Nearby - La Conner & Anacortes

Summer is a terrific time to take a watercolor sketching on location workshop - fabulous warm weather, great water views and sunny skies.  Three of us from the Whidbey Island Sketchers joined a few from the Anacortes Sketchers and a few sketchers from Samish Island for a 4 day workshop taught by Montreal sketcher/painter Shari Blaukopf. 

 

Below = my workshop work on (top to bottom):  1) simplifying, 2) boats, and 3) foliage.  Still MUCH to learn and practice but it was a glorious 4 days!

 

Mt. Baker and La Conner across the channel from the Swinomish shores.

Learning basic boat shapes at Cap Sante, Anacortes, WA

Focusing on foliage at Causland Park, Anacortes, WA

Tulips, Christianson's Nursery, Winery Oh my!

Whatta day! Drawing the vibrant tulips in the car because of high winds. Finding shelter at delightful and many faceted Christianson's Nursery. I found myself drawn to the gift shop that looked and felt like something out of the way past. Comforting. Then to be hosted by the Anacortes group at the sweet winery! And if that wasn't enough...out to dinner at the Brew Pub. What a delightful day!

La Conner fun

 A day off having fun with the Sketchers!  My life these days has been following a roller over the walls of the new Whidbey Art Gallery, (www.whidbeyartists.com )we are opening in Langley.  I made an appointment to have some fun and sketch in our lovely La Conner. Brunch at the Farmhouse Restaurant, Tulip Fields Christiansen's Nursery, Wine Bar and then a delicious burger. Thank you to our lovely hostess's from Anacortes for the most wonderfully organized day.  They excelled in making us feel special!

Primary colors

Lap Cat & Dee

I was trying to sketch with a calligraphy pen???

Tulip Time Across the Water

I love our sketching field trips.  Thanks to the Anacortes Sketchers for organizing our joint outing where sketchers from 3 islands converged on the Skagit Valley yesterday.

Work caused me to miss the tulip fields yesterday morning so I included a watercolor sketch I did at home last night looking down into the middle of a fading tulip from last weekend's visit to the fields.

I joined the group at Hellams Vineyards' wonderful tasting room in LaConner.  What fun to sketch and gab and taste wine.  Cheers!

La Conner Field Day

McLean Road Tulips

Yesterday was the much awaited - Skagit Valley Tulip Festival and joint summit of Anacortes Sketchers and Whidbey Island Sketchers! The wind and rain put a bit of a crimp in our tulip field sketching plans, but we each got in a sketch or two from the shelter of our cars.

House plants at Christianson's Nursery

We moved on to Christianson's Nursery for some indoor sketching. Being a lazy sketcher, I settled into a comfy rocking chair in an out-of-the-way corner and just drew what was before me. I was comfortable, but missed out on all the vibrant colors everyone else was capturing. Green with envy, I guess. Nyuk, nyuk.

Wine display at Hellam's Vineyard

Onward to Hellam'sVineyard where we enjoyed the hospitality of the lovely and talented Anacortes Sketchers. We love our sister sketchers to the North!

"Slice of Lisbeth" at Hellam's

The lovely Faye!

Pat drove us home.