Bellingham

We make an annual trip to Bellingham, WA for Linux Fest NW. It's a conference about the free and open computer operating system.  Himself spends all day Saturday and Sunday there. I usually sketch and visit some interesting shops. I pick and choose what I attend at the conference.

During the drive north on Friday, we took a short detour to the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. This was the last weekend and most of the tulip fields had been harvested. I found one smallish field at Tulip Town.



After dropping Himself at Linux Fest on Saturday morning, I joined the Urban Sketchers Bellingham for their outing at the Farmers Market. I was early so walked around a bit but the wind was chilly. I stopped at Woods Coffee to warm up and sketch.

The B'ham Farmers Market has a lot of good artists and crafters. It was hard not to spend my sketching time looking at their work. I did do so after. My first sketch was of Jesse, a teen aged violinist with a busking permit for the Market.



The sketchers planned to "meet at the goat". This small statue of a working goat seems to be the easy spot to meet. It was a challenge to sketch because so many people were meeting. And sitting. And climbing. That chilly wind was ever present... note the blowing hair.




We met to share sketches at the side of the Market building, out of the wind.




The afternoon was spent in the charming Fairhaven neighborhood. I sketched the Dirty Dan statue again. There was a brief sprinkle but I was able to shelter under a covered lanai to finish the sketch.



On Sunday I spent most of the morning at Linux Fest.  But the afternoon was for sketching. I went to the new Waypoint Park. This area was under construction when we were here last year. The "Acid Ball", circa 1938 is part of the park build out. The concept creator was Mutuus Studio of Burien. "The Acid Accumulator from the defunct Georgia Pacific mill on Bellingham's waterfront has been transformed into a new art installation".  The title is "Waypoint".  It is covered in sprayed on, reflective, tiny glass beads. I added more industrial structures but I don't know what these are.



And then it was time to pick up Himself and head home.

Bellingham!

This past weekend was Linux Fest NW in Bellingham. We go every year. Himself attends both days. I pick and choose. This year I only attended one panel and it was a disappointment as it wasn't quite what I'd hoped.

Mostly I sketch, wander around town, and go to art, craft and book stores!

After dropping Himself off at the venue on Saturday morning, I drove around the corner to sketch this amazingly purple Victorian. It was pouring rain so I was fortunate the be able to park in a location with the view I wanted. I kept having to run the wipers to see my subject. I tried a new technique... drawing only with pencil.



Soon it was time to join Urban Sketchers Bellingham at noon for their outing to Wander Brewing. The ability to travel and meet up with other USk'ers is one of the many great things about Urban Sketchers. It was a fun outing and a nice group of sketchers.






A couple sketchers had already left by the time we had the throw down and group photo.

On my way to await Himself finishing the day, I drove past this burger joint. I pulled in to do another sketch from the car.  I finished just as he called me to pick him up.  




I brought 4 original sketches to abandon as I'd done them in Bellingham some years ago. I  left them around town in the locations where I'd sketched them.  This last one I left at the venue for Linux Fest where I'd sketched it while waiting for Himself 3 years ago. 



Sunday was wash and repeat. Again, after dropping Himself off, I went back to Home Skillet as it wasn't raining. I didn't go inside today, either, because there was still a line.  It's so wacky and colorful I rather wished I'd asked to just peek inside.  I sat on a stool near the street to sketch Velveeta.   It's my favorite sketch of the weekend. 

Joe's Gardens in Bellingham Washington

I drove up to Bellingham today to drop off a some things to my son  who is studying at Western Washington University.  He lives right next to Joe's Gardens, a local farm and produce stand that has been around since 1933 (at least according to their grocery bags).  Here is a sketch looking towards the fields and the produce stand with piles upon piles of pumpkins.  I love the long shadows we have during this time of year.  The Skagit Valley and drive up to the northern part of our state is beautiful. 

Sketches from Bellingham and Fairhaven, WA

This Friday and Sunday we drove up to Bellingham to move our son up to Western Washington University in Bellingham. It is such a beautiful location. I didn't have much time to sketch but was able to catch a quick one each about 15 min. sketch. One was at Tony's Coffee in Fairhaven. The other was at Woods Coffee in Bellingham.

Wood's Coffee Bellingham, WA

 

Tony's Coffee Fairhaven

fairhaven shipyard

Got to go up to Bellingham a couple weeks ago with my husband, whose ferry was in the Fairhaven shipyard there. While he worked 12 hours I hung out around the shipyard sketching and painting.

Here's my morning view from the public boat launch down the road. The ferry is in the background center right.

Here is a view of the parking lot across the railroad tracks, from the loading dock where I trespassed to get this sketch.

And finally, here is my oil sketch of the boat launch water view. I was sketching practically on the railroad right-of-way and had to get out of the way of a few trains! Really a great place.