Bittersweet at Gas Works Park

 

5/2/26 Cranes are poised for destruction at Gas Works Park

Back in February when I participated in a “heart bomb” for Gas Works Park, the decision to dismantle some of the historic structures had been tabled by the city. There was still hope to find alternative solutions that would address safety concerns while retaining the structures. 

The usual park residents

Then in April the Historic Seattle organization reported that one Seattle department had ordered another city department to remove “character-defining features (catwalks, platforms, railings, ladders, pipes, etc.), or “appurtenances,” on the iconic towers by May 15. It seems a decision had been made quickly without the knowledge or involvement of landmarks preservation organizations (see the full story and context at the link above).

USk Seattle had been thinking of a different location for our May 2 outing for International Urban Sketchers Week, but we made a quick decision to meet at Gas Works Park instead. We had to sketch ASAP if we wanted to capture as much of the original structures before they were forever changed.

Knowing that it would be the last time we’d see the gas works as they had always been, it was a bittersweet outing, and USk Seattle came out in full force. The blow was somewhat softened by the amazing weather: Temps in the low 70s with sunshine and a soft breeze off Lake Union! I was among the many sketchers who sat or stood comfortably in full sun without feeling too warm. What a treat!

I stood at the top of Kite Hill for most of my sketches so that I could include the backside of the gas works, where cranes were already in place to dismantle pieces that could be climbed. While it’s tragic that several trespassers have fallen to their deaths over the years, it’s important to note that the entire area has always been surrounded by fencing with signs everywhere prohibiting entry and climbing.

It’s also a great spot to capture kite fliers, people and dogs enjoying the sunshine at the crest of the hill.

Top of Kite Hill

Because I’m feeling sentimental about my favorite city park, I’m showing below some of my many sketches of Gas Works Park from the past 11 years.

1/19/26

4/18/25

9/17/22

9/2/21

6/22/17 The piping and catwalks that cast these cool shadows will soon be gone.

7/2/16

9/9/15

Nothing Better

 

4/24/26 Project 9 Brewing Co.

On a lovely late afternoon, USk Seattle met at Project 9 Brewing for the first unsheltered drink & draw of the year. We had a great turnout, including Lisbon artist Mario Linhares, who was in town to give a presentation and workshop through the University of Washington’s Landscape Architecture Department.

Other sketchers who had never come to a USk outing before and long-timers who hadn’t come in a while all joined us on Project 9’s sunny deck. And why wouldn’t they? A warm (but not hot) Friday afternoon, sketching with good friends while sipping cold beverages – does it get any better? We all agreed that it doesn’t.

The Future is Finally Here

 

4/19/26 New Judkins Park Station and Mercer Island Station platform

Preamble:

For the first decade-plus of my career, I worked for the Municipality of Metro Seattle, which used to manage and operate the Seattle transit system. As tunnels were being burrowed for buses through the main downtown thoroughfare, disrupting traffic and businesses for years, most of the marketing was about how the new transitway would eventually be used for the region’s as-yet-to-be-built light rail system. This work wasn’t just for ourselves; our children and grandchildren would ride the light rail! (Much potential there for public relations copywriters like myself.)

That was in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. The 2020s, when all of it was slated to be completed, seemed like a very long way off. I’ll be sitting in my rocker by then, I grumbled, envisioning my 21^st century self. Meanwhile, my current tax dollars were already paying for that wonderful light rail system that I would be too old to use. (Even if I wrote it myself, the copywriting wasn’t enough to convince this grumbling taxpayer that it would all be worthwhile “someday.”)

Four decades later, I’m happy and grateful that I have lived long enough to enjoy that dream-like future (and I no longer begrudge my tax dollars). The light rail has been my most convenient form of public transportation for several years now.

My lunch at Dough Zone at Redmond Towne Center and Downtown Redmond Station

From my perspective, though, the pinnacle of the light rail system was the connection that opened only last month: After multiple, lengthy delays, each putting me one step closer to my rocker, the link between Seattle and the Eastside across Lake Washington was finally completed!

(Delays notwithstanding, this cross-lake link is an engineering marvel: It’s the first train in the world to operate on a floating bridge, which was, itself, the first in the world in 1940.)

Art at Downtown Redmond Station

During all those years that I had to commute to the Eastside for the second leg of my career, how wonderful it would have been to take a comfortable, modern train instead of bumpy buses or, most dreaded, my own car! I’m not grumbling about that, though. Now that the light rail can take me almost anywhere in the Puget Sound region that I’d like to go, I can enjoy easy, very inexpensive rides for fun in retirement instead of commuting to work.

All of that was just preamble (or maybe just amble). Today’s blog story is much shorter:

Kate, Jane, Ellie and I rode the new light rail connection all the way from Seattle to Redmond Towne Center last Sunday. Our mission was to scout the best stations for sketching potential and related amenities for a future USk outing. For me, it was also a satisfying sense of closure: Four decades of the promised future finally becoming the present.

Art and water feature at Bellevue Downtown Station

Bellevue Downtown Station

Jane, Ellie, Tina and Kate riding the historic rails!

Turtles, gull, octopus?

 Yesterday we took advantage of the fact that the Pacific Science Center waterworks courtyard is now free to enter. What a glorious day for sketching outdoors. Though the shade in the lower level of the courtyard was chilly, out in the sun it may have been 70 degrees!

I wanted to sketch the dinosaur sculptures in the courtyard but so many people were already gathered around. So I went to the other side to sketch turtles and a gull.

Next I wandered out to the Neototems Children's Garden. Among the other sculptures on the path there was an octopus. 

And did the sketchers turn out! I counted about 40 people, though some may have left or are not in the group photo.

More photos

Pacific Science Center

 

4/18/26 Pacific Science Center arches from inside the courtyard

Although I’ve sketched the Pacific Science Center’s iconic arches several times over the years, and I’ve seen a couple of IMAX films and other ticketed events inside the Center, it had been 14 years since I was in the central courtyard (I remember that day well – it was my first urban sketching workshop). After being closed to the public for many years, the courtyard only recently reopened as a public space. Today was a terrific day for USk Seattle to meet there: It was sunny all day, and the temp got up to 70 by late-afternoon!

I first joined other sketchers in the courtyard to sketch the fountains (below) and my first view of the arches (top of post).

Courtyard fountains

Feeling iconic, I then wandered outside the Science Center so that I could sketch the Space Needle (twice!) and the arches again, this time from a distance. I also caught my first busker of the year: a man playing an electric violin (and competing with a busking drummer nearby).

Sketching in the sunshine until I had to take my jacket off, it sure felt like spring!

At last, the Olympia Kwanzans!

 

4/16/26 Washington State Legislative Building, Olympia

After all the nearly-white Yoshino cherry blossoms have left the party, the showy Kwanzans arrive fashionably late. Although I try to chase the ones I find in my neighborhood each year, I don’t know of any Seattle street with more than a few standing together. The best street of Kwanzans is in Olympia – aptly named Cherry Lane Southwest adjacent to the State Legislative Building – and I had been wanting to sketch them for several years. With the longish drive and rain to contend with, it’s been challenging to find the right time. The weather and my schedule finally aligned, so I called an ad hoc joint outing between USk Seattle and the South Sound Sketchers.

Although partly sunny, this morning's temps were only in the high 30s in Olympia. I had to put on my full-length down coat and gloves again! The drive and cold were both worth it, though, when we all saw that block of bright pink blossoms. The composition to look for was obvious: The Capitol building framed by cherry branches (top of post). Having just sketched the domed Jefferson Memorial a couple of weeks ago at the DC tidal basin, it was especially fun to sketch the state capitol in a similar composition.

Next I found the Temple of Justice Building behind another cluster of Kwanzans (and a couple taking a selfie stepped into the composition just as I was finishing up).

Temple of Justice Building on Cherry Lane SW

During the initial meetup at the Winged Victory Monument, I had time to make a quick sketch of the bronze sculpture honoring those who served in the First World War. Then right before the throwdown, I made another quick sketch of a cherry.

Winged Victory Monument

For lunch several of us went to Mi Luna Cuban Café near the Capitol. I was starving, so I didn’t spend more than a couple minutes sketching my roasted veggie bowl with maduros plantains (misspelled in my sketchbook). That was one of the most delicious meals I’ve had in a long time!

4/16/26 Tivoli Fountain and Mi Luna Cuban Cafe

Also shown on the page above is a tiny sketch of the Tivoli Fountain, which I could see in the distance during the throwdown (behind a sculpture that looked like a tiny Washington Monument).

Although it took me a few years to get there, this trip to Olympia was well worth it!

It’s Been a Minute, Georgetown!

 

4/11/26 Georgetown

I knew it had been a while since I’d sketched in Georgetown, but I didn’t think it had been as many as four years. No wonder I felt like a tourist visiting a familiar yet fresh place. A little out of my way, it’s a neighborhood I only seem to get to with USk Seattle, so I’m happy for yesterday’s outing on the afternoon of Georgetown’s monthly art walk.

Relieved that the day’s earlier rain had drizzled out in time for our outing, I wandered around to get reacquainted with Georgetown’s crusty, historic buildings. Red brick is plentiful, and some facades of long-gone businesses are crumbling, while many other buildings are still in use.

I always like to use the strong horizontal and vertical lines of the freeway as compositional elements. Although I show the scale poorly in my sketch, the iconic brick smokestack that used to be part of the original Rainier Brewing Company was a popular sketch subject that day (above).

Chilled from standing around in low-50s temps, I went inside All City Coffee to warm up with a mocha. Large windows gave several sketchers good views of the ant-covered mural across the street and Georgetown’s quintessential street lamps. I also got a chance to see Eleanor Doughty’s artwork, which is on view now at All City Coffee.

Views through All City Coffee's windows

After the throwdown, Eleanor gave an inspiring mixed-media demo for anyone who wanted to stay and watch (nearly everyone). I watched most of it, then stepped around to the front so I could sketch her in action.

Many thanks to Ellie for the demo and to All City Coffee for happily welcoming many chilly sketchers!

Ellie giving a demo

Jane's back in town!