It's not Portland but...

... I figure urban sketching is urban sketching. I'm back to life in Portland, still trying to settle into a normal routine. No more wedding planning, or impending trips... Anyway, we had a honeymoon in New Orleans, and between site seeing this and that and while the wife napped I sketched and in the airports... I sketched. New Orleans has so much to see and has such a surprisingly vibrant art scene. If I wasn't on the honeymoon I probably would've drawn stuff all day. Anyway, a couple of sketches from the trip. Glad to be back, and hope to see some of you soon.

At the Zoo

The session at the Oregon Zoo was very challenging for me. I have never had much practice and of course the animals almost never stood still! The Colobus Monkeys were spectacular with their striking contrast of white and black.....they seemed to be a little shy however and stayed in the far corner of the area.
The sketches of the Zebra and Gerenuk went reasonably well because they were relatively still during the whole time we were there. The Giraffe although pretty still while eating from the high wall was incredibly difficult because of it's strange head structure...or at least I thought so. I'll have to study up on this one!
Not so with the lions and elephants...the only one to stay put was the male lion and he was a pretty good distance from me.

The day ended with the Penguins. We got there right before feeding time and then they were pretty active! All told the day was fun and challenging.

travels east to Bristol RI

Bristol is the home of Herreshoff boats and Museum and although no longer building boats the museum and shop are busy restoring and caring for their fleet of vintage Herreshoff designed vessels. On one of our first nights we sailed on 'Kestral' a Fisher Island 41 Herreshoff design. The wind was a fresh 15-20 knots so the sailing was dramatic....with some 'rails in the water' too. Wonderful!

Coggeshall Farm is another notable place in Bristol. It is on the pennisula of Poppasquash and is a 'living museum' relating the lifestyle of an early 18th century New England farm. It is a small operation with one couple living and working the farm. I was perched on an old rock wall while doing these drawings and wanted to continue some other scenes but a rooster thought I was pretty interesting and just wouldn't leave me alone....the crowing was annoying but the thing that eventually got me out of there was that one huge, sharp spur. I didn't think I wanted to stay and annoy him further!

The Herreshoff Museum also houses some great America's Cup memorabilia and this boat "Defiant'. Not sure but this could have been Dennis Connor's attempt to bring the Cup back after the Australians took it...it has one of those keels with double 'pontoons' on the bottom (not shown in drawing).

Off To Jersey...

... to get married. Haven't been out with any of you to sketch in a long while. I've been busy planning a wedding. Heading to New Jersey in the morning. Figured I'd post one more Portland sketch before I head out. I'll join you all again in a few weeks. Have a new website set up to host my blog as well. Come on by and check it out. marcoserido.com

I apologize for most of my Urban Sketches being of the urban
dwellers, but it's what I love about living in an city. The people.

Time for a New Sketch

Hey, Portland Urban Sketchers, have you noticed that our local blog is now shown on the sidebar to the Urban Sketchers blog? I have been very flattered to have my last post there for a week, but I think it's time for a new one. I think someone else should post, so to get you started, I'm putting this up. This is a sketch of a young woman in Laurelhurst Park who had her keyboard attached to her bike. She was practicing her music in the shade of the trees the other day, and it was lovely. I bet someone else has a nice summer sketch to post now. (Hint, hint.)