Stimson Green Mansion

Sunday the Seattle Urban Sketchers went to the Stimson Green Mansion for our monthly sketchcrawl.  It was a great space to sketch especially on a cold day.  For some history on the Mansion see the following Link.

May's Restaurant and Lounge

May's Restaurant.  Thai Cuisine.

I just decided to dedicate one of my sketchbooks to different restaurants and cafe's we go to. Last night we tried a Thai restaurant in Wallingford.  I have always wanted to try this place because the architecture from the outside looked so interesting.  It is on 45th near Wallingford Center.  The exterior railings are lazer cut panels of corten rusted steel  with a stainless steel top railing. The restaurant is on the second floor and the  Lounge on the first floor. The exterior of the building gives you just a hint of what you experience when you walk into the restaurant ...you are taken to a different country.  Wonderful atmosphere and authentic food.  It was rated as having the best Phad Tai in Seattle.  Prices are fairly reasonable!

Dinner @ Monsoon

Saturday we had an early Valentine's Dinner thanks to a gift certificate from a friend.  It was a great dinner, wonderful Vietnamese Cuisine, every dish was a treat!  To give me more time for a sketch we ordered Coconut Creme Brulee and coffee for dessert.  Here is a sketch from that evening.

Last Weekend in January

Glassy Baby Seconds Sale Line

Last weekend was a busy time.  Went to the Glassy Baby Second Sale and waited for two hours to get into a very crowded store.  Was in and out in 5 minutes.  Sunday we attended the Garfield High School Winter Waltz an annual event put on by the Garfield High School Orchestra at Benaroya Hall.  Sketches are from both events.

Winter Waltz 2012  Benaroya Hall

Seattle Asian Art Museum

I went to Seattle Asian Art Museum again today and sketched the interior spaces of the museum. Trying to practice pencil sketching.

Charcoal pencil

2b mechanical pencil .5mm

2b mechanical pencil .5mm

Winter sketches from Seattle

Sketches from the last two days.   I am taking some time to sketch the snow.  Interesting experience in painting in the negative spaces.  The second sketch I used a mask to keep the areas white above the shrubs.  It is really hard to not want to paint.

View from the back yard

View from our window seat

Images From the Seattle Asian Art Museum

Today we had our monthly sketchcrawl, and despite the weather 20 people showed up. Sketching at the Seattle Asian Art Museum was fun but we were restricted to sketching with graphite. It has been a while since I have sketched with graphite so my work is a bit rough. I will have to practice that more. Here are my sketches from today and a watercolor sketch of my backyard. A bit snowy today.

Richard E. Fuller Atrium

Iron Gate Detail

Porcelain room

Snowy backyard

One last sketch before packing up Christmas!

Here is one last sketch of a Christmas ornament we bought for our son.  This ornament was also designed and made by Lynette Johnson for her Art sale Fundraiser.

Beadman Ornament

Christmas at Home 2011

Wishing you all Seasons Greetings and Happy New Year 2012! Some sketches of homey Christmas in Seattle.

Luminaires I bought at Souluminations Holiday Art Sale made by Lynette Johnson.

John and Matthew playing Othello Christmas Morning.

Sanyo Band and Garfield Orchestra @ Meany Hall University of Washington

Tonight was a combined concert of two great high school music programs.  Garfield High School Orchestra hosted the Sanyo Band from Japan this week.  This is an ongoing musical exchange between the two schools.  Music was absolutely astounding from both schools and played at the Meany Hall for Performing Arts at University of Washington.  I have taught at the UW for a long time but have never been in Meany Hall!  And to find a Chilhuly Glass installation as well as a mural by Jacob Lawrence was an extra treat!

Meany Hall, Sanyo Band Performance 2011

 

Meany Hall Lobby, Chihuly Glass

Sketches from Thanksgiving

Finally getting a chance to post sketches from our thanksgiving.  We had a wonderful time with dear friends on Bainbridge Island who graciously open their house to about 16-20 of us for thanksgiving each year.  The numbers have changed as kids have grown up and moved away for college or work  but they all seem to want to come back. We start the holiday on Wednesday evening avoiding the Thursday traffic to Bainbridge....but we've noticed people catching on to this trick.  Wednesday night we had to wait for a later ferry because the ferry lines were so long!  Thanksgiving is a holiday we always look forward to.

Waiting in line for the Ferry to Bainbridge

Thanksgiving morning breakfast

Playing Rummio

One half of the long table waiting for dessert.

Eagle Harbor Bookstore

On the way back.  Bainbridge Island Ferry Terminal.

Sketches from the Wing Luke Museum

Urban Sketchers had an opportunity to sketch at the Wing Luke Museum.  This museum celebrates the Asian American History in the Pacific Northwest.  Here are a few sketches I did as we were touring the museum.

Montage sketches from a scrim that was used as advertisement space at the Nippon Kan Theatre at the turn of  the 20th Century

The Association Hall where family association groups would gather for meetings.

Association Hall and Kitchen,  Turn of the century stove with wok.

Sketch from Essential Bakery on East Madison

Front counter @ Essential Bakery

I did the line work on Sunday before we had a brunch with friends.  Then I added color this morning after a meeting.

Sketches from the Arboretum and Pacific Science Center

Yesterday we had brunch at Luc's in on Madison Avenue.  Great brunch by the way.  Walking back home I stopped at the Washington Park Arboretum Stone Gate house.  I have been wanting to sketch this building and entry for a long time.

In the afternoon we went to the Pacific Science Center @ Seattle Center for Garfield High School Cross Country end of the year Banquet.  I did a sketch of a huge rubics cube that is located at the center.

Starbucks Madison Park, Seattle

Sitting at the Wine Bar at Starbucks in Madison Park.

Sunday PM @ the Anchor Pub with Magnolia Big Band

Looking down at the Bar @ the Anchor Pub.

Right after the Sunday morning sketchcrawl, we drove to Everett to meet the Whidbey Island sketchers and hear the Magnolia Big Band at the Historic Anchor Pub.  What a great venue!   The new owners have transformed the pub and has made it a great place for a beer and sandwich or pot pie.  The Magnolia Big Band were in top form and we thoroughly enjoyed their music!

Magnolia Big Band @ the Historic Anchor Pub in Everett, WA

Sunday Morning Sketchcrawl @ JM Cellars

Had a busy Sunday this weekend.  Both the Crush at JM Cellars and the performance of Magnolia Big Band @ the Anchor Pub happened this weekend.  What a great day of sketching. 

There were about 7 Seattle Sketchers who came to the morning sketch at JM Cellars.  The timing of the crush is totally dependent on the sugar level of the grapes.  So when the grapes are ready, it happens. Luckily we could all make it this Sunday!

Forklift dumping the grapes into the crusher.

JM Cellars Tasting Room.

Fishtank

Quick sketch while waiting for my son at the Dental office.

Family Weekend @ WWU

Last weekend we went up to Western Washington University in Bellingham for the Family Weekend to see our son Ian.  It was a typical Northwest Fall....rainy and then blue skies!  During the stretches of dry I was able to do a sketch on campus, at the Saturday market, and then along the waterfront on the South Bay trail. I am testing out a new palette and new sketchbook.  Doing this really changes my watercolors and how the paint takes to the paper.  I am also testing out some of the exercises in Jeanne Dobie's watercolor  book "Making Color Sing".  I am using her palette of suggested colors.  Luckily I had most of them and only added two colors to my already existing tubes of colors.

Bellingham's Saturday Farmer's Market

View of the Alaska Ferry Terminal From the South Bay Trail

Jeanne Dobie's Palette

Bischofberger Violins

I took my son to Bischofberger Violins to get new strings put on his violin.   This is a great violin shop that looks just like what you think a music store should look like.  I would love to just go by and spend some time sketching in there.  While waiting for the strings to be put on I did a sketch on the resin receipt.

Ting MoMo

I just had lunch at Ting Momo today.  Of course I didn't bring a sketchbook.  I always seem to forget to have one with me because my purse is so full of other items.  But I did get a napkin from there and was able to sketch the place.  Great location in South Lake Union and a neat restaurant.  It is Tibetan food which I had never had before.  Some similarities to chinese food.

The Q @ Garfield High School

Practicing with watercolor pencils on a quick sketch I did outside of Quincy Jones Performing Arts Center at Garfield High School.