holiday trees, the other sketchers and I had the lobby nearly to ourselves. Then a few minutes later, the parade ended, and hundreds of wet, cold parade viewers poured into the Fairmont!

That was my cue. I dashed up the staircase to the upper floor, where I could look over the railing at the terrific view of the activities below. Families ducking into the hotel to get warm and pose for selfies negotiated floor space with hotel guests who were trying to check out. It was a lively, festive beginning to the holiday season.

After two sketches inside the hotel, I walked across the street to Starbucks. Scoring a window seat, my plan was to sketch a hotel entrance. Directly in front of me on the sidewalk, though, was a “homeless grand pa” and his rolling cart of belongings. I knew he could see me through the window, so I felt a bit intrusive sketching him, yet I also wanted to document what is probably a black day every day for so many Seattle residents. (Although I don’t think he caught me sketching him, to assuage my guilt, I gave him money afterwards the same way I always tip buskers that I sketch. I look at is as a model’s fee.)

11/23/18 a resident of 4th and University

A small but enthusiastic group of sketchers who braved Black Friday!

A soggy parade.

We had the lobby nearly to ourselves for a short time . . .

. . . .and then this happened!

Yul Fest

We gathered at Yul Fest in the new Nordic Museum yesterday. It was very crowded, but everyone found something to sketch.






I spent more time than usual wandering as I looked at all the vendors and around the Museum. It opened a few months ago but this was my first visit. I definitely want to go back when it's not so crowded and I very much want to see the special exhibit from Uppsala, "Vikings Begin".
I found a chair and tucked myself into a corner. I forgot to look at the information tags on this ship and stone.

The New Nordic Museum

11/18/18 the new Nordic Museum

Back in 2013 in the early days of the Friday sketchers, we met at the old Nordic Heritage Museum. A bit dark and dingy, the old building in Ballard had a small selection of traditional artifacts and historic exhibits. In fact, the brightest spot was a large hallway display of architectural renderings by Stephanie Bower (see below) showing what the new Nordic Museum building would look like when it was completed in 2018.

11/18/18 Looking down on the main floor

That seemed like a long way off, but today we completed that circle when USk Seattle met at the newly reopened Nordic Museum near Salmon Bay. A far cry from the old one, the new building is large, modern and bright. Although brilliantly sunny this morning, the temperature was only in the high 30s, but Michele and I decided to bundle up for a sketch of the back of the building from the parking lot. Sketching dark glass and steel that met at sharp angles, I experienced strong déjà vu of last August when I sketched the newly reopened Bell Museum in St. Paul, which had also started out in a dark, dingy building.

In addition to the usual museum visitors crowd, many people were there for Julefest, a holiday tradition in its 41^st year. Enjoying traditional music wafting out from the auditorium tent as we sketched, Michele and I were going to make that our next stop. Just as we found seats and pulled out our pens, though, the musicians stopped and took a break. We began wandering among the Julefest vendors and got distracted by all manner of cashmere scarves (which we bought!), grog, handcrafted ornaments and Viking horns, not to mention the museum exhibits themselves.

Whew! With all of that grabbing for my attention, it’s amazing that I got a second sketch done at all! Walkway bridges on the upper level connect opposite sides of the building. I picked one to peer over and sketched people queued up for food and shopping for scarves and hats.

I barely skimmed the surface of all that the Nordic Museum has to offer, so I’m definitely planning to return later for a more thorough look.

Architectural renderings by Stephanie Bower in the old Nordic Museum, April 2013. 
(Photo by Carleen Zimmerman)

Finally Inside

Over the past few years, I've sketched the Amazon Spheres as they were built. And then I sketched them from the outside. Finally, today, I got inside. Some weeks ago I scheduled a "tour" of the Amazon Spheres.



I went into the city via the light rail and did sketches while traveling in both directions.



gel pen in Field Notes Sketchbook

As it turned out, it was simply a ticket to enter and wander as long as I wanted. I first stopped at General Porpoise for a vanilla custard doughnut. I used the time at the table to sketch.



It is a wondrous place and the Amazon employees are fortunate to have it. I'm not sure how much work I would get done there, though! I was there about 2 hours. According to the tiny brochure, there are 2,636 panes of glass in the exterior. Many of the 40,000 plants inside are tropical so the conditions are kept at 72 degrees and 60% humidity in the day time.  It would seem there's even a place to nap.  The woman on the left was flat out asleep!



I'd seen Tina's sketch of the Bird Nest and knew I couldn't leave without doing one of my own. I think it's the most unusual spot within the Spheres.  It is reached by a bridge that is rather bouncy, like a suspension bridge.




Many more photos

Moses Coulee Nature Conservancy

I was privileged to spend four days at the Moses Coulee Nature Conservancy Preservation with 14 other plein air artists last week. A welcome break from the noisy, honking, crowded cacophony of leaf blowers and construction of the city.


Here is an assortment of wildlife found right outside the front door of the lodge.

A roiling wood stove heated the cabin nicely. A bit TOO nicely for my taste, but my sleeping room was down the hall and perfect for good nights of deep sleep. An introvert, I found the conversation fun and interesting– everyone was talented and friendly– but tiring for this loner. I slept 9-10 hours each night!

Opposite the wood stove was this new addition to the cabin, so I drew it as we chatted about our day's work and adventures from sketching out in the sagebrush.

Here is the lodge itself. This is the first thing I drew on the day I arrived, sketched while listening to the sharp, staccato calls of the small black ducks on the pond behind me.

High above the lake the wind kept blowing my hat off. I drew this huddled against the rocks where there was a wind break.

A half-page, quickly done in front of the lodge. Unusual for me, I painted the colors first and drew the contours last.

I wish I could have drawn the starry night sky, the Milky Way and the longest, brightest shooting star I've ever seen.

High Up at Elliott Bay Book Co.

11/9/18 Elliott Bay Book Co.

Elliott Bay Book Company is one of Seattle’s last remaining independent general book stores. With high ceilings and exposed beams, the space invites settling in for a few hours of browsing thousands of books.

After strolling through the main floor, I headed up to the loft-like upper level, where I found an interesting view of several sketchers down below. I knew the perspective on the towering bookcases would be challenging, so I worked carefully trying to get them right. I must have gotten tired by the time I put in the back walls, though, and my perspective fell apart!

Tucking my tail under, I went into the café for a snack, had a nice chat with other sketchers, and made a non-challenging sketch (requiring no perspectival study) of the café’s countertop. Any book store that sells pencils right next to the coffee, scones and (delicious) biscuits is my kind of book store.

11/9/18 Elliott Bay Books' cafe

Although the basement where readings are given was closed to the public, the manager allowed us to use the space for our throwdown. As always, we had a good turnout and welcomed a few new faces.

New Logo for USk Seattle!

Urban Sketchers Seattle has a brand new chapter logo designed by long-time USk Seattle member and blog correspondent David Hingtgen! Many thanks to David for the beautiful design incorporating iconic Mt. Rainier.

A variation of the global USk logo, our chapter logo is based on the official Urban Sketchers organization Logo Identity Guide, which shows appropriate usage of the logo. If you have questions about logo usage, please talk to Tina, Kate or Jane.

Peacock in the Desert Exhibition

Now that summer is over and Urban Sketcher gatherings are in cold weather mode, I decided to explore new avenues for creativity. Curious about SAM’s current exhibition, Peacock in the Desert: The Royal Arts of Jodhpur, India, I ordered a ticket and went to the exhibit with a sketchbook, pencil, and pen. My intention was to sketch objects of interest. The size of the collection and the amount of information provided requires time and concentration. To educate myself further, I’ll get another ticket for another day. Today I followed through with my original intention of sketching. Finishing the drawings at the museum, I added color at home because there were so many people and a lot of guards!  

The first thing to greet visitors is Mahadol (Palanquin) ca. 1700-30  Used to transport rulers during festivals, it’s called a portable palace.  Powered by  twelve men, it is now a show stopper.  

Mahadol (Palanquin) ca. 1700-30

There are many examples of arms and armor.  Intrigued by the daggers and swords, the ones with designs including animals and flora are remarkable. 

Sword with dragon and rabbit

An entire military tent fills one museum room.  A mobile palace, the Lal Dera dates from 1659. Made of red velvet and intricately embroidered, the colors are regally symbolic and the interior looks extravagantly comfortable

Lal Dera, a military tent

On another level, the exhibition continues with a large video  projection of scenes from a festival or wedding. Examples of turbans, musical instruments and elaborate methods of transportation fill the room.  An ornate riding seat has a red and ochre fringed parasol to protect passengers against the sun. A velvet persimmon colored seat, heavily carved botanical decorations, and a large tiger with menacing eyes complete the ambitious construction.

Colorful transportation

An elephant mannequin dressed for a wedding procession wears opulent textiles and has reserved seating, The rich shades of red suggests this is no ordinary wedding. 

Wedding elephant

Peacock in the Desert is an opportunity to see historical art from a royal museum in India without having to fly half-way around the world!