Indie Bookstore Day

 

4/30/22 Third Place Books in Ravenna

Today is national Independent Bookstore Day. Arriving a few minutes before it opened, I got a parking spot that gave me a similar view of Third Place Books in Ravenna as I sketched last year for the same event.

When the doors opened, people who had been waiting outside cheered, setting off the store’s festive mood. Kids got free balloons. I spun the wheel for a chance to win great prizes (mine was a piece of candy). I don’t think I’ll get around to all of Seattle’s indie bookstores this week to complete my passport (the day has been stretched out until May 9 this year to ease crowding), but I’m doing my best to support a few. 

After a drizzly morning, this afternoon turned out surprisingly sunny and warm. I decided to take a top-down ride to Capitol Hill. Ada’s Technical Books & Café, where Urban Sketchers Seattle had sketched years ago, has a cute storefront that was probably a house at one time. I hadn’t been in that part of Capitol Hill since before the pandemic, though, so I didn’t know that an outdoor restaurant seating shelter had been put up – blocking my view of the store from across the street. As I sketched, I sadly thought of sketcher Lynne Cotie, who passed away last year. She was the one who had suggested that we sketch at Ada’s back in 2015.

4/30/22 Ada's Technical Books & Cafe

Potpourri

Café Javasti, Wedgwood Neighborhood

Suzzallo Library, with Location Drawing Class

Café Racer "Dune Night"

I recently moved to Wedgwood and have begun sketching my new local coffee shops in the mornings.












An in-class demo drawn for my Gage students during class.



















Drawn at the bar of Café Racer during the monthly drawing jam, held the third Tuesday of the month, from 7-11pm. All the drawings are then collected into a zine called Dune.

I have a show of a dozen large watercolors at Phinney's Herkimer, where I sat and drew the view from the corner window.

I'll be giving a book talk and signing at Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park on the 7th at 7pm. I went to scope out the space and drew this found still-life in the same room where I'll be chatting. I hope you'll come out for it so I'm not left talking only to this clay frog.

New book cover