Hats! Hats! Hats!

 

What fun it was to gather at Pat's with all sort of hats, and to sketch each other in our outfits.  There was a bit of Halloween in the air, as well as residual energy from Phyllis' 80th birthday.  Looking at my sketch of Phyllis as a witch, it kinda looks like she grew a beard!  I guess witches will do that.  And Judi ... her flowery hat and flowery outfit looked like Monet to me... and Marilyn .. I love her Annie Hall glasses and her cool vest.  What artist does that remind me of?  Hmmmm....

Aleli's Library

WISkers were guests of the Anacortes Sketchers and met at Alieli's beautiful and amazing home.  There were so many beautiful things to sketch that it was almost impossible to choose, but my favorite corner was in the library with its lovely stained glass lamp and bowl full of colorful Russian matroyska dolls.

Sketching on an OTHER ISLAND

In the middle of TWO GLORIOUS WEEKS on Beaver Island in the middle of Lake Michigan. Sketching the houses, the harbor and anything I can see!

Here is the "Wendy Ann" in Paradise Bay Harbor at the Beaver Island Marina. In the background, across the Bay, the CMU Boathouse.

 

Quintessential Beaver Island!  Along the main street, across the street from the harbor, the lilies, daisies, lavender and bright flags of Dalwhinnie's Deli and Bakery.

A Sketch and a little Watercolor of The Commons

Did this sketch while sitting with everybody in front of the Commons building in the warm sunshine.  Funny, each time I have sketched here it has been beautiful.  Guess the only way to bring on good weather is to come here with my paints!

The landscaping in front of the Commons is so lush and beautiful right now that I wanted to try to somehow get it and the building all in the same view.  Hard. This little composite view watercolor was the result.

Sketches from Choochokam

Sketched a little at Choochokam, among all the OUTSTANDING painters from Whidbey Island Fine Arts Studio.  Daunting. 

Here are young Romeo and Juliet, arranged on a chaise. 

The PBY on the hill

 

This is the PBY plane that greeted us at the top of the (cold, windy!) hill at NAS Oak Harbor at the Memorial.  It, and all the other memorabilia in the building, is quite stirring.  We were given a WARM, friendly royal welcome by the Docent volunteers and it was an altogether enjoyable experience. 

525 ROAD RALLY - WRONG AND RIGHT

So there were two ways to do the Road Rally Challenge - the right way and the wrong way.  The FIRST time I did it I did so many things wrong - didn't stay on the highway, didn't stay in my car and did it on the wrong day (Tuesday and I was dry and in bright sunshine!)  About all I did get right was the Animal/Vegetable/Mineral part.    But I am a perfectionist, and a teacher who always gave do-overs for "making it better".  So I awarded myself one today and did the road rally over -  RIGHT this time (well, mostly).  I started my sketches in my car pulled over on 525 (scared I was going to get sideswiped or run off private property with a gun) and sketched what I saw (or shot).  Here are the results.  I had ANOTHER great day, and am happy.  Sue???

(WRONG) ANIMAL!  Llama on "Fence Patrol" on Double Bluff Road

(WRONG) VEGETABLE 1!  Lilac bushes with their own private house - Bayview Road

WRONG AGAIN) VEGETABLE 2 -A field of my favorite Noxious Weed on Bayview Road

(WRONG) MINERAL! - It's there, but so light the scanner wouldn't pick it up - the giant rock that is Mt. Rainer,
seen from Double Bluff Beach park. 

RIGHT ANIMAL!!

RIGHT VEGETABLE!!

RIGHT MINERAL!!

Sidewalk colors at Anchor Books

Lots of color along the sidewalk leading out of the coffee shop up to Wild birds.  Azaleas and rhododendrons in bloom, all sorts of birds and rainbow banners in the sunshine.  

A Robin and a Chair at Bayview Corner

  What a BEAUTIFUL DAY for sketching outside!  The air was warm and sweet, the sun was shining - it was quite wonderful.  And just as I settled myself in to sketch the fountain in front of the Basil Cafe a robin landed on its top to survey the scene!  

There were even still some blossoms on the old apple tree above the twig chair.  It was a perfect day.  The WISkers were happy campers!

Sketching at Elliott's

Sitting out under the BIG tree, enjoying the birds, the skunk cabbage and Elliott's wonderful house.

Sketching @ Bailey's Corner Store

I spent the day Saturday with Susan Jensen and Tom Trimbath at Paul Petersen's glass blowing studio and gallery next to the Bailey Corner Store.  Had a wonderful time!  Absolutely loved watching Paul work his magic with globs of hot glass.  Especially enjoyed watching the creative process of his attempting a totally new lamp design and being there to witness the "birth" of a great new piece for his line of art glass (now I want one!)  I was impressed that he made all his own equipment in his forge, and I was impressed with him!

"The Girl in the Flowered Hat" @ Studio 106

Our beautiful young model last night (whose name, of course, totally escapes me) held this pose for 1 1/2 hours!  She never moved and never took a break!  She absolutely should be doing this professionally! Thank you to Phyllis for the use of Studio 106.  Again, it was a grand time of Art and Fellowship! ( . .  and for selling art!!)

CLOUDS OF MARCH, monthly challenge

Judi's "Lazarus the Dog"

March came in like a lion this year and hasn't left, presenting us with plenty of interesting clouds covering Whidbey Island to sketch and paint. Judi sketched two lovely watercolor scenes from Langley of daffodils and the Dog House. They like look like summer scenes; Pat did a romantic monotone sketch through the ferryboat window and Lois sketched stormy clouds approaching from Wildes Road.

Lois' "Storm Clouds Approaching"

Judi's "Clouds and Daffodils"

Pat's view through the  ferryboat window

Sketching Time . . . .

. . . . at the Thrift Store in Freeland.  Dropped some things off, bought some others, then sat upstairs in the corner with "my" clocks.  Glad they were still all there on the wall, marking time, waiting to be sketched.

"It's a BEAUTIFUL DAY in the NEIGHBORHOOD. . . ."

. . .  a beautiful day for our neighbors!  And everyone who was out enjoying the warmth of the sun and the company of friends at the Commons Coffeehouse on Wednesday.

SKETCHING in the COMPASS ROSE KITCHEN

"TO CROP .  .  .  .   .

OR NOT TO CROP?  THAT IS THE QUESTION"

So MUCH from which to choose!  But the kitchen, with its copper pans, orchid, amaryllis and bamboo plants, maiolica crockery and perky rooster pitcher called to me the most.  The Nutcracker Chef and I settled in at the cozy little table for a long and satisfying sketching session.

Working "outside the box" at Bayview Nursery

Still continuing to "find my way" in this new art form.  Among the plants at Bayview Nursery I decided to try two different methods of creating a sketch.  This first one, of all the watering cans, was done by laying down areas of wash, then using a waterproof Lumocolor pen to draw directly over them.  Very little pencil structure underneath - a VERY big step for me.   This method certainly saves time.  Fast sketch.

This one was done with washes first, as well, but then finished by direct drawing over the top with the Lamy pen,  again with very little pencil.  Instead I used a lot of contour style drawing which is something a rarely do.  Both of these were a long stretch for me.   I am not sure how successful they were, but as learning experiences go, they were they were OK.

"MYSTERY" Fun at Studio 106

The little Red Shed outside Studio 106 on the alley.

Sherryl in her Giant Pink Hat

The Major Paynes'

So I got brave and joined the REAL WOMEN, women made of tough stuff (like Wired Wilma) and drove out through what was left of the cold and snow (not much of it by Sunday), to sketch downtown during Mystery Weekend.  Phyllis Ray left us her FABULOUS cozy dream studio to use while she hid out in Mexico.   It was quite sublime - Sherryl posed, as did some of the "cast members" and I was totally taken by the little red shed out front.

A sweet little pair of Poo's - Jazzy and Phoebe

Diane B. so graciously opened her magnificent Greenbank home to us today and it was just an amazing time.  Not only were there wonderful things to see in her home everywhere you looked, but there was the dearest little welcoming committee at the door every time someone came in!  When they were quite done checking out every new guest they retreated to the comfort of their basket in front of the woodstove for a snuggle. 

A sketch before my trip to L.A.

Off to Los Angeles to visit a friend, but, before I go, a sketch with the group in the VERY "target rich" environment of The Red Rooster Antique Mall in Freeland.  I was drawn immediately to the trunk full of quilts, of course.