Sketching at Double Bluff Beach

A "Two-fer" today - Sketching with the gang, and also turning in my homework for Miguel "Freekhand" Herranz's Urban Sketching Klass in Sketchbook Skool. His technique for Spiral Drawing (a very enjoyable technique, by the way) involves drawing out from a detailed central focal area, spiraling out to the edges. You can capture a lot of detail this way, without getting confused. It was a perfect fit for my day of drawing down at the beach with the Whidbey Island Sketchers. Double Bluff beach was having a very low tide and people were out it droves to enjoy it. At one glance up I counted around 45 people on the tide flats! 
I am always drawn to the driftwood "huts" that people assemble and leave on the beach, and wanted to draw the beach scene outside of one, from inside it. Sketcher buddies Barbara and Mary put together a driftwood seat inside for me so I could sit and draw. It was a perfectly wonderful 2 1/2 hours in the shade and sea breeze. You'll notice I did not say SUNSHINE, as the skies are still murky and smoke filled from the fires. But it was glorious, nonetheless.

Wild Man Cooley

I've been doing some outdoor concert sketching this summer. Lavender Wind Farm hosted four free concerts during their bloom season. Mary C and I went to see Wild Man Coolely a few weeks ago.  Sitting outdoors on a sunny afternoon, sketching and listening to live music, surrounded by the fragrant fields of lavender in full bloom is quite an experience. Add the taste of lavender scones and lavender ice cream and you've got all the senses covered. The band was excellent, but I couldn't get all of them on the page of my little sketchbook. 

Al Anderson House

July 30, 2017, almost ready! Back door entry.

June 7, 2015, under repair! Side view from Langley cemetery.

It's been a couple of years since they started remodeling this historic old farmhouse. I painted the 2015 sketch while sitting in the nearby cemetery.

My dog and I watch the changes happening while walking in the morning. The early morning light makes the old trees have dramatic shadows on the grass in the Spring; the late afternoon light puts a spotlight on the new green house color.   Amazingly, the front door faces North and is small and unattractive and I never noticed because it faces the Pea Patch and flower gardens, which grew up years after the house was built. 

There are many apple trees on the property and three cows that love apples. My idea of fun is to collect apples in the Fall and bring them to feed the cows.  It takes getting over being squeamish to put it directly in their mouth!  They have very long black tongues!

This house will become a vrbo, for rent.  The upgrades in the kitchen are modern but look compatible with the rest of the house.  It is cozy, sunny, and reminiscent of the era in which it was built; whoever stays there will enjoy the atmosphere and the neighborhood.

Rubatno: Joyful Music in the sunshine

MARKET, MARIMBA AND THE MERCANTILE

With the Sketchers today in Langley to sketch the street vendors and enjoy Kim Stokely's Marimba group performing at the Commons. I had no more than plunked myself down in my chair, under my umbrella, in the bright sunshine, behind the barricade in front of the vegetable stand, in the middle of the Second Street Market, than two kids sucking on big suckers crawled up into the Starboxx to have the obligatory in-the-Starboxx photo taken by their mother. The Starboxx is an art installation by John Alsip (or bus stop, or photo booth, or sculptural icon of Langley, whichever you choose) that sits in the parking lot, behind the newly remodeled rear entry of Prima Bistro, and the Star Store and Mercantile. As I already had the drawing done, it was a cinch to drop them into the sketch. I had only to reassure mom that their faces would not appear on the internet. Sorry Mom. I'm pretty sure no one will know it's them . . . !

Sherryl's Birthday

We sketched at Sherryl's garden in honor of her July 13th birthday. Her true art form was woodworking. Some of her pieces were on the shelf....truly lyrical.

Sketching at the BEALL home

Today we sketched at the lovely home and gardens of the Jan and Dick Beall, with a breathtaking view of the ocean and the Olympic Mountains in the distance. The sun was shining, a lovely breeze was blowing off the water, and, of course, the company was outstanding!
I decided to channel both Mike Burroughs and Tommy Kane, though I have neither Danny's wit, nor Mike's architectural eye. So I deflected with a windsock, some birds and a kitty cat.

Langley Marina - Friday, June 30

Last Friday was a wonderful day to paint in the sunshine with a terrific group of artists. As an added bonus, the view for happy hour couldn't have been better!
Marg Tollefson

Claudia Fuller - sketching at the Marina

Here is Claudia's sketch of the marina today. 

Sketching at the Langley Marina, in the SUNSHINE!

Today, with Whidbey island Sketchers, just down the hill at the Langley Marina - VERY bright sunshine, warm, breezy, LOTS of Sketchers - it couldn't have been a nicer day. And, best of all, we weren't stuck waiting in a holiday ferry line! 

This is the Langley Dock Company building, and one of the Marina Inns. It sits directly on water of the Marina. Magnificent view!

Dancing Fish Farm

Last Friday we spent sketched and drank red wine at Dancing Fish Vineyards.  Dancing Fish is set in amongst beautiful rolling hills with barns, vineyard, firepits.  They have entertainment on Friday nights in one of the smaller barns.  It's the perfect venue for a wedding and one was planned for the next day!

There are cozy places to sit under cover and view the vineyard and barns. The farm has cozy fleece blankets to use for protecting yourself from the wind. Though it was sunny, it was also windy that afternoon, so we put the blankets to good use!  Someone brought the cherries and my other sketch was a small building nestled amongst the grapevines.

Yummy cherries

The vineyard

BLUE HERON RUST SCULPTURE - on the reflection pond at Whidbey Pies, Greenbank Farm

It was another glorious summer day on Whidbey Island, the kind that reinforces the knowledge that we are blessed to live here. Whidbey Island Sketchers met outside Whidbey Pies at Greenbank Farm, in the sunshine, amid the wonders of nature. While I was serenaded by Redwing Blackbirds, Mourning Doves, Robins, Gulls, Crows, Mallard ducks, bullfrogs and peepers, I sat amongst a long ton of Canada goose poop at the edge of the pond, entranced by this view of the restaurant terrace. Finished a whole sketch on site, and came home with slices of fresh Rhubarb/Apple and Marionberry pie for feet-up/chair-time tonight. Any day that ends with pie is a day well spent.

Bayview Nursery

Tahitian Treasure Grandiflora at Bayview Farm and Garden

SKETCHING AT JUDITH'S HOUSE

A beautiful day for sketching in the gardens and on the decks of sketcher Judith Van Arnam's house. My eye was caught both by the flash of Opera Rose geraniums welcoming us at the front door, and by the heron weathervane soaring high atop the house against the Cobalt Blue sky.