Spoiled Dog Winery

Vancouver Folk Music Festival

The annual Vancouver Folk Music Festival was this past weekend, and I was invited up for the day by lucky duck friends who spent the whole weekend taking in the incredibly beautiful Jericho Beach Park, surrounded by purple mountains, sail boats, and super colorful folks coming for the incredible music held on seven stages.  In my last moments at the festival, I pulled out my sketching stuff and did a quickie.

Susan's Aviary

Being a WISK is such a privilege!  We get to go fantastic places, see amazing things, and have a great time while we're at it.  On Friday, we were invited to come to Susan's Aviary, a private aviary for more than 50 rescue exotic tropical birds.  I must have taken 200 photos, and will hopefully sketch and paint from them.  Between photography, playing with the birds, and being stunned with amazement, I only accomplished two quick sketches.  Thank you, Susan!!!

At the Aviary

The Whidbey Sketchers get invited to the most amazing places, mostly thanks to Sue, our most patient and appreciated contact person! The Aviary is one if the absolute best!

 The first thing I saw on entering  were these two magestic and entertaining Hyacinth Macaws. They are the largest parrots and for real....deep unltramarine blue and violet. Big splashes of alive color! 

This guy was equally amazing...!He seemed to like feet and toes, checking us all out.

                      The little sun conures were most curious and playful of all. They loved Phyllis!
                         At one time she must have had 5 or 6 sitting on her head and shoulders!
                       All  so beautiful. What a treat to spend an afternoon with them!

At the Bird Aviary

If you think it's easy to sketch while there are birds in your hair and on your shoulders and trying to clean your teeth.....think again. Could there be anything more delightful? Hard to imagine. I had no idea birds could be so relational, and so funny! These guys certainly had personality. The jewel like colors were flashing around and they were all saying something. One kept asking "what're you doing?". One was talking like short wave radio. Others whistling and making loud noises. Many seemed as interested in us as we did in them. What a privilege and a pleasure it was to visit Susan's Aviary. They don't sit still very long either. These sketches are more or less quick impressions.

AT THE BIRD AVIARY

As Sketchers, we get to do so many amazing things. Today may have been the capper for me - we got to spend our day in the company of BIRDS! You can read the story and see all the photos HERE.
Here is my sketch of the day . . .

Langley Friday Market

Thanks, Judi, for reminding me......like you, I want to get this posted before we sketch today. It was a lovely, sunny day on 2nd street and I was particularly captured by the radishes on the corner of the Sky Root Farm display.The marimba players were joyfully pounding out their catching rhythms just behind me. My brush was dancing. Last year I made a sketch of Sky Root Farm and liked it so much I made greeting cards from it. I gave one to the owners of SRF and they seemed quite thrilled with it. 

From LAST Friday, quickly before THIS Friday . . .

More Summer Sketches

Summertime from our living room window!

Early morning sketches from San Juan Island looking west toward Victoria. Little people wake up early, before most campers, so we sketched! Mine is on the left, grandsons aged 2 and 4 on the right. I like theirs best!

Little wildlife refuge island in the foreground. Birds and seals....

   
                                                       San Juan summertime hay field.

A Beautiful Summer

We are having the most spectacular summer.  I am watering the garden like crazy, but it has been unbelievably beautiful and warm.  Here are some recent sketches from Second Street Market.

Lillies from UBC

Booth at 2nd st market

Market from UBCoffee garden

Langley Friday Market

fun afternoon sketching the busy market with some wonderful marimba music playing

Being a DON GETZ groupie on the Odyssey USA Tour

I saw the info on the Don Getz Odyssey Journal Sketching Tour on both the Cheap Joe's newsletter and on information sent out by Pacific Northwest Art School in Coupeville. Though I knew I couldn't afford it, and probably shouldn't do it, I did it anyway. The money is spent, I'll never miss it, and it bought three days of the most incredible experience. Here are the sketches I did! Don Getz was a kind, talented, fun, giving teacher, who shared great stories!

DAY ONE - in a church parking lot overlooking Penn Cove in Coupeville

DAY TWO - At Ebey's in the marine layer fog. Chilly, but lots of people out walking the beach. Here is my classmate Kate, sketching away.

Sitting on the porch of the Masonic temple, all of us struggling to get a good sketch of the Anchor Inn, and all of us ready to throw in the towel because of all the angles. Of course, except for Don, who did a magnificent sketch.

For our last day of sketching Don had been given some suggestions for places to sketch, but it was obvious he did not know that we were just minutes from the Sketcher's Mother Lode! At my suggestion we drove to the Captain Whidbey Inn, where we sat down and never got up!!! Winning!! 

But, sadly, here is proof positive that no matter HOW EXCELLENT your teacher is, you can still ruin a good drawing with bad painting! Where was dear Don last night when I really needed him?!

CHOOCHOKAM

Charming Langley Alley

Langley Alley

Hot Sunday at Tilth Market

Did anyone mention how hot it was on Sunday? It was HOT! I don't know why I thought it took less energy to just doodle, but I seemed to think it did. These are my doodles inspired by the many fabulous shapes that were wandering by. None of them stood still long enough to get a real drawing, so I was going for gesture and the general feeling of the figure. Thanks to all of them for coming in all their wonderful shapes and sizes. I was especially enamored with the woman in the striped dress. She was a really active one. She hardly stood still for a second. Mostly I made her up.....loved the dress! Hats are hard to draw....it was a great day for hats.