Meditating on Plumeria

It can't be a bad morning when you wake up to plumeria floating and drifting under the fountain in the swimming pool.  We arrived in Bali a couple of days ago ... I really don't have a great sense of time after crossing the International Date Line.  It took all of yesterday to feel back in touch with myself.  Anyway, this is Susan's Buddha, carved in wood by a local carver.  The plumeria is on my mind as much as the Buddha's.  Ahhhh..... it is heavenly here.

First morning in Bali

Try to imagine a velvet warm afternoon in Sanur Bali. All my travel companions are napping, the birds are singing and I am poolside sketching our entrance garden here at Villa Warna. I'm trying to wrap my mind around the fact that EVA Air catapulted us through time and space into tomorrow across the international dateline AND the equator. I'm trying to catch up with myself. Wish I could spirit you all here for a Bali sketchathon. 

The weather has changed but the rain held off and we were able to sketch amongst the many venues of this beautiful woodland garden

Deep in the Woods

STONE HOUSE IN THE FOREST

Another sterling sketching opportunity this week with birds, frogs, flowers and magical sculptures everywhere (waiting, I swear, to come to life and dance around.) Since I set "editing" as my goal this week , and trying hard to NOT draw everything I see (and there was a LOT to see!) I chose just this corner of the guest house, which is set behind the main house.

Wonderful Whidbey house

Hobbit House

Hobbit House, woods and water

This is the view I chose to sketch yesterday.  I love the integration of the home within its garden and the surrounding woods.  The view of the water isn't too bad either! ;-)

Koi Pond at Terra and Tom's

Raven's Roost

Raven is a standard poodle who greeted us sketchers with friendly wags at Tera and Tom's. She's a happy pup possibly because the grounds she wanders are beautiful and lush. A place a long legged dog can sprawl. I didn't have a chance to draw Raven, but did get a sketch in of a very prolific apple tree. Another happy being.

Tera and Tom's garden

beautiful Whidbey Island house

Purple Dahlias

Purple dahlias along the fence in Terra and Tom's delightful garden.

Holmes Harbor Cellars

Funky Chickens

For me, the goofy looking Polish Mop Head chickens trumped the gorgeous views and gardens at Holmes Harbor Cellars. I did a little Google research and learned that Mop Heads are a high maintenance breed because their mops get into food, water, dirt and everything else and have to be cleaned. Some people trim the mops to keep them from getting wet and freezing in the winter Others put the mops into pony tails with rubber bands. Now that's something I'd like to see.

Holmes Harbor Winery

So some were sketching chickens (oh! what chickens....from the designer chicken boutique to be sure!) and I wish I had been aware of them during my sketching time. I was enjoying the Tuscany flavor of the winery and the new landscaping, also thinking maybe this is the last day we can be outside. Also I was aware my sketching time was short because I had foolishly made a date for Friday night (though I must say, the Shakespeare production of Much Ado About Nothing turned out to be most enjoyable). It is the Whidbey dilemma, way too many wonderful things to do at any given time. So anyway, I rushed through this sketch and rather overpainted it.....but in WISK tradition I'll post it anyway. My time there was short, but enjoyable.

Bird Brain With Einstein Style

Designer chickens paired with award winning wine made for a relaxing 

afternoon of sketching with friends at Holmes Harbor Cellars.

at Holmes Harbor Cellars

http://holmesharborcellars.com/

Relaxing at Cultus Bay Nursery

 

This was inspired by the grape arbor, Chinese lantern and voluptuous Hydrangeas at Cultus Bay Nursery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We can canceled our appointed sketcher location but that doesn't mean I'll skip the opportunity to relax with my pen and paints. Rainy day cheer supplied by Cary Jurriaans of Whidbey Island Fine Art Studio became my focus for the afternoon.

Holmes Harbor Cellars

A Visit from a Seattle Urban Sketcher

My new sketching friend Kate Buike joined us on Friday from Seattle. We spent three days sketching together at the Don Getz workshop early in the summer and had a great time. She and I tried to set a "meet up" in Mukilteo when the Urban Sketchers were meeting at the Lighthouse, but I had the times wrong (of course) and would have showed up WAY after they left!

Anyway, she made her way over on the ferry to join us at Cultus Bay Nursery and we had a good day sketching. Next time the Seattle Sketchers are in the north end I plan to join them over there. Here is her art of the day . . .

At Cultus Bay Nursery

A trickling fountain in the sun, an apple tree espalier, cement frogs and croaking frogs, a greeter cat, and best of all a visit from my new Seattle Urban Sketcher friend Kate, who came to join in the fun. A great day with, once again, a bit of a sunburn.