San Antonio

I'm sorry I haven't been able to attend any recent sketching events. I haven't done much drawing lately, unfortunately. I took a little time to sketch on a trip to visit my daughter in San Antonio, last week. Sadly the weather was very similar to what we've been having here so it was cold and wet but I got a couple of sketches done under cover on the River Walk.

The one above was looking up from the River Walk to the skyline. 

PDXUsk members at my studio

I really enjoyed having my comrades in sketching visit my studio. I took a few of photos. It was more fun than it looks in the pictures

I also did one sketch of Kalina and Alanna

At Bill's place....

Here's another 'Thank You' to Bill for hosting that Saturday sketching session a few weeks ago in and outside of his studio . Loved the tour, as well as seeing new and old faces! Hope to make a few more of the sketching events this year. I only had time to do one sketch...it's fun sketching each other.( ever since Lisbon, I am trying to do more people...it is the only way to get better. I also was impressed by all of Bill's wonderful paintings that were tacked up on the walls...he is one prolific artist! ( with a sharing and caring heart!)

Linda  (Engstrom) 

Bill's Studio sketching in January

We had a lovely gathering at Bill Sharp's new studio.
The sun was out and although a little on the chilly side I was able to get this one sketch done and then promptly moved back inside to get warm and enjoy the company and food. Great fun!

A Gathering of Sketchers

On Saturday, January 7, I loaded my backpack with a hodgepodge of sketching supplies and took the bus and light rail way out west, to the hilly fringes of Portland for a meetup of Urban Sketchers. It was only my second meeting with the group--and my first time meeting folks in daylight--so I was a little giddy with nerves. I figured it would help to draw bus signs and lampposts along the way, to loosen my hands up for the gathering.

Arriving at Bill Sharp's studio, I found quite a gathering of lovely folks, who promptly fell to discussing paper, pens, paints, the excitement of travel, and the even greater excitement of traveling with a sketchbook in hand. Is it that I don't hang out with artists often enough, or just that I will always get goosebumps when folks start talking about tubes of Payne's Gray watercolor paint going on sale? The nicest part of it all was that we promptly fell to drawing little pictures of each other, quite comfortably and unabashedly.

Bill had generously provided drinks and snacks, and the hot tea was very welcome on this chilly (but eventually sunny) day. The group was also very generous about sharing their wide knowledge of the world around them--including identifying the seedpod that I had sketched out in the garden as from a Stewartia tree. (Which I spelled wrong in the sketchbook, of course.)

As we all thanked Bill for a lovely afternoon, he offered me a nice parting piece of wisdom about the mental state that he tries to bring to process of art: "I should go to the dentist, I should eat healthy food. But I want to go sketching." An excellent reminder!

Portland / Seattle USk meetup

Portland / Seattle USk group photo

Laurie, who photographed the group

I joined 20 or so sketchers from the first Portland/Seattle joint sketchcrawl last Saturday for a glorious fall day of urban sketching.

We met at the train station and divided into 2 groups. One group went to the Pioneer Square area and I went with the other group to the International District.

My two sketches below. I hope others will share their work soon.

Seattle skyline from Hing Hay Park

Skyline from S 4th and Jackson

Gabi caught up with us later and we met at a coffee shop to share our work and pressure Gabi into revealing the location of the next Symposium.

Gabi led most of the Portland folks to the Ferry Terminal for a few last sketches before many of them had to board the train for home.

July 23 Sketchcrawl in North Portland

I joined a group of Portland Urban Sketches to take advantage of a rare sunny day and revisit the neighborhood near the White Eagle Saloon.



This neighborhood is sort of being gentrified but it's adjacent to freeway overpasses and rail yards that make it noisy and a brewery, which makes it smelly.





It was fun to see everyone and enjoy a day drawing in the sun.

Sketching at Linda Engstrom's Vineyard

Several of us met at Linda's vineyard in Hillsboro for a soggy sketch session.


Linda gave us a tour of the property and then we had a relatively dry hour or two to draw.

Our other host for the day was Luka, one year old ball of energy.

Don Colley, visiting from Chicago, joined us for the day.

Deb found a sheltered spot on the deck to draw until lunch.

Greg, Kalina and Deb chat before starting in after lunch.

Marco distracts Luka for a minute.

Thanks to Linda and her husband, Fred and, of course, Luka, for their warm hospitality. Hopefully others will share their drawings from the day.

Brooklyn Neighborhood Sketchcrawl

Here are my contributions from the Brooklyn Neighborhood Sketchcrawl. While most of the group sketched the storefronts on SE Milwaukie, I was attracted to this bit of blight in the other direction.



We met for lunch at the Twilight Lounge and I immortalized Kalina and Anthony in my moleskine.

Ringler's Annex

I met up with Colin, Deb, Kalina, Vicky and Alanna near W Burnside this morning. We were expecting rain and cold but were pleasantly surprised with just cold. This sketch is of the Ringler's Annex pub which also happens to be where we met for lunch.

I enjoyed seeing you all today. Looking forward to next time.

From the Backspace Cafe

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I'm never quite sure where Old Town begins and China Town ends. I feel like I was sitting in Old Town but drawing buildings in China Town. It was cold and damp and the sketchbook was soggy just from being open in this air. The right hand page was done on location and a good bit of the left hand page was done later in the comfort of home. Frankly, I like the left side better.

It was great seeing/meeting everyone. Hope to see you next time.

KOIN Tower from SE Salmon

I'm disappointed that I can't make it to the next sketchcrawl but since I could see my shadow outside today, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to get some drawing in. I didn't want to jockey for or pay for parking in Old Town so I went to a favorite spot of mine in close in SE. It was cold outside but comfortable sitting in my truck. In fact it got pretty toasty in there with the sun streaming into the cab.

I'm hoping to make it to the next meet up.

White Eagle

Here is our group hard at work on Saturday Morning, sketching the White Eagle Saloon and Hotel. From left to right are (I think) Anne, Jennifer, Kalina, Jason, Vicky, Janene and Louise. I apologize if I got that wrong and sorry Jason kind of got smeared by the photostiching. Also present, but not pictured were Alanna and Carrie.


Here are the two sketches I did.




After doing the first one I wandered down to Interstate Ave to sketch this chimney thing. Not sure what it's for.

NW Station Way

I've spent my last 2 sketching trips at this small corner of the Pearl District near the train station. It's on the edge of the Pearl, so there's enough distance from the taller buildings to be able to see them and it also has a gritty view of the Centennial Mills, train tracks and part of Union Station. Here's one of the sketches I did from there.

The only thing it's missing is a dumpster, but there is a portable outhouse that almost makes up for it.

Sat Aug 8th USk PDX Sketchcrawl

As I sketched this scene, a parade of people in these motorized wheel chairs passed me in all directions, sometimes as many as 3 at a time. Each one was unique in how it had been customized toward the needs of the owner. They're pretty fast, so I had to sketch fast to get an impression. One man came by a couple of times and I was able to add a bit each time.

At our two meetups, I was able to do quick sketches of two of our members. Sorry, Kalina and Deb, I meant to offense by the poor likenesses.