Pacific Science Center

On a rare driving trip into Seattle (we were a large group) with family to see the Harry Potter Exhibit at the Pacific Science Center. The show was pretty slick, though as I noted, would have been too expensive (for what you experienced) if paying the non-member price. We got there an hour early which gave me time to sketch in the warmth of one of the other exhibits.

Pacific Place - December Gathering

Pacific Place was decked out for the holiday season, they also had a fundraiser going on where artists embellished the Nutcracker theme (I believe) with the pieces to be sold at auction. The sketch above is of Jimmy H the nutcracker (I didn't check to see who the artist was).

International District Sketchcrawl

Sunday at Bell St. Pier

Sunday's sketch outing was fun...having the cruise ship docked was a great prop and gave the waterfront a more festive feeling! It was great seeing the work of all of the local Seattle Sketchers. And what a treat to get to see both Tia's and Gerard's work in person. It was inspirational!

Gabi really wanted to get some of us up to the upper deck area to sketch. Unfortunately that observation deck is closed when a cruise ship is in, so we sketched the waterfront and the skyline from the Bell St. Bridge. Here is my attempt using a Lamy pen. I also ended up doing a sketch at Anthony's Home Port Restaurant using my new Sailor Calligraphy pen 55 degree nib.

Dog Park at Magnuson Park

This was the first time I have been to the off leash area for Dog's at Magnuson Park. It is 9 acres of Park and a great place to have your dog run off a leash. There are so many people there. At the end of the walk is the water park. Of course our dog will run up to the water and take a drink but won't go in!

SketchCrawl #27 - Georgetown

Beautiful weather, plenty of subjects and a gathering of old and new friends - it's a good day.....

Westlake Salvage Yard

This tidy junk yard comes with a Tree House
clad in License Plates.

View from Our Windowseat and other sketches

A few sketch entries in my book since we last met. The first is at a Choir concert for the Garfield High School Choir. This was at their new Performing Arts Auditorium, they had just come back from performing at Carnegie Hall and wanted to perform for parents.... wonderful evening... The second is from Fuel Coffee Shop in Montlake. This use to be the Montlake library! The third is from our window seat looking at the blooming crabapple tree.

Mike's Chili Parlor

For years I've wanted to go to Mike's but until I started sketching this scene I never really noticed that all the signs were steering me away!

Aphrodite's Torso - SAM

After getting wet trying to sketch downtown I bussed over to SAM and did this sketch of Aphrodite's Torso. It was the Urban Sketchers assignment this week - Museums.

Time has been tough on Aphrodite, she's chipped, cracked and missing all limbs but still in better shape than I am and I haven't been around since the 2nd century B.C. (although it feels like it).

Chinese New Year

Some hardy Seattle Urban Sketchers and Seattle Plein Air group braved the weather to get together (briefly) on the 13th to sketch/paint in the International District. We met at covered tables outside Starbucks (just west of Uwajimaya, where this is drawn from).

I got down there early and started a larger sketch (from the children's park) on watercolor paper, but it will take a few more visits to finish.

The weather was wet and sort of cold, not a great day for sketching. We all decided we wouldn't try and get back together in the afternoon but would post what we had done on the sketcher's site.

After giving up on the weather I headed to SAM for some indoor sketching.

Market Theatre - Post Alley

There are a number of out of the way nooks and crannies of the Market that have lots of character, historical or otherwise. The small cobblestone road that descends behind the information booth underneath the market leads to seldom known gems like IL Bistro, The Market Theater and the Alibi Room.

February Seattle Gallery Walk

Tamra and I took the bus into Seattle, getting off in the International District. The sketch on the left was done at 6th & Main of the now defunct Standard Cafe. A tour guide informed me that the neon rice bowl and sign were coming down soon (and that I might want to step back, there was a bus load of tourists about to walk around the corner). The sketch on the right was done after eating at Zaina, a middle eastern restaurant located at the north end of Pioneer Square. Great food and friendly staff.

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.

Wallingford Center

Here are a couple of sketches from today's sketchcrawl. This one is sitting at Trophy Cupcakes inside Wallingford Center. The black and white was drawn on the corner of Wallingford and 45th looking south. It was great having such a large turn out and meeting all the sketchers. It is heartwarming to see that there are still so many people out there who appreciate and love the freehand sketch in this digital world.

cupcake heaven

A great day sketching at Wallingford Center! About 25 of us came out, not everyone could stay long enough to be in the picture! Fun to see the group's sketches of people, clothing, hats, signs, windows, architecture, cupcakes! Hope to see them up here soon!
Here is my tastiest sketch of the day, chocolate/graham cracker cupcakes with roasted marshmallow frosting.

Lake Union

It is just another cold and rainy day in Seattle.

Washington St. Boat Landing

The Washington Street Boat Landing (1920) located just south of the ferry terminal is one of those structures you pass by in the car and don't really notice, to walk by it is a different story...

Elliott Bay Bookstore

It will be sad to see this bookstore leave the Pioneer Square District. I am glad we were able to capture some memorable views of the store before it leaves. It was great meeting all the Seattle Urbansketchers at the Cafe' of course.

Our first crawl - Fishermen's Terminal

Here are the lovely urban sketchers! It was wonderful to meet you all and see your astounding work. Hope to see it all up here soon so I can look at it often!