One reason I enjoy traveling is because of urban sketching opportunities. Unfamiliar places inspire creative action in my sketchbook! Although I was happily busy with family, my recent trip to Southern California had room for sketching in moderation.
Upon arrival to Orange County, I had a short window of time to sketch the geometric clean lines and palms at the John Wayne airport terminal. The sunshine felt good and the air smelled of lavender.
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| John Wayne Airport, California |
One rule in Orange County is beach time. I drove to North Beach, found a parking spot and carried my beach chair down to the edge of the ocean. Just like me, there was another solitary figure on the beach gazing at the surf. She looked content. She soon flipped over and took out an iPad.
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| North Beach, San Clemente, CA |
The sound of surf and seagulls crying is a tonic. I could have stayed for hours. To the North, a house precariously situated on a spit of land looked safe propped up by boulders. I imagine ocean surround sound day and night is worth the risk.
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| Pacifit Ocean view, North Beach, San Clemente, CA |
My next beach excursion was to Dana Point Harbor Baby Beach. Filled with families, an extended group with lots of babies lined up in front of me.
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| Dana Point Harbor Baby Beach |
During a visit to a resort next to Dana Point City Park, a little boy playing mini golf in a white terry cloth hotel robe experienced a day of luxury. Covered with yellow wild flower blooms, the normally dry brown hills in the background looked like undulating yellow-green velvet.
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| Marriot,Dana Point, CA. |
With enough sand in my shoes, I headed north to Los Angeles on MetroLink. Slowly but surely, the population density and concrete increased. I arrived at Union Station and would have enjoyed sketching the historic venue but had to hurry along to my destination.
My host’s backyard is a secret garden full of fragrant Jasmine. The mature plant climbing up the wall was pretty to look at and a joy to sketch. Surrounded by lavender, birds of paradise and colorful sweet-smelling flowers, it’s a secret garden in an endless metropolis.
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| Jasmine air |
Out the kitchen window, a Bougainvillea stretches its graceful arch of magenta flowers in a spidery web of vines.
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| Bougainvillea masterpiece |
At a nearby park, nannies line up with their charges for a bit of exercise and socialization.
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| Robert Burns Park, Los Angeles |
No trip is complete without a final airport sketch.
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| People and carry-on luggage |
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