Slabtown New Seasons Opening!

We are so happy to have New Seasons blocks from our studio!
No more driving all around for groceries!  YAY!

We went opening day before we opened the studio.
Mostly they were setting up and greeting their new customers,
and everyone was in their best duds.

Later in the day music was played, and the band was setting up.
The neighborhood is in transition, and the old houses
(which we love) all brightly colored are sitting next to high rises.

The produce is heavenly.
We will still go to Farmer’s Market, especially during berry and peach season,
but so far (keep fingers crossed) New Seasons still is mostly organic.

Drawn onsite, some watercolors onsite.
I picked up the wrong pen, filled with Heart of Darkness Noodler's ink --
which is NOT waterproof.  I kind of liked the runny ink mixed with the watercolors.
Strathmore mixed media journal.
Finished in studio.  First time using my new chop! 

Saint Patrick's Church NW Portland

I love Saint Patrick’s Church in NW Portland.
I drive by it all the time as it sits across from our bank.
The Beaux-Arts church looks like it belongs in Italy,
set into cobbled streets surrounded by a park and houses from that era.

NO!

It sits nearly under and slammed up against the stupid freeway that was built after it.
All around is blacktop, vast possibilities for parking.
(Image below drawn from Google streets — not live from the freeway.)

The sketches were done onsite, the grey shadows were created
onsite using diluted inks as an undertone.
The text, watercolor and the sketch of the Google maps images
(the freeway) were added in the studio.
No I did NOT stand on the freeway to sketch!