Robbie and his alter

Trying to catch these guys in a pose was a real challenge. This was all I found publishable. I used water-brushes  and walnut ink and thanks to Pat, paper to put it on.

...and a view of Holmes Harbor also.

I give the Roaming Radish 5 stars.

Freeland Cat Cottage

Hardly anyone showed up to sketch kitties at the Freeland Cat Cottage yesterday. Just Sherryl, Pat, Julie and me. Well, the boys showed up but they sat outside in the cold to draw buildings. After a couple of hours of playing with cats and getting nowhere trying to sketch them, this shy kitten finally curled up and fell asleep in his hammock, allowing me to get one creditable sketch to show for the afternoon. These cat hammocks are really cozy. The cats love them.

 This sweet little guy was found alone and abandoned in Coupeville. He was very young and didn't get to spend enough time with his mom and litter mates before being cast out on his own. He will need extra tlc to get socialized. He is unfortunately the only kitten at the Cat Cottage so doesn't have feline playmates.

charming cottages with bird houses

Roaming Radish

I wonder how Jess came up with that name?  Its so whimsical, the food is delicious and the move to Holmes Harbor makes for a warm inviting place to sit, sketch and enjoy food and view.

I likes the squashes!

Holmes Harbor

People of the Radish

Yet another awesome sketch meet! Jess and the staff of The Roaming Radish opened early for us and took very good care of us. I came hungry, the food was great and boy did I eat. I had lunch, wine, part of the gnat's lunch, dessert, more wine, dinner, and another dessert. And lots of good gab in between. I was there for 5 1/2 hours and barely had time to sketch in between bites.  

Phyllis, drawing on my left/Mikaila behind the bar, polishing glasses

The youngest sketcher in action

Taylor at the end of the bar

Jess and a customer

Roaming Radish

Sketcher's 4th anniversary sketchmeet at the new Roaming Radish location on Holmes Harbor. Comfortable, warm  and inviting afternoon looking out at the vista, sampling food and wine. Another of the best things about Whidbey, and an oasis in the midst of a crazy, very full day. Thank you Jess! See you again soon!

Roaming Radish

What a delightful, beautiful, cozy, romantic place! I got there late so felt a rush to get something sketched. How convenient to sit at the bar, spread out my stuff, and have this glorious view right in front of me. A sketchers dream......it's warm with a comfortable stool, a surface to work on and a gorgeous view with some interesting stuff in the foreground. Of course my sketchers tribe was scattered about, eating fine food, sketching, chatting and.......drinking wine. Such contentment. A perfect afternoon. 

In a corner at the ROAMING RADISH

Tucked in a corner, behind a table and chairs, is a wonderful antique steamer trunk filled with artfully arranged cookbooks of all varieties. It totally appealed to my advanced sense of decorating with colorful clutter! I settled in to sketch and enjoy Jess's Pulled Pork Taquitos (delish) and a giant slice of Caramel Topped Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce (divine). As I left I spied the front entrance to the Radish. I had mistakenly used the Pro Shop entrance when I arrived, and the RR entrance is so much more eclectic, interesting and inviting. Had I seen it first I would have sketched there for sure (well, maybe not. It was COLD outside!!!!!)

The Roaming Radish

All week I've been anticipating the next Whidbey Island sketch meet at the Roaming Radish's new digs. They moved locations from the old beach cabin building across from Payless to Holmes Harbor in Freeland, near the golf course. Having eaten there before the move, I knew they had fantastic food. And they still do! I really appreciate the numerous vegan selections. First I had the quinoa salad with lemon tahini dressing. Later I had the bng which is basically a black bean burger topped with dill mayo, lightly pickled beets and greens. It also came with a side of delicious cubed home fries and a spicy chutney-like ketchup. Such a wonderful array of flavors in every bite of both dishes. With all this eating I somehow got in some sketches! Here they are in order of creation...

A step back in time

This was great fun. Next time we need sketchers that bowl to model for us.

Ebey Bowl

The Coke bottle was just a small part of the nostalgic decor at the alleys. It was inspiring to be part of the enthusiasm the sketchers brought to the day.

I'm still experimenting with the Yupo paper, which allows the watercolor to slip and flow on the page. It's also easy to lift the color off the page to create highlights. Are the small dots from the pigment, dust on the Yupo or fizz from the coke?

Ebey Bowl

Ebey Bowl invites the sketcher with it's warm staff, colored balls and lights.

A Blast from the Past

Most certainly a time warp. There it all was....my teenage years....right there at Ebey Bowl! The stools you can spin, the Coca Cola images everywhere, the sound of bowling balls being lofted onto the lanes by exuberant but less than skilled tween bowlers. That unmistakable "crack" sound when the ball miraculously hits a pin or two. The rows of colorful bowling balls and the bins of bowling shoes. The only thing missing was the sight of the pin setters legs dangling down behind the pins. It was SO good to be back with the WISKers after being gone for what felt like months, but in fact was only about 6 weeks. Great venue. I loved sketching at Ebey Bowl!

Ebey Bowl

EBEY'S BOWL

I finally found a technique I like for sketching! I sketch in pencil first, go over it with a fine point permanent marker, erase extra pencil lines, then add the watercolor. (Thank you Mike Burroughs - or maybe it was Judi Nyerges?)) Now if I could only get looser and not feel I have to put everything in the sketch. This is officially my first watercolor! I've been sketching in pastels until now. Maybe I'll get over of my fear of the brush! Now let's see if this Posts....

A Week in Paris

Just spent a week in Paris.  Managed to get a few sketches in my travel journal between seeing new sights, sipping wine in cafes and trying new restaurants!

First day:  sites around St. Germaine where we stayed.  Love the 5th arrondissement!

 

Ventured to several small museums we hadn't visited before and also managed to see the stunning interior of L'Opéra for the first time.

 

 

 

What a fun time I had sitting outside a café sipping rosé while sketching artists in Place du Tertre on the top of the butte in Montmartre.  Mikolo (middle) sketched my portrait while I sketched him and his fellow artist friend, Luigi. 

 

 

 

Delay leaving Heathrow so plenty of time to sketch my view out the window and hubby to my right.  Au Revoir Paris!

Ebey Bowl

Jaemie, the newest addition to our sketchers group, has a wonderful sense of color and design. Her style is apparent in this self portrait.

Ebey Bowl & Greenbank Grille

I was excited to learn that Ebey Bowl is back! A colorful, kitschy, retro place -  it's a perfect venue for Whidbey Island Sketchers to spend an afternoon. The tasty "real" milkshakes served with whipped cream and a cherry on top were a bonus!

Kris told me she posts sketches that she doesn't like to give an honest account of what she produced at sketching. Not my best work, but in the interest of honesty, here are my sketches from Ebey Bowl yesterday.

Stayed into the evening to sketch with Kris at Greenbank Grille. Just like old times!

at the bar

Emily across the table

Camo Guy,  just in from hunting trip

Ebey Bowl and Greenbank Grille

Ebey Bowl is a great place to sketch. Everyone was so welcoming and there's an abundance of subjects for picture making pleasure. I could spend an entire day there and still not sketch everything I'd like to.
Of course happy hour sketching entailed so we headed for the Greenbank Grille.
Here's some of my sketches from the day...

Greenbank Grille...

Sherryl and Cynthia

Bar Guy

At the Bar and a couple

Camo Guy

Ebey Bowl

Here are a couple of sketches from the Bowling Alley in Coupeville.  It was a colorful hangout on a rainy day and it looks like indoor sketching will be a must from now on.  I also rescanned the thrift store sketch because it didn't look right and there were "comments", smile.  I figured out that putting pressure near the fold helped make the image continuous.

this is actually a tiny sketch.

Across one and one half pages.

South Whidbey's best Community store

I Love to sketch here in the new remodeled children's section.

I can see why it is so popular.

I only wish I could bring them all home with me.

Senior Thrift Store

Sunny afternoon at the Senior Thrift.

Sketching Stuff

As always, no matter where the sketchers meet, it's always fun and a learning experience. Here's my sketch from Senior Thrift...

Senior Thrift, Freeland

Sketching was a delight at the Senior Thrift Store with the many vignettes to choose from.

So much to sketch - so little time!

Too many things to sketch! My favorite may have been the Chinese brass gong on a carved teak wood stand.