Choochokam Arts Festival

Saturday we took a day trip to Langley on Whidbey Island.  We were invited by the Whidbey Island sketchers to sketch at the Choochokam Arts Festival.  It was a great day with a lot going on.  The whole town of Langley becomes one big arts festival. 
The Whidbey Island Fine Arts Studio has put on arts demonstrations for the last three years.  Live models sat for artist to paint, sketch and sculpted.  They also raffled off art pieces done by locale artist.  I used my last $5.00 to purchase a raffle ticket.  Sunday I found out I was one of the winners!  What a windfall!

Choochokam Arts Festival Whidbey Island Fine Arts Studio demonstration Booths.

Up at the Top

View at the top of Whistler Mountain looking down at Whistler Village and Green Lake and Lost Lake below.

The last sketch from Whistler. This is the view from Whistler at the top of the mountain.  The stacked rock man was the 2010 Olympics symbol.  Lines of people gather around to take pictures with the view behind them.  Pretty astounding vantage from up here.

Peak 2 Peak

We took the Peak 2 Peak Gondola at Whistler  which gave us an incredible view at the top of the mountain.  The span from one peak to the other was amazing and frightening as well.  The woman in the sketch couldn't look out.  You just hope that the engineering and the clamps on the Gondolas were designed well!  According to Wikipedia "Peak 2 Peak holds records for the highest and longest unsupported cable car span in the world."  The ride took exactly 11 minutes and 27 seconds.

Exterior view of Squamish, Li'l Wat Cultural Centre and Istken Pit House

Squamish Li'l Wat Cultural Centre

Istken Pit House

Squamish Li'l Wat Cultural Centre

 Squamish & Li'l Wat  Cultural Centre, Whistler BC

This is a wonderful Museum in Whistler BC  exhibiting the cultural artifacts of two Canadian Tribes.
The Li'l Wat tribe was the tribe living in the mountainous area of Canada and the Squamish tribes living by the water.  Designed by TRB Architects  it is a LEED Certified Development.

Village Stroll At Whistler Village

Village stroll....or the Main Street in Whistler Village.

I really wanted to focus on the bridge in front of this building.  However, I didn't pre-plan the sketch well....It is a lesson to learn... that you want to lightly set the extents of the image on the page so you can include all you intend to in your sketch or make the appropriate adjustments. I started with the blue building and didn't leave enough room at the top or the bottom.  This was unfortunately cropped. 

Olympic Plaza @ Whistler Village

Whistler 2010 Olympic Plaza

The signs of the Winter Olympics are still around Whistler Village.  This was the main outdoor plaza that was built for the 2010 Winter Olympics.  It is an open grassy area with a covered outdoor stage surrounded by the Village.  While I was sketching a 7 year old girl from Chilliwack BC came by to watch me sketch....she saw me sketching her parents in the middle of the field and ran back to sit with them so I could put her in the sketch.  Her dad was there for the Tough Mudder event (Obstacle Course race) in Whistler. 

My favorite Bridge @ Whistler

Bridge along the Fitzsimmons Trail

From our condo to Whistler Village was a short walk  across this bridge that crossed over the Fitzsimmons Creek.  Through the bridge you can see the Rebagilati Park and the Peace Park and hear the sound of rushing water amplified in the bridge. 

Whistler Village Town Plaza

Sketching on the Village Stroll in Whistler Village everything is so picturesque.  While sitting and sketching this view of the Village Town Plaza a group of middle school kids stopped by to watch and an older couple also stopped by.  The older man was also a painter and was interested in the water brush I was using to paint with.  This view was not one I  intended to sketch.  Notice the top of the building is chopped off and there was another group of buildings to the right that I wanted to include but poor pre-planning did not leave me enough room.

Whistler Village Town Plaza along the  Village Stroll.

Sketches from Whistler BC

Base of Blackcomb Mountain

Last week we had an opportunity to spend time in Whistler, BC.  Our son was taking a photography workshop up at Whistler, which gave us an excuse to go up for a vacation.  I spent my time sketching and painting different places.  It was an interesting experience.  It is so rare for people to see someone sketching that you always have someone come up and talk to you. 

This was the first sketch I did sitting at the base of Blackcomb Mountain. During the summer this area turns into a family fun center.  During the winter ski season this is the base where the chair lifts take you up to the mountain for skiing.  I was sitting sketching and met a mom and daugther who were waiting for their son/brother to finish skiing on the glacier. She was interested in my sketching because her 14 year old son has a passion for sketching.  I told her to have him keep it up!   

Seattle Aquarium

More sketches from the Seattle Aquarium as we visited on Garfield's Parent night. Here is a sketch that I started at the Aquarium and didn't have time to watercolor.  So I did it from memory later.  I did several passes trying keep myself from over painting. So I am showing the different stages of development from ink to watercolor.

Third pass adding value to the concrete structure and shadows.

Second Pass Adding people in the foreground.

First pass focusing on the view from the windows.

Linework

Another view of the Fishtank at the Seattle Aquarium

Last night was Garfield's Parent night at the Seattle Aquarium.  All the students take Marine Biology this semester were to take their parents around and show off their knowledge about Marine biology. So our son was our tour guide.  Here is a sketch from yesterday.

Memorial Day Sketches

I spent some time at the Seattle Aquarium on Memorial Day with my son.  He needed a ride there so he could do a Marine Biology project.  He knows I am always game to go to some interesting place to sketch....I also had the car.  Click to see second sketch.

Japanese Tea Garden

Great Weekend! We are truly coming into the time of year where it is nice to take walks in the park, especially the Japanese Tea Garden.  Here is a sketch I did on Saturday.

Japanese Tea Garden, Washington Park Arboretum

Sketchcrawl At the Old Historic Sandpoint Naval Station

Sunday we had our monthly sketchcrawl at Magnuson Park (the old Naval Station at Sandpoint).  Now he buildings and grounds are owned by University of Washington and the Parks Department.  NOAA used to be located there.  Old hangars are converted to storage spaces and being leased by companies like Arena Sports or the Mountaineers Club. Most of the old Officer's housing units are abandoned or slated to be renovated to afforable housing in the future. 
Here is a sketch from this sketchcrawl. 

Officers's Housing at Sandpoint Naval Station

First United Methodist Church Interiors

Susan Miller and I had a chance to see the interiors of the First United Methodist Church in Seattle...currently known as the Daniel's Recital Hall.  It was one of our historic buildings in Seattle threatened to be demo'd.  Luckily it was saved.  There will be a highrise building  looming over it from the south.  We were taken up to the roof top via a series of tight winding  steps that would never meet code today..it felt as if you were walking up to a bell tower.  It was interesting to see the space between the exterior shell and interior dome.  Buildings a grounds people have to maneuver in those interstitial spaces to replace light bulbs and access speakers.

A Day in BC

Last Sunday I spent a day in BC with a global group of sketchers,  Don McNulty (Canada), Asnee Tasna (Bangkok) and Gabi Campanario (Spain).  Asnee is visiting Vancouver with his son for a couple of weeks.  So it was a great opportunity to meet him. Since Vancouver is just an 45 minutes from Bellingham, my husband and I went to have mother's day breakfast with our son at WWU then headed up to Vancouver.   It was a perfect spring (felt like summer) day.
Here are the sketches I did while I was there.

Burrard St. Bridge seen from Granville Island, Vancouver BC

Pacific Central Station, Vancouver BC

Opening Day at the Montlake Cut Panorama

I gave up on moving boats and started this sketch with stationary boats.  Added the moving boat while it was far enough away that I had a chance to capture it.

Opening Day Coast Guard boat and Fire boat

Much to our surprise we arrive at the Montlake Cut in time for the Opening Day Parade.  This was the first time I had been to it even though I live in Montlake.  It was great seeing all the vintage boats.  You have to be quick to capture moving boats.  I started drawing the coast guard boat and the view kept changing because it was moving.  Looks more like a small tug boat than the actual boat.

Sketches along My Saturday Walk

I get together with a friend to walk on Saturdays.  This time I decided to take my sketchbook since we were going to go down to the Montlake Cut to walk the crew races.  While waiting for my friend I killed time by sketching the Tot lot and a man talking on his cell phone and while walking his dog.
I was using my small watercolor moleskine book, lamy pen with noodlers ink and neocolor pencils and a watercolor brush.  Traveling light!

The Art Of Urban Sketching Book Talk

It was a packed house.  Standing Room Only!  And such a tribute to the "draw" of the Seattle Sketcher and how encouraging to see that people are still interested in seeing hand drawing!  Gabi really is a "Pied Piper"  of sketching and such a generous person encouraging and supporting everyone to go out and draw no matter what level of experience you are at.   It is a life long process of learning to sketch and a way to get in touch with your city and community.  The book is well worth the purchase price!

Gabi at the Seattle Central Library reading and talking about "The Art of Urban Sketching"

Teen Section of the Seattle Library

I had 15 min before we had to meet up to show our work and have a little lunch before the talk. Using my calligraphic Hero Pen and neo colors, I quickly sketched the area by the Teen section in front of the elevators.  The red floor draws one to this section.  Color is such a significant part of the building.  It is used as a way finder and accents particular areas of the library.

Teen section of the Library. (15 min)

Sketchcrawl and Book Talk @ the Seattle Central Library

Sunday we had our monthly sketch outing.  This time we met at the Seattle Central Library before Gabi's talk about his new book "The Art of Urban Sketching".  We had probably about 30 people show up for the sketchcrawl.  We met at 10:30 prior to the library opening and had intended to sketch out side until 12:00.  Hey,  luckily we had pull. With Gabi being there the Librarian graciously allowed us to sketch indoors prior to the library officially opening.  We had the third floor "living room all to our selves! It was great!
Here is the sketch of the main entry off of 5th avenue.  Check out the work of the other Seattle Sketchers.

Seattle Central Library,  Main entrance ( 45 min)

Sketching with the ipad

Sketching with the ipad and your finger is a challenge.  I am trying it out but still feel more comfortable with a pen and paper.  I might get a stylus and see if it is better. Here is a sketch I did this morning.
Just learning.

Ipad sketch Essential Bakery Wallingford Seattle, WA

The Art of Urban Sketching Talk and Booksigning

Sunday April 29th @ Seattle Central Library: 

Sketch and also hear Gabi Campanario talk about his new book "The Art of Urban Sketching"
We will meet up at 10:30 am for the sketchcrawl at the Seattle Library.  Meet at the 4th Avenue entrance near the fountain.  Outdoor sketching until the doors open at 12:00 p.m. then indoors for another half an an hour before Gabi's Lecture starts at 1:00.  Sketch while he talks too! 

Seattle Center Monorail

Sketch done of the monorail as it just enters the EMP from the station.  I was standing at the upper level entry to the EMP. You see the base of the space needle in the sketch.

Monorail, EMP and Space Needle

EMP

I have been wanting to go to the Seattle Center and sketch the EMP.  Great place for using watercolors.
I had a chance to do two sketches today.  This one is on the interiors on the upper level  looking towards the bar.

EMP Interiors looking towards the upper bar.

Pho Cyclo

We had dinner at Pho Cyclo Cafe on Capitol Hill.  The story about the name of the restaurant is that in Viet Nam people would ask the Cyclo (rickshaw drivers) where the best places to eat were, thus Pho Cyclo Cafe.   It is decorated with street scenes and set up as if you are having lunch or dinner out side in the courtyard.  Quaint and pretty good Pho.

Bellevue High School Plaza

Sketch from the upper plaza looking down at the track.  Great south facing plaza with big granite boulders to sit on and have lunch.

Bellevue High Plaza

WW Sketchcrawls 35 Bellevue High Invitational

I spent the WW Sketchcrawl 35 at my son's track meet located at Bellevue High school in Bellevue,WA.
Pretty impressive facility and the school looks to be in remodeling stage.  Here are some sketches from that day.  My son did his personal best breaking his past record by 8 seconds.

Bellevue Invitational