Vive le France, Vive le Republic (du banana)

 

From projections of power to subtle undertones, appearances can and do constitute reality.  Reality though, can at times seem like a surreality.  This wonderful building (Seattle's downtown Banana Republic) got my attention on the way to the library. Complete with the banners usually reserved for nations, the building has within it the classical order of Le Brun adorned with a rights of man motif.  However, for all its visual appeals, it celebrates a different kind of triumphalism.  This dissolution of context, only fully recognized after sitting on the sidewalk and sketching, has replaced "Aux armes, citoyens " with "Aux factories des Enfants!", almost without skipping a beat.

sun!!

Last Thursday the clouds parted and we got a few warm rays! This little sketch is looking north from the end of Dock 3 at Fishermen's terminal.

English Bay

Visited Vancouver, British Columbia this week! First real trip away from home in over a year. What an invigorating place! Vancouver has experienced lots of development since I was last there, but still maintains wonderful waterfront for human recreation. I agree with Tyler. There is no better way to appreciate our great luck than to pay attention to it!

Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Centennial, July 12, 2009

Snuck upstairs in an adjacent building for this view of the scene on the University of Washington campus in the pouring rain. Model T cars representing every state came to commemorate the original Alaska-Yukon-Pacific expo as they did in 1909. As I understand it the expo originated many still-extant campus buildings.









Here's a sketch of the brass band entertaining the crowd, from behind part of the garden.

woodworker's store

Remember the old Woodworker's Store in Wallingford? Now it's called Rockler's. This is from last week in the sun. Wonder why I'm always sitting in a hot car waiting outside such places...