Grapes for the Birds

Never Have I Ever had a bad day with the Whidbey Island Sketchers. Today was just absolutely wonderful. The weather was perfect under another popcorn sky, almost everyone turned out, we were at the Whidbey Winery so there were grapes bursting and ready to be picked, “fake birds of terror” (to another bird) were singing (electronically), the “groaning board” was heaped with good food and WINE, and we were sketching up a storm. It simply doesn’t get better than this. And we marveled yet again at how this large a group consistently gets along and supports each other so well!
When we asked what kind of grapes the ones on the fence were, the ones I was sketching, our hostess informed us they were just decorative grapes, not for wine, and they were there stricly as "sacrificial fruit", for the benefit of the birds - to keep them distracted from eating the grapes on the "money vines"! 

Pat's Garden, Then and Now

in August of 2015, the sketchers met to draw member Pat's new house, with its promise of gardens to come. She invited us to image what her plantings might look like. Now here it is, three years later, just before the fourth of July holiday, and her garden area has gone from sparse but full of potential, to bursting with colorful fulfillment. 

An orchid at Grethe and Diane's house

We sketchers were invited on Friday to Grethe and Diane's magnificent art filled home overlooking the water in Langley. With so many wonderful things to see and appreciate, it was a real challenge to pick just one to sketch, but this orchid sitting in the middle of the table in their kitchen caught my eye immediately. I KNOW its sublime color is totally NOT natural, but I was so taken with it anyway. Such blues, violets and deep purple, all in one flower, all in one petal. Its name is "Black Sapphire" and it is a Phalaenopsis Orchid. 

Sketching at the home of Patti and Jeff White in Clinton

Another fabulous art filled Island home, (of course!) tucked into the woods, this one belonging to watercolor artist and instructor Patti White. So much to see and sketch inside Patti and Jeff's home (western art! Navajo style blankets! Birch bark and Tramp Art picture frames!), but I was caught before I even got inside, by the view of the house itself and of Maxwelton marsh glimpsed beyond from the top of a winding brick path. I plunked myself down to catch the hues and textures of the shakes, the varieties and colors of plants, and the stones and brickwork. This is to say nothing of the collections of bright blown glass bubbles and forms in vessels, various rusted metal art pieces, trickle and drip water features, and a Georgia Gerber bronze madonna and child otter sculpture. It was a very pleasant day made more so by the great turnout we had from the Sketchers who were not off to Europe and Mexico!
Sketched onsite outside, then added color at home after throw-down, and checking out Paula's awesome cards!!

Good Friday Tablescape with Rebecca's PYSANKY EGGS

Here's a sketch of an Easter still life on a purple tablecloth, done between mouthfuls of Brussel sprout/walnut salad, artichoke dip and crackers, chocolate eggs, salami and WINE. Do we know how to have fun, or what?

Our Sketch-Out yesterday was at the home of member Rebecca Alden Rickabaugh in Freeland. It was a fine turnout of artists to sketch the labor and love intensive work Rebecca has done creating colorful and intricate Easter eggs, using the very old Ukrainian/Polish/Czechoslovakian art of Pysanky. She starts with a raw egg, uses a special tool to draw intricate designs on the egg with wax, then dipping them in dyes between each layer of design. In the end, when the wax is removed, the egg and all its magnificent colors of dye and line designs (where the wax was) is revealed. Thanks, Rebecca, for this peak into a fascinating old artform, and also for your hospitality in your art-filled home.

St Paddy's Day Sketching at Bayview Farm and Garden Center

With the Whidbey Island Sketchers yesterday at Bayview Farm and Garden in Bayview with the focused intention of SKETCHING SHAMROCKS. I found a little corner for me and my chair, pulled plants and "stuff" from all over the greenhouse, built a little still life, and had "foine toime of it" for the day. Erin Go Braugh
I wondered why I was the only person sketching, then finished up, went outside, and found them all in the garden of the Flowerhouse Cafe, having a party without me!

Sketching CRAP

It was an absolutely fabulous day of sketching at the Creative Recycled Art Projects show at WICA yesterday! So MUCH to sketch that it was almost overwhelming. I chose by color (of course) even though there were many things just as interesting which were less so. Anyway, here are projects done by Sara Saltee (a collage box), Janet C. Lewis (a costume mannequin  ), Sarah Dial Primrose (a collage of "dead" CRAP), Liesel Lund (a collage necklace), Natalie Olsen (a woven apron), Janet Phiefer (a recycled metal and button sculpture), and Deborah Eimers (a gourd and crow skull bowl). Many, many other equally exciting pieces, too!

"THREE TEAPOTS OUTSIDE FREELAND, WA" . . .

. . .  and INSIDE the Senior Thrift Store. Or Island Thrift. Or whatever it is called now. At any rate, the place is wonderfully restored since the fire in their attic, and the upstairs is full of new little cubby rooms and nooks and crannies filled with kitschy stuff. I took these colorful ceramic teapots off their shelf in the "tea room" and hauled them out to the furniture section, set them up as a still life arrangement on a table, sat in a comfortable chair, and sketched the day away. And listened to the birds and water sounds coming from a nearby "painting". And to a random guy who sat down at the old upright piano and proceeded to play jazz, and ragtime, and classical and rock. It was a terrific visit to a favorite sketch venue. 

SKETCHING AT MARY AND BIG JOE'S NEW HOUSE

Mary Cahoy and giant puppy Big Joe have moved into their new house, and it is STUNNING! Her bedroom and bathrooms alone make it worth the price of admission! And if I had this view I would never, ever, EVER, get anything done. The Olympic mountains in the background, the BIG SKY, the eagles, the blueberry fields and forests, Gordon's Restaurant, and Nichol's Boat Works (with the construction of that seagoing "push" tug and its fascinating superstructure tower). To say nothing of the whole view of the bay at the bottom of Holmes Harbor. Can't wait to crash her fireworks party on July 3rd!!

VALENTINE!

Feb. "F's" - FEBRUARY FOURTEENTH - Enjoying a Valentine Fabrication Party last FRIDAY at Whidbey Island Sketcher FAYE’S House - FABULOUS FRIENDS FOREVER with a FONDNESS for SKETCHING!!! (And FOOD, wine and FRIVOLITY, of course.) And the fruits of my labors with all the materials every brought for the Make a Valentine Day. Such FUN.

Sketching Costumes

Huge thanks and gratitude to Costume Mistress Judith V. for allowing the Whidbey Island Sketchers up into the costume storage loft at Whidbey Island Center for the Arts (WICA). So many beautiful costumes, hats, headdresses, capes, fans and SHOES!!! Very hard to choose and focus on just one neat thing to draw!

Sketching the ABUNDANT EARTH FIBER MILL in Clinton

Whidbey Island Sketchers were invited to the ABUNDANT EARTH FIBER MILL in Clinton to sketch the looms, spinning wheels, and hanks and hanks of soft, colorful wools. I find it amazing that in the over seven years I have lived here I never know this place existed. I guess it shows my lack of spinning, weaving, knitting and sheepies knowledge.

Another FABULOUS sketching day!

Once again, being a member of the Whidbey Island Sketchers tribe afforded me an opportunity to be a guest in another absolutely STUNNING Island home I probably would otherwise never have had. We were invited to sketch in the incredible Clay home in Greenbank, a feast for the eyes in every direction. The high-bank scenery view over the inlet, the gardens, the architecture and furnishings - there was so much to see that I almost couldn’t settle on one thing. But I found a comfortable spot to sit, and bingo! - right in from of me was this lovely old clock, tucked in a corner of the stone fireplace. "Cogsworth the Clock"! Too good to pass up!

Which to do first?

So, the question of "which comes first" (NOT the chicken or the egg) but the INK or the WATERCOLOR, came up again in a group to which I belong.

My answer - "This is exactly what happens (to ME, at least), when I start with ink first. My work leaves the roundhouse as a nice ink sketch and takes off, but when it pulls into the station it has gone way past sketch, roared past painting, and arrives with bell and whistle as a full blown illustration. And, for me, it NEVER fails to do this. If I want a nice, fast, easy, loose sketch, I stick with areas of watercolor FIRST, then ink."

I started this at the Christmas party table at Cynthia's house yesterday. These are a trio of her holiday decorative matroyskas from her tree and her shelves (and, of course, some of her mushrooms). I did all the ink work there, and then finished at home. The nice, loose, fresh one is from last year, started watercolor first.

I rest my case.

At Paula's House

While everyone else at Sketchers was exceptionally brave yesterday, sketching Paula's adorably beautiful blue-eyed grandbaby, I chickened out on the challenge (once again) of tackling a live subject matter. Instead "went shopping" for subject matter in her kitchen. First thing I found was a blue, metal elephant. From there my still life grew into a rosemal painted chopping block, another wooden elephant, some cinnamon sticks and a jar of Garam masala. I'm happy to draw things that don't move. Or giggle. No matter how cute.

Sketching a Library Book at the Freeland Library

We met today in the meeting room of the Freeland Library - a very comfortable way to sketch and socialize. Just inside are the stacks, and all the reference information we could want to paint a "forgery", find a gorgeous photo, or, in my case, happen on the terrific book by John M. Marzluff, illustrated by Tony Angell, from the University of Washington, which has everything you've ever wanted to know about Crows and Ravens. A definitive work about a definitive study of the cultural of these amazing birds. Fascinating!
I cribbed some of the foliage outside for a colorful still life, just because I could. 

My hat choice at HATS at PAT'S

The days we dress up to sketch each other are just the BEST. We gathered at Sketcher Pat's house, and brought with us many and varied hats, which we sketched and wore. This is a vintage Coal Miner's hat with a brass, coal oil lamp, with its own flint and steel striker. FANTASTIC!!!

JERRY WENNSTROM'S STUDIO

Another terrific trip to Whidbey Island artist JERRY WENNSTROM'S studio in the deep woods in Clinton. There is just no way to describe the beautiful, eerie, moving sculptures and art he creates. These interactive totems just blow the viewer right away with their artistry, their strangeness, their storytelling power. Amazing art. These are masks high on a wall, and totally in keeping with the "spirit" of the season, I think. 

Fall color at BAYVIEW FARM AND GARDEN

YIKES! I didn't date this one and can't for the life of me remember when we were there. The 6th? The 13? I am obviously a little behind on my "bookkeeping". Anyway, it was a lovely day there, as always. Pumpkins and cornstalks and chrysanthemums all around. 

  

SKETCHING IN A RETRO "JAPANESE MODERN" HOME

We met at Sketcher Annette's unique and lovely early era Japanese Modern style home overlooking the Sound at Mutiny Bay. The view is extraordinary from her decks, and we all settled in comfortably in cozy deck chairs at tables. The spectacular, the view didn't appeal to me as much as did the exotic decorative pieces around the home. This golden rooster, one of a pair of handsome fighting roosters, especially caught my eye. I paired it up with a gilded imari bowl from a different room. Perfect together!
Fellow sketcher Judith lent me use of her neat set of gold watercolors, which made this guy really crow!