Freeway Forest

This morning my calendar announced: Today is the day to sketch at the Convention Center and Freeway Park with Interior Design students from Washington State University!  

After selectively packing my sketch kit, I walked with a light load to the bus stop.  Quickly determining the bus was not exactly on schedule, I pulled out my toned sketchbook and drew the townhouse across the street.  I was two-thirds into the building when the bus suddenly arrived.  Pitching an open pen and sketchbook into my sack, I boarded the bus.  It’s a travesty to treat pen and paper so crudely!  I made amends after my sit down by recapping the pen and folding the sketchbook properly. 

Taylor Ave townhouse

It was great fun to meet so many students studying Interior Design.  They were a hard-working and charming group of designers.  I sat at a table with a student and we both drew the complicated scene out the West window of the Convention Center.  Although critical of my perspective, I called it done and moved on to a view of Freeway Park.  

Ornate building, home of ACT

For my last drawing of the day, I used a sheet of excellent paper held down with green tape and red ink. I love the concept of a forest growing over a freeway.  The evergreens have enchanting shapes and the vines cascading over I-5 soften the rush of traffic. Freeway Park was completed by Lawrence Halprin & Associates under the design direction of Angela Danadjieva.   

Freeway Park