A Beautiful Summer

We are having the most spectacular summer.  I am watering the garden like crazy, but it has been unbelievably beautiful and warm.  Here are some recent sketches from Second Street Market.

Lillies from UBC

Booth at 2nd st market

Market from UBCoffee garden

Django Fest

Useless Bay Coffee was a wonderful location to enjoy the sounds of Django djammin' musicians.

Django Fest in Langley

We had a ball sketching all the impromptu jam sessions we could find around Langley. I had so much fun, I might have to go back again tomorrow for a second helping.

At Useless Bay Wines

At Useless Bay Coffee

In the Backroom at South Whidbey Commons

Jammin' Around Town

Django Fest is in Langley and that means fabulous sketching opportunities as musicians hit cafes all around town to jam.  Sketching stops today at Useless Bay Coffee garden and over wine at Useless Bay Wines tasting room.  What a blast!

Second Street Sketching

A stellar day of sketching in the sunshine with friends on Second Street.

Finnegan at  Rest: South Whidbey Commons

Pink Skirt: South Whidbey Commons

Father and Daughter: Useless Bay Coffee Company

South Whidbey Commons

South Whidbey Commons

Barbara looking fierce

Prima Bistro then Mo's Portrait Party

My first sketch of the evening is of Prima Bistro as Deja Blooze played some great tunes. I tried to capture the warmth and activity of the place. Next time we'll sit in front of the band.

The backside of one third of Deja Blooze at Prima Bistro

Later Sue and I migrated to Mo's for a little portrait party. First sitter was the charming and delightful Corey of Useless Bay Coffee fame. Turns out he's a sketcher too. A talented young man so we hope to recruit him into WISk.

Corey Sketching at Mo's

Then the amicable and proud James visiting from Tucson. James finds the Island's inhabitants friendly and approachable, much like himself. He was lucky and walked away with a sketch!

James Patiently Posing

Late UBCC Sketch

I'm feeling a little guilty about posting this so late. Here's my sketch from our WISk meeting at Useless Bay Coffee Co. As you can see I took a cue from Lisbeth's love of solid grounds. This kind of "see others create and then experiment" is one of the many possitives of being a member of WISk. It's wonderful to view everyone's processes and see through their eyes.

Phyllis Ray's Useless Bay Coffee Sketches

Sue

Diana & Lisbeth

The lovely and talented Phyllis Ray joined us for sketching this week. Love, love, love her sketches! We're hoping she will be a regular. Check out her work on the next Saturday Art Walk at 106 McLeod Alley in Langley.

Not really a good sketch day for me . . . .

. . . .  input overload, I think.  However, I DID manage a quick caricature sketch in Useless Bay Coffee of a cute little girl with Pippy Longstocking hair enjoying a cuppa with her sister and Mama. 

High on Art

Didn't get much sketching done this Wednesday, but it was one of the most fun and productive Wednesdays in memory. We had a great time and a great turnout at the Sketchers exhibit viewing at the Unitarian Church, including the delightful Anacortes sketchers and their entourage. Thanks to Christi Schaffer of the UUCWI art committee for opening the gallery for us. Some favorite nuggets of conversation overheard at the gallery:

"I'd love to attend services sometime. Do you allow atheists?" "Oh, yes! That's what many of us are!"

"Do you have a blog?" "A BLOG? There are only two of us. And we can't even draw!"(Anacortes Sketchers - I love those two nuts!)

The guy in the corner: UBCC

Next stop, Useless Bay Coffee, where we did some sketching and met the wonderful and talented Phyliss Ray, our new favorite Whidbey artist. After sketching, Phyllis invited us to her studio at 106 McLeod Alley for some wine and brainstorming. Stay tuned for more on that . . .

We were all just blown away by her oils and watercolor work. Check out Phyllis' Ray a Day and stop by the studio on the next Saturday Art Walk on February 5. Rumor is there will be wine, roses and chocolate!

Looking at art, talking about art, sketching, laughing, brainstorming, hatching plans . . .  all-in-all a perfect day. The creative juices were flowing and I came home exhilarated.

Useless Bay Coffee

A large group of sketchers filled up the back room of Useless Bay Coffee. Overwhelmed, I focused on the cookie directly in front of me.











After settling down, I had fun using primarily my pencil to sketch the person across the room.

Cozy drinks

Even though it was a pretty day outside, we were cozy inside drinking and enjoying the company of the Sketchers from Anacortes. The Sketchers show at UUChurch is terrific.

Latte drip

Muffin & Tea on the Red tray

A Day to Play

Today was a day just to play.  Experimented with putting down watercolor before doing any linework.  Tried bolder colors and color combinations.  A fun day to play.  Maybe it's because the sun came out today, bringing mid-winter joy to this sketcher.

Langley After Hours

We started with six sketchers in yesterday's nine hour sketch-a-thon. Four sketching venues in one day might be a record for us. But only two of us had the stamina to make it through to the end. Another great dinner and a few sketches at UBC, then on to Prima for one last sketch.

Some great hair at Useless Bay Coffee last night. I call this one Goldilocks

.

Rapunzel sat down next to Goldilocks.

Eating Dinner at Useless Bay Coffee

More diners at Useless Bay Coffee

He had a date, but they left before I got to her.

One last sketch and a nightcap at Prima

A Communist Hat at Prima

A sketch of Aaron wearing a communist military hat at Prima Bistro. Aaron is the conductor of Whidbey Island Orchestra. We sketchers hope to capture them during rehearsal sometime soon. Also a few sketches from Uselss Bay Coffee. Tasty fish Tacos! Looking forward to trying the BBQ.

Callahan's Firehouse Glass & Gadding about Langley

The Glory Hole

Sketching at Callahan's Firehouse Glass Studio and Gallery was great. I tried to capture the glory hole, where all the magic happens. I'd love to go back sometime and try to capture Callahan in action, Suzy the dog and some of the gorgeous art glass on display. If you're looking for a last minute gift, this is the place.

 

"The Hat" with actress, Katie Woodzick

We stopped at Prima Bistro for an apres-sketching glass of cheer and were rewarded with some primo sketching subjects. We were pretty excited to find this guy with the Russian hat sitting directly across from us. Theater people, of course! Everyone had to draw him.

 

A rough sketch of the back room at Useless Bay Coffee at closing time.

Then on to Useless Bay Coffee Company to check out their new dinner service. I've been hearing about their fish tacos and was not disappointed. The place was packed and lively.Seemed like everyone was there.(This sketch does not convey the lively atmosphere - it was done just as we were closing the place about 8:30.) Everything was topnotch and we are all just thrilled about having a new casual place for dinner with great food.

Sketching Jay @ Useless Bay

Jay sketching me and I was sketching him at Useless Bay.  Here I go again with the mirror thing!  It is fun! - Pat

Langley Musicians

Sunny day, jamming in the courtyard of the Useless Bay Coffee Co. (in spite of the beer sign on the building).

 

Django and Java at Langley Coffeehouses

Three musicians play while seven sketchers sketch them from every possible angle.

Someone blocked my view of the musicians at SW Commons, so I sketched the spectators.

Musicians gather after hours in front of a closed UBCC. And by "after hours," I mean 6pm.

Django at UBC

A splendid afternoon sitting on the UBC patio listening to great music, sketching with the sketchers and drinking delicious coffee. I call it Heaven.