Judythe's Lovely Home

Kitchen Still Life

Such a pleasure to be a guest in Judythe's home. She fed us body and soul. Thoughtful arrangements and still lifes beaconed from every corner. Homemaking is clearly one of Judythe's many artforms. First we feasted on the ambiance, art, and set ups. And then she brought out the food! I wonder if it seemed to her we would never leave? Why would we? Of course there was wine. I really enjoyed sketching this kitchen still life. I had a comfortable stool for sitting and a surface to work on. What could be better?

Spring at Judyth's Home

Thank you, Judyth!  You are the hostess with the most and best still lives set up for us Sketchers!  Everywhere we turned there was a fabulous still life, and amazing food in your beautiful home.  It was so delightful visiting you yesterday.   I call this sketch, "Judyth's Basket of Eggs."

Judyth's Chickens

Judyth's Phaeleanopsis

Kooky birds

 These birds are made out from recycled rubber tires, old fishing supplies and found items.  All of this to create a kooky bird with a sense of humor.  They can be found at the Whidbey Art Gallery on the torn up Second Street.  Entrance for now on the Alley!  The artist is John Long.  www.whidbeyartists.com

Mexico Light!

 Mexico in March! Two weeks with nothing to do but swim and sketch! Light, color, birds,

bougainvilea and hibiscus and a fresh gentle breeze. 

It was a complete step into peace and relaxation.  

                                        Every morning the sun would explode over the bay and
                                                        the multicolored bougainvillea!

I could sketch this view to the south from Casa Amanecer

a hundred times and it would not be the same twice.

                                                          Bougainvillea, of course!

If the sketch doesn't work? Play!

                                             Two for One Margarita Tuesdays at El Oasis!

Moments From Mexico

Sue and Faye sketching on the beach at El Oasis.

Which dress? Which hat?

While in Mexico this time 4 of us sketched, talked, sketched, swam, sketched, read, sketched, shopped, sketched etc. It was a heavenly sketchathon. I filled a new Stillman and Birn, extra heavy, off white paper sketchbook and loved the paper! I also sketched in a Strathmore watercolor 6"x 12" book and loved the paper and the format. I also took an assortment of pens and my new Schminke paint box enhanced with my favorite Holbein colors. All new, fun supplies to play with and experiment with while sitting on the beach drinking margaritas or on the terrace at Casa Amanecer. Or wherever. The weather was perfect! Never too hot, while just cool enough at night to require a light blanket. Balmy warm evenings. Sea breezes. And never ending shapes and colors to delight the eye and make us run for our sketch books. Okay, so there were a few no-see-ums. But only in the evening. 

Spring Sketching in the Sun on Second St.

The sketching location was Whidbey Art Gallery. There was lots of neat stuff to sketch in there, but the sun was out and I found a cozy, warm spot at a table in front of Mona's with a view of one of those really cool machines that are working on 2nd Street. The warmth of the sun, the interesting view, a table to work at and a chair to sit on.....what's a sketcher to do? I seized the moment. This little Kubota reminds me of a tug boat.....small and tough. If it was a person it would be a short tough guy from Chicago named Bill. I find the construction on 2nd to be really interesting and fun. I love watching the process of change and find it interesting to be tip toeing across gravelly streets in the middle of all of it. 

@ the Whidbey Art Gallery

 Like being in a fun house hall of mirrors - doing drawings of my own paintings. Weird. 

sketching in Langley

Whidbey Art Gallery

 Thank you, Whidbey Art Gallery, for inviting us Sketchers to your wonderful gallery today!  It was so easy, really, to sketch these birds.  I'm used to trying to catch them on the wing at Susan's aviary!  These birds were carved and painted by Ed Bennett … quite lovely!!

Black Capped Chickadee

Manzanillo Mexico Sketching Trip

I was lucky enough to be invited to join fellow Sketchers Phyllis, Faye, and Sue in the perfect weather & beautiful vistas in Manzanillo, Mexico.  We sketched every day, and here's some of my sketches from scenes at the beach.

 I'm pretty crazy about this sketch, "A smoke on the beach."

This couple really knows how to enjoy retirement.  They were all set up in front of a wonderful restaurant called "Oasis," under huge umbrellas, with delicious food and cool beverages.

BING, BANG, ....

A nice Whidbey Island cafe. I have to admit I had to used resist for the whites.

Langley's hundred-day war zone.

There was a lot of activity in Langley and some sun to warm it up. The only two things that were not moving, the naked tree and the 'smooth' caught my fancy.

The Big Dig!

Sketching from the commons, I caught Judi looking pretty small next to all the machinery on Second St.  Beautiful sunshine drew me outside for the next view of the commons Books for Sale sign.

Judi & The Big Dig

www.Southwhidbeycommons.com

Used Books & Alsip sculpture

The Commons & 2nd Street Construction

Oh, my!   2nd St. is so torn up!  I'm so curious to see the end product.  Today, Whidbey Telecom's crew was there dancing around in front end loaders, bulldozers, and all sort of heavy equipment.  These guys were so industrious and impressively hard at it!  It was a kick to sketch them, tho one had to be quick to catch the gestures!  

Langley second street construction

Messing Around I Mexico

There's really not much to say. Perfect weather. Nothing to do but sketch, swim, read. We are going to Saturday market Soon. That will require more effort. Lucky, lucky us. 

Mo's after Sketching

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After sketching, I had the pleasure of hanging out with Sue at Mo's for garlic fries and …. more sketching!!!!  Here's two of the patrons.  So fun ….  thought I'd share.  By the way, for fellow Sketchers, the black I'm using today is my first use of Holbein's "Peach Black."  A beautiful warm black that is deep when pure, but warm gray when diluted!  Nice discovery!

FIFTY FOUR DEGREES AND SUNNYYYY!

Many of the Sketchers braved the chill, at first, to sit outside on the patio in front of the South Whidbey Commons today to sketch the incredible ballet of dozers and graders and backhoes as they were either tearing up or putting back together (I couldn't tell which), the whole street and sidewalks in front of us. This will all be lovely when it is done, but it is a hot mess now. BUT, the sun came out BRILLIANTLY and I have a pink forehead and nose to show for my time!

Susan's Aviary

My third visit to Susan's amazing Aviary.  The cacophony of bird screeches, "Hello!"'s, "Whatcha doin'?"'s, the sweet curiosity of the birds as attentive to us as we to them…   This is a lesson in quickness, tho.  These birds don't know much about sitting still.  They follow you around, land on your head, chew on anything interesting including the bag you carry your supplies in to any (you shoulda known better!) jewelry or buttons, take bananas from your hand, bob their heads, sway & dance side to side….  

I just loving visiting here!  A real treat, once again.  Thank you, Susan!  and all your aviary friends.  Keep up the heart-felt rescue!

In pure appreciation for what you're doing.

Barb

 

The Aviary

Bits and Pieces or Hold Still

My first time visiting the Bird Sanctuary, so I was unprepared for all the noise.  Next time, I will remember to bring ear plugs like Susan the owner does.  The birds were amazingly friendly!  Susan likes them to have people keeping them company.  Orlando the cockatoo, was particularly friendly and would not let me leave.

 

Inmates

The Lovers

The two birds below on the ladder were actually a loving pair.  She kept laying her head on his shoulder!  Very sweet!  There was also a cockatoo threesome that were very happy and didn't like being separated.  They would dig under the cage to join each other.

Susan's Aviary

Birds...Noise....Snuggles.....stealing buttons.....color......action.....what a wonderful and amazing place to visit and sketch (although it was kind of hard to properly sketch with the birds trying to help). Thank you to Susan for allowing us to share this hidden treasure of Whidbey.

Simon and Grace held me spellbound while they moved around and were also curious about what I was doing. They were easier to capture on paper as they were in a smaller cage and not flying freely like many of the birds. These are hybrid macaws - so elegant and engaged.

My first ever posting - kind of exciting for me!

Colorful Macaw parrot

...first post...the second bird was in the infirmary area but she did say "hello girl" to me..

FROM LAST WEEK AT TERRA AND TOM'S