Sketching the industrial side of Fremont

We met in a different section of Fremont today.  There is about a 4 block portion that has a lot of interesting industrial subjects to sketch.

However, I first went "off piste" and went over to Theo's Chocolates to sketch the first of 24 "Astronauts on the Town".  As part of The Museum of Flight's 50th Anniversary celebration they have launched this public art project. It features 25 six-foot astronaut statues, each painted by local artists and displayed in public locations.  The website has a map.  My summer goal is to sketch them all.  There have been 3 deployed so far.   This is "Happy Constellations" by Fin’es Scott 



Before heading out today, I looked over the suggested locations and picked Fleur de Lis Garden Ornament as my favorite.  It was an odd building that almost seemed to be a tent.



When we met this morning at a coffee shop, I noticed this large tug boat in dry dock down the street. I still had some time, so I got in my boat sketch for Urban Sketchers' weekly theme!



While there, I ran into Michele sketching the same scene from her car.  She has a custom set up to turn the driver's seat into a mobile studio:





We met back up at Way Station Coffee to share out sketches.





Then a few of us went to lunch down the street at the very funky Drunky's Two Shoe BBQ      Others sketched the chainsaw chandelier.  I sketched what was in my field of vision:  the water table on which sat a fern with a horse jumping out of it!

Bike 'n Sketch in Fremont

How could I NOT bike on a glorious day like we had Friday, May 10?!?  So perfect!  We met at the Lenin Statue, decided where we'd meet in 2 hours, and went our own ways.  I turned to walk up 36th St. and stopped.  That Fremont Cigar building  in bright yellow was calling to me. Why look further?

I sat on a hump of dried grass at the base of a tree, and enjoyed the process.  After an hour or so   in the shade, I knew my next location needed to be in the sun.



 I walked my bike barely 100 yards, and almost immediately,  I got hooked again.  This time it was the brilliant orange California poppies!  By stepping back a bit, I was able to include the bar 9 Million in Unmarked Bills in my sketch.  Interesting building that fits into the triangle formed by Fremont Pl. N and N 35th St.

I do love pencil sketching, so in this sketch, I started with 2 Derwent Inktense pencils, followed by ink highlights with Platinum Carbon ink.
I was able to add some w/c later at home.





















After we had gathered to show our work, I went over to Peet's, sat outside with my latte, and sketched the McKenzie Building, which now houses Dusty Strings.  I've never been in there, but I have 2 friends who have worked there.  Can you believe it was hot?! too hot to stay and try to add color, so I packed up and biked UP Stone Way to home. WHAT A GREAT DAY!!!

Ad Hoc outing to Fremont

We met in the Center of the Universe, aka Fremont.

Despite having lived just south of Seattle for 13 years, I'd never walked around Fremont.  It was great fun!  My first goal was seeing the Troll.   I only did this one sketch during the official part of the sketch outings because I had too much fun talking to other people who came to see the Troll. 


I tried to put into practice what Gail Wong taught in her recent workshop about reserving the white spaces in the sketch.

We met to share out sketchbooks.

One person is missing as there were 13 of us today.

The rest of the photos of sketchers in this set

After lunch and more walking around Fremont, I did another sketch.  The Fremont Rocket is 1950's surplus from AJ's Surplus in Belltown.  It was acquired in 1991 but not installed until 1994.  It bears the official Fremont crest and Motto:  "De Libertas Quirkas" (Freedom
to be Peculiar).

Fremont, Seattle

Susan Miller and I were out for a sunny but chilly day in Fremont, sitting across from The Red Door. The Red Door has a long Fremont history. When it was moved to this spot in 1999, in the middle of gentrification projects, the Seattle Times said, "Out with the rowdy, in with the Audi" Not sure that came to be.

Fremont's Lenin

The Fremont district of Seattle has a statue of Lenin brought back from the former Soviet Union years ago. It stirred up controversy originally, now it is just considered art in a quirky artistic neighborhood.

Minimus-Maximus

Pig (was) Out at Fremont Sunday Market!
I was so excited to run into the Minimus-Maximus Food truck at the Ballard Market. I love food trucks and this might be the ultimate as far as design goes. 

Fremont Sketchcrawl

Late breaking news... "Lenin's march through Fremont halted by traffic light."

Deluxe Junk - Fremont

Unbelievably good weather and way too many subjects to draw - a sketcher's dream. I plan to make another trip here to put down color. Pigma pens and a 14x11" Canson watercolor field book.

Always enjoy the gatherings, looking forward to seeing everyone next month.

Fremont, 21 February

Missed some old friends, made some new ones. I found a great bench (made of recycled plastic, of course) 'at the center of the universe' from which to observe the Sunday market. Viva El Niño!

Peets Coffee in Fremont

It was a great day on Sunday. Sunny and dry!!! I love this building. It is a bit ornate but reminds me of Gaudi. So I took the whole time to just draw it.
Started the water color but everyone came back and I didn't have a chance to finish. I came back this morning to finish final touches on the watercolor.