At last, the Olympia Kwanzans!

 

4/16/26 Washington State Legislative Building, Olympia

After all the nearly-white Yoshino cherry blossoms have left the party, the showy Kwanzans arrive fashionably late. Although I try to chase the ones I find in my neighborhood each year, I don’t know of any Seattle street with more than a few standing together. The best street of Kwanzans is in Olympia – aptly named Cherry Lane Southwest adjacent to the State Legislative Building – and I had been wanting to sketch them for several years. With the longish drive and rain to contend with, it’s been challenging to find the right time. The weather and my schedule finally aligned, so I called an ad hoc joint outing between USk Seattle and the South Sound Sketchers.

Although partly sunny, this morning's temps were only in the high 30s in Olympia. I had to put on my full-length down coat and gloves again! The drive and cold were both worth it, though, when we all saw that block of bright pink blossoms. The composition to look for was obvious: The Capitol building framed by cherry branches (top of post). Having just sketched the domed Jefferson Memorial a couple of weeks ago at the DC tidal basin, it was especially fun to sketch the state capitol in a similar composition.

Next I found the Temple of Justice Building behind another cluster of Kwanzans (and a couple taking a selfie stepped into the composition just as I was finishing up).

Temple of Justice Building on Cherry Lane SW

During the initial meetup at the Winged Victory Monument, I had time to make a quick sketch of the bronze sculpture honoring those who served in the First World War. Then right before the throwdown, I made another quick sketch of a cherry.

Winged Victory Monument

For lunch several of us went to Mi Luna Cuban Café near the Capitol. I was starving, so I didn’t spend more than a couple minutes sketching my roasted veggie bowl with maduros plantains (misspelled in my sketchbook). That was one of the most delicious meals I’ve had in a long time!

4/16/26 Tivoli Fountain and Mi Luna Cuban Cafe

Also shown on the page above is a tiny sketch of the Tivoli Fountain, which I could see in the distance during the throwdown (behind a sculpture that looked like a tiny Washington Monument).

Although it took me a few years to get there, this trip to Olympia was well worth it!

Poor People's Campaign 2018

I went down to Capitol Campus today to catch the tail end of the Vietnam Vets / Legacy Vets Memorial Day Ride but I was too late. Instead I happened upon the beginning of the weekly rally for the Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival, a 50 year renewal of the campaign started by Martin Luther King before he was assassinated. Monday's rally is the third of six weekly demonstrations at the State Capitol. The theme was The War Economy: Militarism and the Proliferation of Gun Violence.

Veterans for Peace were out in full force, wearing peace dove helmets on t-shirts and flags. Representatives from several groups spoke including clergy from various faiths.  

People waited in the wings for their turn to speak or just to listen and support. The Raging Grannies sat waiting patiently for their turn to speak their minds in song. 

 

The Raging Grannies promoting social justice

Since I was prepared for a totally different scenario of veterans and motorcycles, I was surprised and intrigued at the demonstration. It was deja vu back to the height of the Civil Rights Movement in the late 60's when the campaign was first started.

This excerpt of one King's last Sunday sermon sums up the yet to be fulfilled cause: 

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights. That among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. But if a man doesn’t have a job or an income, he has neither life nor liberty nor the possibility for the pursuit of happiness. He merely exists … We are coming to ask America to be true to the huge promissory note that is signed years ago. And we are coming to engage in dramatic non-violent action, to call attention to the gulf between promise and fulfillment; to make the invisible visible." - Martin Luther King

The Poor People's Campaign will continue for four more weeks with the following themes: 

Week 4 (June 3-9): The Right to Health and a Healthy Planet: Ecological Devastation and Health Care

Week 5 (June 10-16): Everybody’s Got the Right To Live: Education, Living Wages, Jobs, Income, Housing

Week 6 (June 17-23): A New and Unsettling Force: Confronting the Distorted Moral Narrative

Saturday, June 23, 10:00 a.m. EDT10am: Global Day of Solidarity and Sending Forth Call to Action Mass Rally in Washington, D.C.

Now that I know the rallies are happening I'll be watching more closely and hope to get down to a few more. 

Take Two: Women's March 2018

Last year's march had such a huge thrust of energy behind it. This year the tone was less volatile, more measured, yet still powerful.

In Olympia, we met again at the Washington State Legislative building. What better place to address the governmental power. We arrived well past the initial 11 o'clock start time and speeches were in full swing, continuing for enough time for me to get several sketches at that site.

The focus had changed a bit from angry reaction to last year's election to strategic planning for upcoming voter opportunities -- the midterms. 

 Pink hats dominated, but there were lots of colors. And, being the rainy northwest, plenty of umbrellas.

 
We marched from the Capitol Campus which sits on a hill, down a switchback path to Capitol Lake where booths representing organizations focused on anything from LGBTQ issues to voter registration.

 I wrote down some of my favorite signs and chants I heard:

• Not buying the selling out of America
• We want a leader; not a creepy tweeter! 
• All these incredible women... and we got Trump?
• I fight for equality for my daughters. 
• Women Own 2018
• I support Planned Parenthood
• And my favorite because it's DOABLE: GRAB HIM BY THE MIDTERMS! 

It will be interesting to see what this coming year brings to our country politically, but one thing seems certain, the pink hats are here to stay for a while longer. 

39th Annual Toy Run

Last Saturday due to a tight schedule, I opted to stay local. So instead of last Saturday's book signing and Drink 'n' Draw, which I really want to attend, I settled for the Olympia Toy Run. As sketch opportunities go, I wasn't disappointed.

Motorcycles lined up for the start of the ride

Three thousand five hundred motorcycles. That's the estimated participation for Olympia's 39th Annual Toy Run. Many cycles had two riders, and many more attended the event but didn't ride. In this town of about 50,000 the rumble of that many motorcycles makes a very audible mark.

Many motorcycles had their own decorations

The Olympia Toy Run started back in 1977 as the brainchild of Joe Sullivan who wanted to provide under-privileged kids with Christmas gifts and build a better relationship between the local community and the biker community. He envisioned the toy run as a way to do both in a big way.


Read more and see the remaining sketches on my blog 

Rainbows and candles: Hope amidst horror

I heard about the vigil on my way home from Seattle on Sunday - 7:00 pm in Sylvester Park, the closest thing we have to a town square in Olympia.

I arrived mid-way through, just as the sun was casting it's glow to the treetops. Like Melanie Reim, I felt a little intrusive, standing with my sketchbook. We listened solemnly as speakers vented. I sensed we were all processing the horror of the day's events in Orlando.

  

Emotions ran high across the gamut - anger, blame fear, empathy, love...  Rainbow flags furled and unfurled with the light breeze.

Candles flickered, but persisted. A minister sang a song, "How could anyone ever tell you, you are anything less than beautiful..."

We wept inside, grieving the Orlando victims, and grateful for community. 

WW Sketchcrawl 51, Earth Day and the Procession of the Species

It was a convergence weekend, the Fifty-first Worldwide Sketchcrawl fell on the same day as one of Olympia's best weekends of the year - Arts Walk, Luminary Procession and the Procession of the Species. 

The weekend begins with the closing of the main downtown streets on Friday night, stores display artwork from elementary school aged-classrooms to seasoned gallery artists. Kids draw with chalk in the streets, musicians play in the doorways and gift shops, Jugglers and fire throwers take over the intersections. 

Kids and adults blow bubbles in front of Washington Center for the Performing Arts.

Jules the Juggler dominates the intersection of 5th and Washington

Then the luminary procession, representing the fifth element, starts when it's dark. The paper lanterns, hand-made by the community members  who carried them, lit up the night like jewels dancing in the dark. 

Jewels in the night - the luminaries lend an element of magic and represent the fifth element: Spirit.

Saturday afternoon, the Procession of the Species wends it's way through town, with representation from the other four elements: earth, air, fire and water. Hence trees, slugs, birds of all feathers, the sun, fish and wales and even a wave rolls through town. 

Locals try their hand at chalk artistry as the procession lead approaches

The Sun, representing the element of Fire, leads the way flanked by batik wind-socks

A narwhale, octopuses, a flamingo and our college mascot, the infamous geoduck  are just a few representing the Water element.

It's a weekend of fun and celebration; color and light, music and dance.  You can read even more about the Procession and see more sketches on my blog, Olysketcher. 

The Caucuses!

The Caucuses were held in Washington State today. My precinct was held at The Evergreen State College, one of the most liberal colleges in the country and a two mile bike ride from our house. At the start of the caucus, the leaders explain the procedure: spllit up into your precincts, fill out the form for your choice of candidate, band together with like-minded-thinkers and put together a 3-minute commercial, followed by moderate argument and the concession, "Well I prefer X but if they don't get the nomination, I'll definitely vote for Y" 

It's chaotic, only slightly organized, risky (you have to out yourself to your neighbors, and risk their animosity) but in the end, it works! 

Summer nostalgia- Music in the Park

I wager it's a rare community that doesn't celebrate summer with music in the park. In my smallish community we have at least three locations that host summer music events.

Just this past Wednesday I hit the downtown venue for the first time in this summer's six- week series. Well attended and scheduled when the sun cast a golden glow it's perfect for catching lovely light, shadows and color.

The two below are the most recent- last Wednesday.

Once a yer olympia's port hosts Music at the Plaza on a Friday evening in early August. The Plaza is adjacent to the shipping port, near the farmer's market and on the waterfront. The expansive view of the Puget Sound the Olympic mountains and the setting sun provides the backdrop for a quintessential summer experience. The nostalgic rock music of Wally and the Beavs fueled many to get up and dance

World Wide Sketch Crawl--A day in Olympia, Washington

Saturday, July 25, 2015

Sketch Crawl AM: the Legislative Steps and Olympia Capital Campus

I recognized Jane sketching at the base of the legislative dome.

It took me almost 3 hours to travel from where I live in North Marysville to the Washington State Capital Campus in Olympia, where Seattle Urban Sketchers were to meet at 10 AM. Roadwork, detours, two previous accidents, etc.- it's a whole other story. Needless to say, I arrived late.

Knowing that we would be sketching at the Olympia Farmers' Market later in the day, I parked my car there and rode the DASH shuttle bus to the meet up with Seattle and Tacoma Urban Sketchers at the Legislative Building steps.

We are taking part in the 48th World Wide Sketchcrawl. 

As I got off the bus, and stood there for a moment to orient myself, a voice in the air called my name. There was Kate, one of our USk Seattle contingent, choosing a spot to sketch near the bus stop in case more sketchers arrived. She had all the information needed, including helpful maps of the local area that she had printed out ahead of time. We also got new badges that Kate had prepared just for this occasion, The 48th Quarterly World Wide SketchCrawl Day in Olympia

Thank you, Kate and Jane!

Stillman & Birn Beta sketchbook, Micron pen, watercolor and a special badge!

I knew I had an abbreviated amount of time to sketch at the first location, so I chose a less challenging viewpoint that I had spotted on my bus ride up from the market.

It was amazing to think that people all over the world were sketching simultaneously today. While I was waiting for everyone to arrive for a group photo, my cousin from nearby Tumwater stopped by and surprised me! It was a nice sized group (at least 20 or more) from far and wide who shared their sketches at the end of the morning. Time for lunch!

Sketch Crawl PM: Olympia Farmers' Market

We moved straight down Capitol Way from the Legislative Building to the Farmers's Market for lunch and the afternoon half of the sketchcrawl. (See DASH map above)

The sign says "Make half your plate fruits and vegetables". Easy enough to do if you order a Gyro and Horiatiki Salata (Greek village salad) from Pithos Greek food stand.  Each food stand has at least one large picnic table for its customers. Some of us brought our lunch over to the huge covered stage and dining area in the center of the market, where Tracey Hooker and his band provided the day's live entertainment.

I spent a lot of time sketching my lunch while the band played on stage.

After sketching my lunch, then eating it, I only got a few speed sketches of the bass, trumpet and guitar players just as they finished their set.  It wasn't until later that I discovered that Tracey D. Hooker is a Grammy award winning trumpeter! I did get to see Tina's sketches of the performers before we said farewell.  I have long admired Jane's sketches of the market and now I can say it's one of my favorite places to experience as well.

Most of the sketchers drifted off during the afternoon to resume their own itineraries, but three hardy souls met in the little corner park to share our sketches at 3:00.

PM sketches shared in the little park at the market

I trust that all those taking part around the world have also enjoyed their own experiences today during the 48th Quarterly World Wide Sketchcrawl!

Saturday, July 25, 2015

Sketch Day in Olympia

What a treat to have so many sketchers in town - to share some of my favorite haunts. I don't often sketch on the Capitol Campus but once in a while I head up the hill to attempt the daunting task.

The last time was there was May 22, the day of the teacher's walk-out. The demonstrators filled the capitol steps with signs announcing, "It's time!" (to fully fund the schools). On that day I didn't have time to finish the sketch, not having enough room to fit the top of the dome on the page. Yesterday I finished the drawing by taping another sheet to the original.

After finishing I walked across to the Korean Memorial where the wreath laying ceremony commemorated a number of veterans who had served in that war. It was quite a nice ceremony. 

We migrated to the market, the place I most often sketch in Olympia. The peppers have arrived - not the full range of varieties, but it's a start.

Thanks to Kate Buike for organizing the day. I hope we can do it again sometime.