Rear Views of the Center of the Universe

 

8/15/26 Lake Washington Ship Canal path, Fremont neighborhood

Lenin from the rear

Fremont, AKA the Center of the Universe, is one of my favorite sketching neighborhoods, and I was happy to be back there with USk Seattle. Although I’ve sketched the (in)famous statue of Lenin many times (and I’m sure other long-time sketchers have, too), I never seem to tire of his strong angles and challenging lighting from all the trees around him. This time I tried a fresh perspective – from the rear (at right).

After that, I took a long walk around Fremont to look for my next sketch and to soak in the happy Saturday-afternoon summer vibe. I found myself on the Lake Washington Ship Canal walking/biking path, where I stopped to see how the topiary dinosaurs (which I’ve sketched several times) were doing. Some years, they have looked shaggy or somewhat bald, but they were looking good last weekend. With temps in the mid-70s by then, I walked all around them to find a view that I could sketch in shade (top of post). Coincidentally, the only shady view was again from the rear. Unrecognizable in my sketch, the mama dinosaur’s rear end is on the far left.

The more inviting view was of the shadow pattern crossing the Ship Canal path, a power tower and the Aurora Bridge in the distance.

Sunshine and Shave Ice in Fremont

 

6/15/25 Fremont 

Last Sunday was one of those days I think of as ideal sketching weather: Not cold, not hot, not windy and perfectly blue-sky sunny! Anticipating good sketching with USk, I arrived early in Fremont to take advantage of the Sunday Market for lunch. Then I spent most of the afternoon sketching on the shore of the Lake Washington Ship Canal and the Fremont Bridge.

When I started running out of steam, I headed back to the Market for an espresso shave ice to perk me up. Along the way, I spotted a strange view: A rig hauling a huge covered boat was trying to squeeze past a barricaded construction area. The driver got out several times to rearrange the cones. It was a hasty sketch, but it was too tempting to pass up.

For a sunny Sunday afternoon, our turnout was relatively light, but it was also Father’s Day, so I’m guessing some sketchers were busy with family. On the other hand, one first-time participant brought his whole family: He had requested the USk outing as his Father’s Day celebration! They all sketched along with him. Hearing that made my day!

Color along the Canal

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.