Urban Sketchers Seattle

Winter Waltz 2012

2012-01-31T00:16:00.000-08:00

Sketch from the Winter Waltz at Benaroya Hall. It was a wonderful event again. Great music fun event. The place was full and waltzing was like maneuvering in 5:00 traffic!

Glassy Baby Sale

2012-01-29T23:51:00.000-08:00

Saturday I stood in line for two hours to get into the Glassy Baby Store for their annual Seconds Sale. I didn't think I would be in line for so long...but once I was there for an hour and a half I couldn't just leave. After two hours in line I finally got in. It was so crowded in there you literally could not move...wall to wall people. In 5 minutes I found what I wanted, paid and got out of there! Later a friend told me her niece came down from Bellingham to go to the sale. She was there by 4:45 am and was 4th in line! The sale didn't even start until 9:00 am. So she waited over 4 hours! I didn't have my sketch book but I found a piece of cardboard in my purse and also had my ink pens. Here are the sketches I did while waiting in line. And a picture of the actual line as we got closer to the store.

Volunteer Park Conservatory

2012-01-29T19:06:00.001-08:00

Rain and Mist at Juanita Beach Park

2012-01-29T16:43:00.000-08:00

My car provided the shelter and, with an occasional swipe from the windshield wipers, I tried to capture the changing mist. The rain is relentless.

View of Portage Bay

2012-01-28T16:15:00.000-08:00

I volunteer with the Puget Sound Blood Center, giving juice and cookies to fine donors. One of the rewards is that it brings me to many surprising places in Seattle. This week I found a lovely view of Portage Bay from the Vista Cafe in the new Foege Building - warm, dry and coffee too. This building is named after William H. Foege, who was instrumental in eradicating small pox. I felt a little guilty sketching peacefully while all around me, really smart people were making progress in genome research.

Welcoming the Year of the Dragon!

2012-01-25T22:02:00.000-08:00

Like David H. last weekend I did the WW Sketchcrawl solo. Escaping the lack of power and water in Olympia, I came up to Seattle's International District in hopes of catching the opening Lion Dance. I missed it but caught the dragon at the Wing Luke and colored it using Brushes on an IPad.

I still have to work on the second dragon sketch. Think I'll use real paint for that.

I may go again this weekend for the full celebration depending on the weather prediction. It's such a colorful and lively event and Seattle's ID was listed as one of the top places in the country to celebrate the lunar new year.

Interiors of the First Church of Christ Scientist

2012-01-24T10:15:00.000-08:00

Sunday I went to the open house of the First Church of Christ Scientist which we sketched for sketch crawl in September. The church has be broken up to 12 units opening up to the center as a common lobby. You would have to like walking stairs to want to purchase a unit. It is interesting to see that they kept all the detail along the exterior walls. New interior partition walls terminate at the detail, so you might have a portion of a door or portion of a pediment if the partition wall is located in the middle of a detail. I guess they wanted to save the historic pieces in place and express that this was an adaptive reuse of the building. I sat in the largest unit and did some quick sketches. Painted at home from photos.

By the way, I haven't been commenting on sketches because the blog won't let me leave a comment for some reason.

Interior Unit 3 upper level looking toward the exterior deck.

Unit 3 Ceiling and cornice detail.

Worldwide Sketchcrawl

2012-01-22T16:32:00.000-08:00

I celebrated the lack of snow with a cup of coffee and a sketch.

Seattle Snow

2012-01-21T23:24:00.000-08:00

Jack from Missoula just sent me a snow sketch he did while in Seattle.

Sketching @ the Winter Waltz Sunday January 29th

2012-01-21T08:34:00.000-08:00

Here is another sketch opportunity for you all. Garfield High School Orchestra will be playing at Benaroya Hall Next Sunday from 7-10 pm for the Annual Winter Waltz. Last year I went and sketched some as well as try to waltz. It was really an amazing event, great venue and opportunity to hear wonderful waltzes while you sketch. Tickets are now on sale for $40.00 each. See attached information and link to ticket sales. Tickets prices @ the door are more.

Melting Snow

2012-01-20T15:56:00.000-08:00

Sitting looking at the snow melting and the new house being constructed across the street.

SAAM

2012-01-20T09:40:00.000-08:00

Here is another SAAM Sketch from Jack Oates who was visiting from Missoula Montana. He and his wife Kelley joined us for sketch crawl last Saturday.

Winter Snow Sketches

2012-01-19T12:33:00.000-08:00

Okay let's see all those winter sketches. This should be fun! Here are mine from the last couple of days.

Backyard view

Back yard view 2

View from the window seat

How I spent January 18th

2012-01-19T08:21:00.000-08:00

I am so fortunate to be here in Santa Barbara. I took a painting class yesterday on a bluff overlooking the Pacific. Thinking of you all.....

Snow day Sketches

2012-01-18T19:57:00.000-08:00

I grabbed some paper towels when I headed for the bus after my office closed today. Took advantage of riding instead of driving. The man on the left represents the Fellowship for Reconciliation and holds signs for peace and justice every Wednesday, mid-day, at Sylvester Park in downtown Olympia. He was riding the bus today, apparently heading towards his usual Wednesday destination.

Downtown Marina

Bird outside kitchen window

Ski Trail

2012-01-18T17:43:00.001-08:00

This is a pencil and watercolor sketch from a recent XC ski outing along Icicle Creek Road, near Leavenworth, WA.

Snowy Magnolia Hill vista

2012-01-17T22:08:00.000-08:00

This is a view of Magnolia Hill looking west.

2012-01-17T20:18:00.000-08:00

This is my second time with the group, but first time in sharing time with the sketchers. Great to see everyone's enthusiasim and desire to come even with the snowy weather. All my drawings were with a #2 school pencil. Will need to add some mechanical and wider range of pencils for next time in a museum. I added some tones in the computer to experiment with alittle color on some of the pencil linework.

Watching Frank Sketch Kimono

George TSUTAKAWA Bronze

Chinese Monk

7th &8th c. Horse Statues

Original and Quick Study

After Photo of Photographer

SAAM

2012-01-17T15:45:00.000-08:00

Because I usually reserve the pencil for use in my book illustrations, drawing on location with one was certainly a different experience for me. As Gail said, we should definitely do it more often. The first image of Virupaksha was done with a 2B wood pencil, while the second sketch of the Fuller Garden Court was done with a 0.5mm click pencil.

Snowbound at SAM

2012-01-16T20:50:00.000-08:00

It was quite an adventure. A few flurries upon arrival, 5 inches upon departure. Chained up and got down the hill after a some delicious pumpkin soup and sandwich at the Hopvine Pub on 15th.
Watching the snow fall in Olympia today (Monday) I took advantage of being housebound and colorized yesterday's drawings.

Porcelain Dwarfs

Entry way, much more elegant than I have depicted

Fellow urban sketcher

My favorite room at SAM Asia in B/W and color

Seattle Asian Art Museum

2012-01-16T17:37:00.000-08:00

The graphite sketch is a sculpture of a monk at the moment of enlightenment, to be honest he looks like me trying to read a menu with out his glasses.

Took Metro into Seattle to meet up with fellow Seattle Urban Sketchers and spend time sketching exhibits at the Seattle Asian Art Museum (Capital Hill) out of the weather. Though there was a just a trace of snow when I walked in, a couple of hours later there was four inches of snow on the ground and not letting up. Capitol Hill is beautiful covered in snow and I enjoyed the walk to the Metro tunnel (downtown). It is much less stressful being a pedestrian in a snow storm……..Catching a bus home was a different story.

Seattle Asian Art Museum Japanese Stoneware

2012-01-16T00:38:00.000-08:00

Vessel, early 1970s by Yanigahara Mutsuo. Harder than it looked to draw!

Seattle Asian Art Museum Korean Wrapping Cloth and Floor Mat by Han Soonja

2012-01-16T00:02:00.001-08:00

I have been doing yoga and recently tried meditation for the first time. After rushing to be on time and driving through snow to get to the sketchcrawl, this scene caught my eye and I thought I'd multitask and meditate while sketching.

Seattle Asian Art Museum Sketchcrawl

2012-01-15T23:59:00.000-08:00

Frosted Donut

2012-01-15T22:08:00.000-08:00

Here are a few more photos from today's sketch crawl at SAAM.

SAAM Sketchcrawl

2012-01-15T20:14:00.000-08:00

Despite the threat of snow we ventured out to the Seattle Asian Art Museum for this month's Sketchcrawl. I was surprised at the number of people who did show up. Many new to the group, we had about 20 people show up. The exhibit was great and well worth the visit. I would like to go back and see it again.

We sketched indoors using pencil. It has been a while for me so my sketches were a bit rough. I used a flat carpenters pencil for my first sketch in the Porcelain room. The sketches of the Richard E. Fuller room and the iron gate was done with a mechanical pencil. It was a great challenge to just use the pencil...I will have to practice it more.

Urban sketchers on a snowy sketchcrawl.

SAAM's Camel

2012-01-15T19:41:00.000-08:00

Watercolor and pencil sketch of one of the camels in front of SAAM. It was snowing and the flakes hitting the watercolor left little spots. Happy accident.

SAAM Sketchcrawl

2012-01-15T17:31:00.000-08:00

Due to the treacherous driving conditions on Capitol Hill after the sketchcrawl I ended up parking my car and walking to the lowlands. I hope you all made it home safe.

Sunday January 15th Sketchcrawl

2012-01-12T21:14:00.000-08:00

January sketchcrawl will be at the Seattle Asian Art Museum in Volunteer Park. Meet at the entry of the Seattle Asian Art Museum at 10:00 a.m. so we can go in as a group.

We will be seeing Painting Seattle: Kamekichi Tokita and Kenjiro Nomura,
then sketch in the art museum or around Volunteer Park. My understanding is that you can sketch with graphite but no ink, watercolor, acrylic or oil!

If you are interested in going please contact Gail this weekend gail@glwarc.com. We need a head count to let the Museum know how many will be there to see the exhibit.

Please bring money to see the exhibit. $6.00 for group admission to the exhibit if you are not members of the Seattle Art Museum. For more information see Seattle Asian Art Museum Sketchcrawl

Mud Lake, Louisiana

2012-01-10T04:26:00.000-08:00

We stopped for lunch on a beautiful shell beach. There was enough time for me to do a quick sketch. The best part about lunch? The boat driver shared oranges grown in Louisiana --good eatin! It was a great day to be visiting South Louisiana and very different from cold, damp Seattle!

New Years Sketches

2012-01-09T19:27:00.001-08:00

Hey all,

I haven't been able to make the last few sketch crawls:( but I have been sketching. Here are two from this year. One admission, the orange three wheeler was drawn on site, but painted at home, I just ran out of daylight, and shining my high beams across the street for an hour wasn't going to cut it. The dumptruck is from a little excursion up the beautiful Highway 99 North parked at Sky Nursery. I will even add that as a suggestion for a future sketch crawl. And if you get bored, Aurora is endlessly fascinating.

New Years Eve at the Public Market

2012-01-01T18:02:00.000-08:00

This little place was an oasis from the Hubbub of the Market.

Edith's House

2011-12-31T22:23:00.000-08:00

My last post of 2011 - for Edith.

Do you know the story of Edith Macefield? She owned this little house in Ballard for 40+ years when she was offered a million dollars for the plot. Edith said, "I don't want to move. I don't need the money. Money doesn't mean anything." How strong she was. The world built around Edith and sadly she died shortly after all the construction. Edith left the house to one of the construction workers who had befriended her. It sits looking lonely and small amid the stores and fitness centers but I suspect it has an interesting future.

Amazon Lower Entry at Thomas and Terry

2011-12-31T10:08:00.000-08:00

I went back to sketch this entry portal. I think all these letters and artifacts were from some of the buildings in the area that were demolished.

Wedgwood Broiler

2011-12-29T23:14:00.000-08:00

Quick Stop at The Traveler in Fremont

2011-12-29T13:16:00.000-08:00

Christmas Sketches 2011

2011-12-26T16:19:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2012!

Lynette's luminaires

Christmas morning playing Othello!

Caesar's Palace Slots

2011-12-26T01:51:00.000-08:00

Woodinville Winery 12-11-11 Sketchcrawl

2011-12-25T00:32:00.000-08:00

What a peaceful blustery day this was. That's Gail sketching under the tree:).

2011-12-20T04:49:00.000-08:00

I don't know the name of this Korean Restaurant, but it's my new favorite.

They bring the heater over to me. That's it, with the dials, in the lower foreground.

The name of this restaurant, literally translated, is Fruits Love Fruits.

For 7 yuan, about $1, you can get a pretty good sized bowl of

Jiang Bao Ji Ding (Kung Pow Chicken w/out the nuts) and this, um, atmosphere.

This is what I wore/carried yesterday, and most days. It's cold here in Jingdezhen.

Urban Sketching - Tacoma

2011-12-18T09:45:00.001-08:00

Drawn from the warm confines of Tully's in the Stadium district of Tacoma. On the left is Stadium High School which has a very 'Hogwarts School of Wizardry' feel to it. Yesterday was beautiful day for sketching (probably good for yard work too but we're not going there....). Pen and ink with watercolor in a watercolor Moleskine (and in case Santa is reading this, that is my favorite sketchbook).

Solstice Cafe 12/14, from stool looking down on Mustachioed man, great vantage point for people-drawing

2011-12-15T15:56:00.000-08:00

If you notice, the man has almost no bottom lip. I tried to draw him before and kept flattening the depiction, drawing the bottom lip I knew was there. This was dissatisfying because it didn't match what I was actually seeing, my brain was skewing the plane to be flat and include what wasn't there. Having two different planes on one face isn't cubism, its lazy and would pull his head apart. After I recognized this, I banged out this drawing and really loved it because it matched vision with action.

Concert @ Meany Hall U.W.

2011-12-14T09:01:00.000-08:00

Last night we had a chance to hear both Garfield Symphony Orchestra and the visiting Okayama Sanyo Band play at Meany Hall. It was an excellent and entertaining concert. Okayama Sanyo High Band not only played their instruments but sang and danced. Amazing talent!

Sanyo Band @ Meany Hall, U.W.

Meany Hall Lobby

More opening photos

2011-12-13T23:08:00.000-08:00

The Big Winery in Woodinville

2011-12-12T21:56:00.000-08:00

We visited a big winery down the hill from JM Cellars.
It was cold and damp but I was able to get in a quick sketch.

2011-12-12T19:32:00.000-08:00

The event at the winery looked like a delightful evening. The sketches look beautiful on the wall. I couldn't make it to the opening, so I sketched at a local tasting room instead. I miss seeing you all. Happy Holidays! Beth

JM Cellars Exhibit

2011-12-12T15:34:00.000-08:00

Woodinville December

2011-12-11T20:31:00.000-08:00

Though it was a chilly wet day, I enjoyed the northwesty feel around this mossy structure out on the estate of that big winery in Woodinville which shall remain nameless.

2011-12-11T11:06:00.000-08:00

‎Frank Ching lecture at Taubman College University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan. Friday 12.02.11.

http://vimeo.com/33296611

December Sketchcrawl & Exhibit Opening

2011-12-10T23:25:00.000-08:00

December 11th from 3-5 pm the official opening of our exhibit at JM Cellars.
Please come and see the work done by Seattle Urban Sketchers the exhibit runs for two months. 14404 137th Place Northeast Woodinville, WA.
&
Sketch Crawl tomorrow Sunday December 11th at St. Michelle Winery from 1-2:30 PM.
St. Michelle is located just down the hill from JM Cellars.
14111 Northeast 145th Street Woodinville, WA

JM Cellars

2011-12-09T16:54:00.001-08:00

My nest. I carried the projector from Seattle for these Chinese students, but the brightly sun-lit classrooms have no curtains, so I use it to stream American media - Daily Show, Marwencol, Walking Dead - onto my large bare wall.

Too rainy again to go outside.

My doodles get more myopic each day. I'm starting to feel like Martin Sheen in the beginning of Apocalypse Now in the Saigon hotel. My "ivory tower" is a 4th floor dorm, inland China, where I spend my days drawing and scribbling in my journal to streaming radio. The cliché could only be more complete if I drank, but a 5th of vodka has sat untouched on my fridge for months (though a bag of to-be-rationed mini-Snickers disappears in one night). Will I last two more months without disappearing inside my own navel?

Suzallo Library

2011-12-08T07:30:00.000-08:00

Frank D.K. Ching Lecture at the University of Michigan

2011-12-04T11:08:00.000-08:00

An amazing night last Friday in Ann Arbor, Michigan with a great lecture and a great dinner conversation with Master Frank D.K. Ching. He showed his amazing drawings and the value of this powerful skill. I always learn something new and great from him. "Do not do Architecture just to make money; do Architecture in order to make a positive impact" --Frank D.K. Ching during the N.O.M.A.S. Dinner after the Lecture at Taubman College University of Michigan 12/02/11.

Thanksgiving sketches

2011-12-04T09:10:00.001-08:00

Finally getting around to posting my sketches from thanksgiving. I was able to do 6 sketches on our annual trip to Bainbridge. I am just posting a couple of sketches here and for others see Thanksgiving.

Playing Rummio

Eagle Harbor Bookstore

Drawing Jam Tomorrow Dec. 3rd @ The Gage Academy.

2011-12-02T14:14:00.001-08:00

Tomorrow is the Gage Academy annual Drawing Jam from
9 am-9pm. Great sketching opportunity!

Gage Academy Drawing Jam

Rainy Sunday

2011-11-28T08:08:00.001-08:00

Observing People & Ballet Dancers

2011-11-26T18:54:00.000-08:00

On a recent trip to Texas, I took the opportunity to sketch/paint this woman above, I liked her little bird lips! And I experimented with colors on her face. Kind of reminded me of someone I know.
The second sketch was done last year at tea time in a Canadian hotel, but I recently decided to add color to it.
And this last I sketched while we were at a recent Pacific NW ballet performance, and again, added the colors later. I didn't like my 1st small figure and proceeded to sketch right over & around it...

November in Jingdezhen, China.

2011-11-21T01:44:00.001-08:00

You You Ka Fei Shu Ba. Coffee and book bar.

Olga's from Spain and her boyfriend is from Shanghai. This is their living room.

There are acres and acres of these 3-story, abandoned buildings, made entirely from crumbling brick, with irregularly sized doors, and tiny rooms filled ankle-deep in rat turds and dead bats. I get different stories depending on who I ask: it's new and for sale; the developer went bankrupt and committed suicide; they're waiting to be finished. In America you would see graffiti and signs of squatters and teen parties, but these erode ignored and unmolested.

JM Cellars

2011-11-18T19:08:00.000-08:00

Sketchcrawl at JM Cellars winery 10/30/11.

Color along the Canal

2011-11-17T03:18:00.001-08:00

Looking south across the ship canal, I was thinking how different this would have looked when the canal was begun in 1911. Many more evergreens and far fewer golds and oranges. I doubt there would have been any alizarin crimsons.

Gee How Oak Tin Association

2011-11-15T09:59:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Gail for negotiating with the Wing Luke Museum staff, who allowed us enough time to do a few sketches in the historic portion of the museum. This view of the Chinese family association room is very much like Gail's you can see a few posts prior to this one.

"from America"

2011-11-15T01:40:00.000-08:00

Some neighbors.

The poster they made for the 25th.
Drop by if you're in the neighborhood!

Late night desktop

Wing Luke Family and Friends Day

2011-11-13T22:37:00.001-08:00

We had a great time at the Wing Luke and got to go on the Hotel Tour. We tried to capture the rooms in the Freeman Hotel but we were moving so fast that it was difficult to sketch, so I ended up doing montages of small sketches in each room. The museum staff let us go back to the hotel portion to sketch for about 40 minutes. I was able to finish my sketches and took pictures so I could add color later. Here is an article about Wing Luke Museum: Seattletimes Wing Luke Museum Article
You tube video of the wok installation Wok Installation @ the Wing
You tube video about the Wing Luke Museum.

Kitchen and Association Hall

Scrim from 1909 Nippon Kan Theatre and Yick Fung Co. Grocery store

Association Hall

Winging It

2011-11-13T21:42:00.001-08:00

At the Wing Luke Museum,we had a very informative tour and were shown great views of the Freeman Hotel and the historic shop below. With the time left we shifted into speed sketching. That was kind of fun and left me thinking that we might like to do it again just for the exercise. Lori and I stood at different angles from this Mah Jong table, located in the upstairs of the hotel near the Association Room. Thanks to Gail for spotting this free and different opportunity and to the museum for having us!

Wing Luke Museum

2011-11-13T15:53:00.001-08:00

Thank you, Gail. This was a great location for sketching. I really enjoyed the tour and learning more about the International District. Fun tidbit was learning that Wing Luke made friends in school through his sketches.

We took the guided tour then had a short time to sketch in a few of the hotel rooms. The limited time forced me to jump right in and sketch directly in pen - something I rarely do. The quick sketches made me sketch loose and fast. Not the greatest sketches, but I learned a little about working quickly and directly.

Sketches from the Anchor Pub in Everett, WA

2011-11-10T11:25:00.001-08:00

After the JM Cellars sketchcrawl, my husband and I went to the Anchor Pub in Everett to meet the Whidbey Island Sketchers and Sharon from the Seattle Sketchers. The music of the Magnolia Big Band was fabulous! The Anchor Pub is such a great spot and has such atmosphere.

Looking down at The Anchor Pub Bar

Magnolia Big Band @ The Anchor Pub

Ceramic Studios

2011-11-09T20:06:00.000-08:00

West Virginian Exchange Students' Studio

Chen Hong's Studio

JM Cellars

2011-11-08T15:38:00.000-08:00

JM Cellers by Yelena V. Balikov

November 12th Sketchcrawl this Saturday!

2011-11-07T09:45:00.000-08:00

We are having an early sketchcrawl this month. November 12th Saturday we will be meeting at the Wing Luke Museum for Friends and Family Free day. We will be meeting promptly at 10:00 a.m. so we can get in on the Hotel Tour! See November Sketchcrawl for details. Hope to see you there!

2011-11-05T23:57:00.000-07:00

Occupy Olympia I spent a few hours sketching at Olympian's own occupation. Close to one hundred tents line the banks of Olympia's Capitol Lake. It was cool and overcast as I wandered through the encampment. As I sketched, sitting on my portable stool, an occupation resident offered me a blanket to keep my legs warm. A few hours of sketching is a heck of a lot easier than camping lakeside in November.

Encampment as seen from across the lake.

Welcome to Occupy Olympia!

I gotta hand it to the residents for stamina and fortitude. They have a pretty good community kitchen, a shelter for "elders", and even an art center where folks, especially kids, can go to make art.

November in China, still in shorts and a T-shirt.

2011-11-04T22:45:00.000-07:00

An alley near my dorm.

‎15,000 students here at JCI and they sleep 6 to a room with no hot water or showers. They walk to this Bathing House that is heated by burning huge piles of old reclaimed plywood, some still covered in paint or plaster. You can see the girls (less often the boys) walking at night in their slippers and wet hair, carrying plastic buckets of soap and washcloths. The smoke billows onto the sports courts, into open windows and onto clotheslines. (We teachers have nice hot showers in our rooms, thankfully.)

Coffee shop waiting out the rain.

WWII Sketches from the Front

2011-11-04T13:14:00.000-07:00

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15560482

Intersting Video from the BBC news site

As World War II still raged in Europe, Joseph Farris arrived in France as a green US Army soldier from suburban Connecticut.

The young machine gunner slogged his way through France and Germany, carrying not only weapons and ammo but drawing pads, paints, and ink.

He sketched his experiences between battles, and just after returning home when the memories were still fresh.

Now his work comprises the book "A Soldier's Sketchbook" - Mr Farris' wartime memoir in pictures and letters.

Produced by the BBC's David Botti
Illustrations by Joseph Farris courtesy of the National Geographic Society from the book A Soldier's Sketchbook by Joseph Farris. Copyright © 2011 Joseph Farris/National Geographic
Additional photo/video: Getty Images, British Pathé, and courtesy Joseph Farris

Photos from JM Cellars

2011-11-03T20:55:00.000-07:00

Here are the Urban sketchers at the JM Cellars.

Crush @ JM Cellars

2011-11-03T19:55:00.000-07:00

One of the great Seattle Urban Sketcher outings, with a fascinating subject, food and coffee, and chairs.

I'm in favor of making this an annual event, and I'd love to go back to JM Cellars in the spring to sketch more of Mary's landscaping!

JM Cellars

2011-11-01T11:07:00.000-07:00

Great site for sketching.

Crush @ JM Cellars

2011-10-31T22:11:00.000-07:00

Fork lifting the grapes into the crusher.

Wine tasting room JM Cellars

We had a great sketchcrawl Sunday morning at JM Cellars. It was interesting to see their operations and the process of making wine. We were treated to coffee and pastries and later cheese and bread. Of course some did wine tasting and bought the JM cellars wonderful wine. Thanks to John of JM Cellars for letting us sketch his winery and thanks to Mary Warren for setting this up for us and giving us such a warm welcome.

Fall Crush at J&M Cellars

2011-10-31T21:39:00.000-07:00

Worth the circuitous route I took to get there and back. Easier on bicycle. And such hospitality!

October in Jingdezhen

2011-10-31T02:56:00.000-07:00

This alley has many karaoke clubs, with names such as Happy 2008, and 888,
leftover from the 2008 Olympics held in Beijing.
(8 is considered a lucky number representing prosperity.
That's why the Olympics opened at 8:08:08 on 8/8/08.)

Chinese style bathroom. No shower curtain- the water goes everywhere
and drains out through the hole next to the sink.
You must watch your footing while you shower so you don't step in the squat toilet.
Water is shut off each night around 11, and resumes at 6am.
At least I have water- students all walk to the wood-fire-heated Bathing House.

An abandoned wood kiln at the West Virginian Exchange Students' studio.

For every hour I sit drawing, I spend three wandering around
looking at the overwhelming amount of clutter there is to draw here.

JM Cellars Woodinville, WA

2011-10-30T17:24:00.000-07:00

Sketch A Wine Crush @ JM Cellars

2011-10-28T20:20:00.000-07:00

The Crush is on! This Sunday morning @ 10:00 am -12:30 p.m. we are invited to sketch a Wine Crush at JM Cellars. They are located at 14404 137th Place N.E. in Woodinville. See Map We will be sketching in our sketch books also bring watercolor paper or sketch paper for a larger 9x12 sketch that can be displayed for a month at the Winery's Gallery. Questions contact gail@glwarc.com The wine tasting room is open from 12:00-5:00 p.m. $10.00 per person.

Sketchcrawl October 30 Everett Anchor Pub

2011-10-26T16:02:00.000-07:00

Sunday October 30th from 3:00-5:30 the Magnolia Big Band will be playing at the Historic Anchor Pub in Everett. We are invited to come and sketch! Come for a fun sketchcrawl and wonderful music. Address is 1001 Hewitt Ave. Everett, WA $3.00 cover charge. Hope to see you there. Directions

Portland + Seattle Sketchers

2011-10-26T09:53:00.000-07:00

Just a few shots from inside the cafe during the Portlanders' visit to Seattle, sketch book circle share:

First Impressions of China.

2011-10-23T00:05:00.000-07:00

Finally broke through the Great fireWall of China and figured out how to post from here in Jingdezhen.

A wall made of broken or discarded ceramics.

A small shrine/temple thingy set back in the mosquito-filled woods.

San Bao.

Massage and Dining.

My friend/translator/student/guide, Gao Ling in the studio.

Alaskan Way Viaduct

2011-10-22T01:15:00.000-07:00

I thought I would do a sketch of this section of the Alaskan Way Viaduct before it comes down. It will be interesting to watch how the landscape changes during the nine-day "Viadoom" closure of the highway.

Busy days in Barcelona

2011-10-21T11:18:00.000-07:00

This was a fun spanish cafe called Bo de B in old town

The two men were perfect models, they solved the problems of the world on that park bench.

I started sketching and they all congregated around me to watch. Naw, really it was the guitar player at MNAC on Montjuic singing "Hotel California" and "Piano Man" that drew this crowd. I just drew them.

Solo crawl in Paris

2011-10-17T08:47:00.000-07:00

I am sorry to have missed the NW sketchcrawl with the Portland crew. King St Station has been on my list for a long time. I was out on Saturday afternoon to do this one. This sketch at Notre Dame gave me the opportunity to mix two fetishes, bikes and buildings. I wasn't so sure about painting inside, but the light through the rose windows was incredible and is worth sharing. I'll be back for the November crawl. See you then!

Solo sketchcrawl in Walla Walla

2011-10-16T21:51:00.000-07:00

Walla Walla called this weekend with a family commitment, but it didn't keep me from participating in the International Sketchcrawl. I spent most of Saturday afternoon on Main Street sketching several scenes. These are the ones I had time to complete. I'm sad to have missed the Portland crew and the International District, one of my favorite locations.

I copied the plaque on the Day Reynolds Building. Apparently it was the site of the first constitutional convention of Washington Territory in 1878, ten years before we became a state. It now houses Falkenberg's Jewelers store.

Olives Restaurant, formerly the Mercantile.

October 15th, 2011 Sketchcrawl

2011-10-16T20:49:00.000-07:00

It was fun for sketchers from so many different places to come together at one time to sketch.
I wish that I had been able to view everybody's sketches, but I had to leave a little after 3pm because I was afraid that my $6 parking spot was going to become a $30 fine. I hope that everybody posts their sketches. The ones that I saw were fantastic!

Japanese pagoda at the corner of S King and Maynard Ave in the International District

33rd WW Sketchcrawl

2011-10-16T19:12:00.000-07:00

What fun to have the Portland Urban Sketchers here to swell our ranks. Great sketches to view afterwards at Zeitgeist. I enjoyed sitting on (and taking rubbings from) Bill Will's public art facing King Street Station, and then doing a bit of collage to a sketch of the tower.

October 15, 2011 Sketchcrawl

2011-10-16T13:31:00.000-07:00

Northwest sketchcrawl

2011-10-16T13:29:00.000-07:00

Great Meet up with Portland Sketchers

2011-10-16T10:46:00.000-07:00

King St. Station

Yesterday we had a great sketchcrawl with Portland sketchers who traveled by train and car up to Seattle. Lori will post the photos of the group. We spread out between Pioneer Square and International District. Between the Portlanders and the Seattleites We had a total of 27 people show up! Pretty exciting! I came back to King St. Station because I have wanted to sketch this Landmark.

33rd WW Sketchcrawl Saturday October 15th

2011-10-14T09:49:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow... Saturday October 15th, will be the 33rd WW sketchcrawl. We will be meeting the Portland Urban sketchers and hopefully some Whidbey Island and Anacortes sketchers. We will meet at King St. Station Terminal at noon to welcome in the arriving Portland Sketchers. Hope to see you there.
For directions see October 15th Sketchcrawl-locations

A Day on Whidbey Island

2011-10-10T10:19:00.000-07:00

My husband really wants to get an electric pickup truck and has been emailing back and forth with this guy, (Harry in Oak Harbor) about his electric pickup and all the other vehicles he is converting to electric. On a whim we decided to go out to Whidbey Island and drive up to Oak Harbor to see the pickup. This picture however was NOT the pickup truck. Harry also makes art out of found junk....although this was the body of a truck waiting to be converted not one of his art pieces. I thought it looked like his art...sitting is a bed of wild flowers!

On the way back we went to Langley and to get late lunch and coffee at Useless Bay Coffee.
A great spot for refreshment. I think this is a wonderful place for an Urban Sketchers future outing!

Capitol Hill and East

2011-10-09T22:11:00.000-07:00

Finally getting to the posting...

Victrola Coffee on 15th

The A Line - NYC

The Cloisters, NYC

If you've never been and have plans to go to New York, don't miss it.

It's on the northern tip of Manhattan overlooks the Hudson River and Harlem.

A quiet respite ... surprising and restful.

sunny roslyn

2011-10-08T21:08:00.001-07:00

East Denny & Marchland Urban Oasis

2011-10-08T13:00:00.000-07:00

A few sketches from last month's sketch crawl. The first 2 are townhouses on 15th Ave E, and the last one is from this morning at Urban Oasis in Belltown. Happy October!

AKER BRYGGE, OSLO

2011-10-05T14:36:00.000-07:00

In Oslo last week, looking out at the fjord from the fortress inspired this panorama.

Looking North, Westlake Mall Balcony

2011-10-02T19:59:00.000-07:00

This is a recent etching looking north from Union Square. On a Copper plate I drew the scene with an etching needle directly onto the metal from observation. The sheet copper was actually industrial surplus copper from Alaska Copper and Brass South of the City. The security guard said, "NO CHAIRS outside" so I sat on the ground of the outside deck getting a great angle. I like the messy pinwheeling of people around the Nordstrom building, and as for messy Eric Sloane says, "Lucky is the artist whose quick sketch and finished work are both the same thing. Those like Heinrich Kley who used his pen 'like the lariat of a temperamental cowboy' ".

Ferry Sketches

2011-09-30T23:54:00.000-07:00

9/7/2011-View from the Right Side of the ferry

9/13/2011-Bikes on the ramp

9/29/2011-Sunset
I am posting some of my better September Ferry Sketches.