VALENTINE!

Feb. "F's" - FEBRUARY FOURTEENTH - Enjoying a Valentine Fabrication Party last FRIDAY at Whidbey Island Sketcher FAYE’S House - FABULOUS FRIENDS FOREVER with a FONDNESS for SKETCHING!!! (And FOOD, wine and FRIVOLITY, of course.) And the fruits of my labors with all the materials every brought for the Make a Valentine Day. Such FUN.

Langley Whale Center

If you haven't visited the new Langley Whale Center, I highly recommend it.  A group of very dedicated Salish Sea and whale loving people await to converse with you, allow you to enjoy their extensive exhibits, as well as to check out their delightful gifts.  I was very touched by their crusade to bring Tokitae home again... the last surviving Orca who was kidnapped out of Penn Cove back in the '70s and who continues to live in terrible confinement at an amusement park.  Bring her home!  They have a plan for her re-introduction to her native waters.  She has family here; she still speaks their dialect.  This watercolor sketch is from a sculpture by Richard Brown of resident Pod J6.

Sketching at Casey's Crafts

This week, Whidbey Island Sketchers headed to Casey's Crafts. Surrounded by all sorts of ribbons, fabric, notions, paint and supplies we marshaled our wits to figure out in all the visual smorgasbord we each wanted to draw. I found this stack of plaid fabrics all color coordinated and ready for someone's project. Normally I don't choose to draw things that are so repetitive but for some reason this just looked like fun. Thanks Lori for letting us sketch in your store!

Sketching Costumes

This was my 2nd year getting to go sketch at WICA's costume loft. Oh my! What temptations to draw on every side! I found this hat and just had to sketch it. It was covered with silk roses of all shades and had a peacock feather artistically draping over the brim. What fun! Thanks so much Judith for setting this up!

Sketching Costumes

Huge thanks and gratitude to Costume Mistress Judith V. for allowing the Whidbey Island Sketchers up into the costume storage loft at Whidbey Island Center for the Arts (WICA). So many beautiful costumes, hats, headdresses, capes, fans and SHOES!!! Very hard to choose and focus on just one neat thing to draw!

WICA Costume Loft

This is going to date me, but today I sketched these black and white wing tips at the WICA Costume Loft, the whole time with Joe Jackson, "Gotta Look Sharp!" in my head.

Oh what fun it is to sketch with the Whidbey Island Sketchers!!!!

Sketching the ABUNDANT EARTH FIBER MILL in Clinton

Whidbey Island Sketchers were invited to the ABUNDANT EARTH FIBER MILL in Clinton to sketch the looms, spinning wheels, and hanks and hanks of soft, colorful wools. I find it amazing that in the over seven years I have lived here I never know this place existed. I guess it shows my lack of spinning, weaving, knitting and sheepies knowledge.

The Clay House

I totally agree with Judi ... the Clay house was a wonder of visions.  The tough part was figuring out what to sketch.   Well, I focused on this art piece ... first, I sketched the pooch to start a buddy art for Emily.  Then, I did the whole thing.  We had a wonderful time, a great group showed up, we heard reports of Mary & the gang's visit to Emily ...

Another FABULOUS sketching day!

Once again, being a member of the Whidbey Island Sketchers tribe afforded me an opportunity to be a guest in another absolutely STUNNING Island home I probably would otherwise never have had. We were invited to sketch in the incredible Clay home in Greenbank, a feast for the eyes in every direction. The high-bank scenery view over the inlet, the gardens, the architecture and furnishings - there was so much to see that I almost couldn’t settle on one thing. But I found a comfortable spot to sit, and bingo! - right in from of me was this lovely old clock, tucked in a corner of the stone fireplace. "Cogsworth the Clock"! Too good to pass up!

Which to do first?

So, the question of "which comes first" (NOT the chicken or the egg) but the INK or the WATERCOLOR, came up again in a group to which I belong.

My answer - "This is exactly what happens (to ME, at least), when I start with ink first. My work leaves the roundhouse as a nice ink sketch and takes off, but when it pulls into the station it has gone way past sketch, roared past painting, and arrives with bell and whistle as a full blown illustration. And, for me, it NEVER fails to do this. If I want a nice, fast, easy, loose sketch, I stick with areas of watercolor FIRST, then ink."

I started this at the Christmas party table at Cynthia's house yesterday. These are a trio of her holiday decorative matroyskas from her tree and her shelves (and, of course, some of her mushrooms). I did all the ink work there, and then finished at home. The nice, loose, fresh one is from last year, started watercolor first.

I rest my case.

Peter and the Starcatcher

A front row seat at WICA's fun production of "Peter and the Starcatcher" (the prequel to Peter Pan) gave me all the leg room I could ask for AND a prime position for sketching the fabulous costumes. Tiger Lily's costume and attitude were fierce, but she didn't stay still long enough to get much of a sketch. Alas, tonight is the final night.

 

Santa at Debra's

Ho!  Ho!  Ho!  We're almost at the Winter Solstice, and it seemed that today got very dark very early. We're nearing the shortest day of the year! Thank you, Debra, for welcoming us into your gorgeous home.  Your sparkly lights and Christmas decorations were magical!  I loved sketching with everybody and appreciated gathering "trade secrets."  Felt like gifts all around.  The spirit of Christmas was everywhere!  I was an excited kid brimming over with the Christmas spirit.  Thank you for turning that on in me... inspired me to twinkle up my home.

Chapala Again

Some sketches from my last trip to Chapala. I've been working in on cheap brown paper lately, for psychological reasons.

A view from the Beer Garden on the Chapala Malecon -a great spot for guacamole and people watching.

Las Mananitas entrance

Cactus in QQ gardens. I see a gargoyle.

Pots in QQ garden

A sketch meet of the Lakeside Sketchers (really just me and Phyllis)

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice

I loved trying to draw Bunny. Such a happy and busy little girl! Sweet personalities seem to run in the family.

Bunny finished her meal before I finished my sketch. Oh, well. I got what I got.

At Paula's on 12/1 - my first post on the blog!