Owl Cottage

Serafina's new home, Owl Cottage, is
delightful and charming, with scenes
of interest in every direction. It was
too hard to settle on just one, so I put
together this menagerie.

Aalto Vase with Flowers

I was so inspired by Maira Kalman's work that I came up with my version of the Aalto vase with flowers. It was wonderful to sketch with friends this week at the Whidbey Telecom coffee shop in Freeland.

Maple Ridge

What a lively place to sketch! There's something for everyone at Maple Ridge -- art, spinning, games, music, dancing or just gathering with friendly people.

Holiday Party

There was a menagerie of people and holiday decorations at Mary's for (what else?) a sketch party!

Beware of fox sitting on couch.

Friendship Star Quilt

Winter Dreams

Children's Room at the Freeland Libary

Many happy and mysterious adventures are in store for our young future readers and writers in the Freeland Library's children's reading room .

In Defense of the Single Line

A fellow sketcher whose name shall not be mentioned (but her initials are S.U.E.) calls me "One Line Lisbeth" because of my tendancy to use only single ink lines.  While multiple lines add nice depth, there are times when one line can do it.  Here - an homage to the single line and my new Lamy fountain pen. 

Olde World Ales

Here's a couple of my sketches from Olde World Ales and Lagers in Langley on Wednesday. As dark as these are I'm fairly pleased. I was in a "throw the paint down" kind of mood.

Phyllis was sunk into a big white chair that had some interesting shape and fold characteristics. Apologies, Phyllis, there is no likeness. I'm not sure it's done yet. I'm considering adding a subtle wash into the face.

Hit-and-Run Mystery Sketcher at Anderson's General Store

One of the best sketches of the day was done in just a very few minutes by a complete stranger (to us) waiting for the ferry.

To quote our new member, Susan, "This sketching thing is contagious! How great that this guy, waiting for the ferry, just jumped in, asked if he could borrow my sketchbook, and put me to shame? He captured everything with just a few lines. Who was that guy?" Turns out he is Dan Olsen, owner of Olsen Tree Service - on the island for a job.

To capture a scene and gestures with a minimum of line and detail is what we all strive for. Another thing I love about this sketch is that it depicts Tom (again!) and another couple of locals conversing over the fence. Tom is on the outside side of the fence keeping his dog company because the dogs aren't allowed in the food service area. Guemes is a dog paradise and a dog lover's paradise. 

Susan added a little color to the sketch after the mystery sketcher and his friend dashed off to catch the ferry. 

Warm sunny afternoon at Whidbey Institute

Just sitting in the sunshine on a wood bench, at the W.I. property, while sketching these old weathered wood buildings was a great way to spend a warm lazy day. The contrast of dark shadows in the bright sun created interesting designs to draw in the sketching compositions. This sketch was done in pen and ink with some cross hatching for varied values in the shadows.

The Woodstock of Sketching

Class of 2010 (photo © Urban Sketchers)

Me with Pete Scully at Pioneer Square (photo:© Kumi Matsukawa)

82 sketchers from around the world gathered at the 1st International Urban Sketchers Symposium in Portland last week. Lisbeth, Faye and I were among them. We sketched our little hearts out, met the amazing Seattle Sketcher, Gabi Campanario, and many of our other sketching heroes from Urban Sketchers and had a total blast. Some called it the Woodstock of Sketching, some called it a religious experience, some called it a privilege and an honor. For me, it was definitely an inspiration and a thrill to hang out and sketch with so many who share my passion and obsession for sketching. I'm saving my pennies for next year's symposium in Lisbon. These are just a few of my sketches from the trip.

Faye & her friend, Barbara, sketching at a cafe in Tia Boon's Urban Color session. I did this sketch using Tia's "color splash" method. I splashed paint randomly on the paper and sketched over it when dry. It's one of my favorite drawings of the trip.

Cellist at the Saturday Market.

My first field sketching session of the symposium - Urban Line with instructor Lapin (in the straw hat) and Kurt Holloman (in baseball cap.) We stopped to draw a building Lapin liked, but I liked the street lamps.

This was Urban Nature with instructor Jason Das at Union Station. Our assignment here was to combine some sky, some building and some plant material in the same sketch.

I drew a hanging basket of purple petunias near Union Station for my next Urban Nature assignment.

The Irving Street Kitchen was right across the street from Pacific Northwest College of Art, where the symposium was held.

Pacific Northwest College of Art

I drew Jace in Amtrak's  Bistro car  on the way home from Portland. When I finished the sketch, I asked "Would you mind if I draw your picture?" When he said okay, I said, "Good, cause I already did!" and asked him to sign it. I told him I would post it on the blog. He seemed very pleased.

More people in the Bistro car on the trip home.

Whidbey Camano Land Trust Event in Crockett Barn

I attended the Whidbey Camano Land Trust Conservation Partner Event in the historic Crockett Barn Saturday night and did some quick sketches during the program. This is my favorite kind of sketching. I really get in the zone and don't stress about the results. It's just a sketch.

By the way, Whidbey Camano Land Trust is a remarkable nonprofit organization doing an amazing of job protecting our open spaces and working  to keep Whidbey Island as beautiful as it is. Right now they are pressing hard against a June 10 deadline to raise $4.2 million to save 600+ contiguous acres of Whidbey woods from development north of Freeland. I hope they make it. Give if you can. I'd love to see Whidbey Island Sketchers do an art project someday in support of the Land Trust.

Sketching while in America

Bill and I spent 9 hours in Seattle today, a great place for sketching all kinds of subjects during some slack time. Even waiting in the Mukilteo ferry line can keep me busy with sketching during the long wait to get on the boat. Believe it or not, it was pouring down rain around 4:00 and on the island is was dry as a desert.

Three local urban characters enjoying each others jokes and company waiting for the bus on Eastlake.

The Silver Cloud Inn on Eastlake had a taxi waiting in front.

The ferry line was long and so decided to sketch the old air force fueling office on the waterfront

Unwinding at the Edgecliff

Kris and I headed for the Edgecliff to unwind after a grueling 2 hours of doing our presentation at the Freeland Library. :-) After we were sufficiently unwound, we did some sketching.

This group of ladies was at the next table - out on the town with Mom. Mom had on a cool shirt with butterflies and songbirds. Sooo Mom.

Folks sitting at the bar and a glimpse of the Monkey Puzzle tree out the window.

The fireplace mantel and and a peek into the dining room.

Sketching on the Alaska Ferry

I started sketching at the ferry terminal in Bellingham while we waited to board the Matanuska. Some window, eh?

After dark on the forward Observation Lounge.

Bead girl - She made jewelry and displayed her wares each day in the cafeteria.

This is Terry and his service dog in-training, Homer. Terry was a crusty old Alaska guy on his way down to San Francisco to retire and live with his daughter. He said he was going blind and that he and Homer would be attending service dog school in California so Homer could become his seeing-eye dog. Not sure if that was all true or just a story to get Homer on the upper decks. Either way, he sure loved that dog. I gave him one of my sketches of Homer sleeping. He said he would cherish it. Sweet.

Another great character traveling on the ferry.  He was always alone and never took off that hat and black trench coat - even at meals.  If he was trying to be incognito, it wasn't working. I never saw him talk to anyone, but he was the most conspicuous person on the boat.

Never did meet this guy, but I think he and his wife were on board with us for the whole trip. He had a very sketchable profile.

The boat moves slowly through the Wrangell Narrows. These two ladies were enjoying the view and catching a breeze.

This guy was fast asleep, sporting his motorcycle leathers, tattoos and head scarf. I'm glad he didn't wake up while I was sketching him. He was probably a pussycat, but had all the trappings of a tough guy.

A view of Vancouver Island out the cafeteria window.

The view of Wrangell from the port. Sadly, I had time to draw this only because our departure was delayed due to a passenger heart attack. The crew's response was outstanding. They saved the guy's life - got his heart going with a defibrillator before the paramedics arrived. They are very well trained.

A view of Peril Strait from the stern.

We had a generous amount of time in Ketchikan so I had time after lunch in town to sketch this view of the hillside.

The last sketch of the trip and the first sunset I've ever sketched! I wish the sky were softer, but still, I'm happy with it.

Langley Village Garden

Langley Village is a beautiful place to sketch. Albeit somewhat cold this spring day, as evidenced by my drawing of the Langley Village couple below.

Here they sat soaking up what little sun shown through the clouds. 

This Wisteria trunk was very interesting, yet once I started drawing got lost in the complexity.