October 19th Sketchcrawl - Irvington

sketch by Andrea Matthews

Let's try for fall color on the east side of the river this October, in Irvington.  There are plenty of trees and Craftsman houses.  

We'll meet at Fremont Place, at NE 15th and Fremont, where there's a Whole Foods and a Starbucks, with Cafe Destino a block away, at 14th and Fremont.  If it rains, there are coffee shops, awnings at the shopping center, and rain shelters at Irving Park and Sabine School nearby.

• 10am: Meet in front of Whole Foods (3535 NE 15th Ave) for introductions
• noon: Meet again for an optional sketchbook throwdown, at the same place (if not raining), or at some more sheltered spot.

The 24 and 8 buses both have stops at this corner.

World Trade Center/Salmon Springs/Coraline's Cats

Thanks to everyone who came out.  The weather couldn't have been better.  And it was fun to see everyone's take on the cats, and on the fountain, in all it's configurations.

September 21 SketchCrawl - WTC/Salmon Springs

sketch by Vicky Porter

Those of us who have been downtown of late may have noticed that it's been overrun with cats.  They're scheduled to leave town in mid-October, so I thought we'd time our September sketchcrawl to catch them.

Let's meet at the World Trade Center, at the base of Salmon.  There are two cats very close, one at the WTC, at SW 1st and Salmon, and the other across Naito at Salmon Springs.  Or, if that feels too kitschy, there's always the nearby architecture, or the springs and waterfront.  And even Mill Ends Park.

It's downtown, so well served by Trimet.  The 6, 10 and 14 all stop a block or two away, and the bus mall is just up the street.

There are a couple of spots to get coffee: 40 Lbs, at 2nd and Salmon, and Starbucks, at 2nd and Main.

For restrooms, the coffee shops are probably your best bet.  Otherwise, there's supposed to be a public restroom on the waterfront under the Hawthorne Bridge.  And there used to be some up by City Hall at Chapman and Lownsdale Squares.

• 10am: meet at the cat at the World Trade Center for introductions
• noon: meet at the same place, or some place to be determined, for an optional sketchbook throw-down

Cathedral Park

Well, it ended up being a beautiful morning, despite a scary weather forecast.  

Thanks to everyone for making the long trek to St Johns.

August 17 SketchCrawl - Cathedral Park

For August, let's have a change of pace and jump in the river! The new swim dock at Cathedral Park in St. Johns is a great place to sketch the underside of the bridge, sit on the dock and practice painting water, or draw people and boats.  There are also about sixty-five species of trees around the park just waiting for someone to sketch them.

And we can also go for a swim and hang around for a picnic! So pack a lunch and a cold drink, bring a swimsuit and a beach chair, and let's enjoy the summer.  (The river's shoreline is a bit gravely and rocky, so water-friendly footwear is a good idea if you're going to wade in.)

Sketch by Andrea

There are several bus lines that stop a few blocks away, but we can also organize carpools. Feel free to post a comment (or reply to this email) if you'd like to meet up with a few other people in your part of town and go together. 

In terms of other basic amenities, there are public restrooms, a few picnic tables, and the bridge and the trees provide some shade--but feel free to bring an umbrella if you want a little extra sun protection.

• 10 AM: Meet at the beach, directly under the bridge, for introductions
• 12 noon: We'll figure out a picnic spot nearby and have our throw-down at the same time. Stay as long as you like to enjoy the river!

Rainbow Road

It was great to see everyone - a huge turnout with a lot of first-timers.  And the weather couldn't have been finer.