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"! 

Whidbey Island Winery vines

 

Here's a reminder of summer... a small oil painting of the Whidbey Island Winery vines. 

WHIDBEY WINERY

Spent the afternoon sitting out behind the Winery building sketching some well aged barrels, oh, and sampling some very nice rose. Not Merlot. That stuff is totally not to my taste. It just has a nice, sketchable label. 

Whidbey Island Winery

Sketchers and wineries go together like peas and carrots. What better place to indulge in our favorite pastimes? Comfort is when the sun is shining, there are sketchers scattered about the landscape, and wine is near. Thanks to our hosts at Whidbey Island Winery. Another A+ day for WISk. 

whidbey island winery concert

a beautiful place to sketch and listen to music

A sunny Saturday at Whidbey Island Winery

As always our friends at the winery were very welcoming.

They were busy giving a tour and pruning the vines.

Guests were enjoying the wine and the day.

Whidbey Island Winery

Better late than never I guess. I loved our day at Whidbey Island Winery. The weather was sweet and soft and the sketchers were scattered around the grounds. One of my favorite kinds of days.

Masterpiece

Red Geraniums at Whidbey Island Winery

After a short tutorial from the world famous artist Phyllis Ray, Mary discovered the joy of color. She is now free. This is the resulting masterpiece. Thank you Phyllis. The next glass of wine is on Mary.

Behind the Winery

I "set up shop" over behind the winery by the garden fence and this great "junk" sculpture made out of cast-off, rusty implements.  The vintners were cleaning out the grape vats in preparation for the harvest and it smelled so good back there - very grapey and like wine.  The corn was still high and on the stalks and all the flowers were still in bloom.  There were hollyhocks and dahlias(?) marigolds(?) and some purple flower I didn't know at all.  And there was a lovely marmalade cat . . . . .

Wanings at Whidbey Island Winery

I count us lucky. The weather gods blessed us with one of our last nice days for sketching outdoors. We spent it at Whidbey Island Winery's beautiful park setting. There were peeks of sun and warmth, and with friends and wine, it made for a perfect day.
Besides the nice weather, the light is waning too. I think my Whidbey Island Winery sketch reflects it. I did a silly thing and chose a dark spot under a madrona to focus on.
Here are my sketches for the day...

After the winery Sue and I headed to Mo's for a few more sketches and a burger. I gravitated to the gentleman on the left because of his great profile. Unusual and handsome.

On the right... At times I get tired of drawing the backs of people. Oh well. It becomes more about the medium, light and composition.

 

  

Whidbey Island Winery and Mo's

Whidbey Island Winery

Yesterday's sketching was a real treat - a wonderful afternoon spent with new and old friends, a sketchbook, a glass of Whidbey Island White and even a little sunshine! We also had a watercolor demo by Phyllis which led to Mary's big breakthrough. She promised to post it as her first contribution to the blog - stay tuned!

Dahlias and nasturtiums:Whidbey Island Winery

Mos': Mr. Adams works a puzzle

Mo's: A lively conversation about flying

Evening Concert at Whidbey Island Winery

I had the great fortune of hearing Levi Burkle (guitar) and James Hinkley (cello) play at Whidbey Island Winery. They sure make beautiful music as a duo. As well as independently. They're both great musicians. And the Winery's setting made it even more heavenly. Grape vines, tree canopies, grassy lawns and people picnicking, each with a glass of wine, all made for some good sketch subjects. Here's a few...

Waiting for the concert.

James and Levi

Sketched with eyes closed.

Whidbey Island Winery

The garden art at Whidbey Island Winery was a fun addition to the gardens.
After a long stretch without sketching it was wonderful to sit with friends on a sunny day at our local winery.

Whidbey Island Winery

We sketched at Whidbey Island Winery on Langley Road this week. It's a lovely setting and a happening place. I just read on their website that there is a live music event there tonight - Notte' di Vino - sounds enchanting!

This sketch looks a lot like my sketch last week at Greenbank Cellars Winery. I guess I'm just a sucker for a scene framed by at tree in the foreground.

I can't believe the winery is only about 2 miles from my house and I've never been there before. As someone in our group said Wednesday, one of the great things about our sketching group is getting out and discovering all the wonderful places right under our noses! Thanks to Wendy for treating us to a bottle of Island White while we sketched!

Whidbey Island Winery

With Tuesday's break from the rain, I did some quick sketching at the Whidbey Island Winery. The tasting room wasn't open so I couldn't enjoy a glass of wine afterward, darn. But, the objects and scenes to paint make great subjects.