Sketching the old Fred Lewis Building Now

Monday I had such a great adventure! Anacortes sketcher friends and I walked on the Port Townsend Ferry at Whidbey Island for a ride across the sea and a day of sketching. We prowled the town, both "Uptown" and "Downtown" but passed up the opportunity to explore "Undertown".

The old Fred Lewis Building (1889) is great fun to sketch! This is inspired by Liz Steel's online class Sketchingnow Edges. Tap to see a larger photo and to follow my process step by step. 

I got a bit carried away with my two new pens on that last bit. Not sure that it needed the sidewalk.

This building is on the National Register of Historical Buildings. The top two floors have been vacant for many years. Problems with the building are nothing new. A piece of cornice fell onto the sidewalk in 1999, nearly striking the mayor, who happened to be walking by. More debris was apparently dislodged during the Nisqually Earthquake in 2001. People with babies in strollers have been asked to move on.

Good thing I decided to be across the street so I could view the whole building.

A Midsummer Day's Dream

Words cannot describe it! Anacortes Sketchers were invited to visit TerraBella in the countryside of Conway, WA, this afternoon. This delightful wedding venue has a garden and properties cared for by the equally delightful owners, Caroline and Loren. I took 79 actual photos and double that in mental images that I will never forget.

There is something charming through every vista and around every corner, including the owner, Caroline.

All this is enjoyed by the owners, of course, but intended as the perfect setting for an outdoor wedding. I imagine those married here this summer are pinching themselves to make sure they haven't just been dreaming.

Here's the full spread in the last two pages of my sketchbook.

These are the separate compositions:

The Airstream sits behind the flower bed, door and windows open in the breeze.

Fresh linens drying in the summer sun. Heavy peach boughs propped with stakes.

Sea Breezes, Flowers, fresh Penn Cove Mussels and Sketching Coupeville with ASk

Aqua Gifts on Front Street, one of my favorite gift shops.

These are the individual closeups of my sketches after a full day on Front Street in Coupeville on Whidbey Island with the Anacortes Sketchers.To see how these closeups look in the full spread of my sketchbook, please visit Anacortes Sketchers blog here.

Empty wine bottle and mussel shells from dinner tonight.

Almost every shop has flowers out front

I can remain standing on the sidewalk while I sketch and paint.

Instead of taking the ferry, I drove around the long way (about 70 miles one way) to meet up with The Anacortes sketchers today. It was the Monday after the Fourth of July weekend and there was an unusually large amount of traffic all the way from Marysville to my destination.

You drive around Penn Cove, famous for the freshest mussels anywhere, and come to Coupeville, this great little village with flowers on every doorstep and cool sea breezes mixing with delicious aromas from the waterfront bars and bistros.

Once I got there, I had to spend a little more time looking for parking since the town was also unusually busy. I finally settled on this spot in the shade on a side street, with a view of "Aqua Gifts" on the east end of Front Street and started sketching with my Micron pen and my Pentalic Aqua Journal.

There were sketchers all along the waterfront and even up the hill a block or two. Everyone enjoyed their own way of exploring the town, sketching, visiting, shopping, etc. At the end of the day, some of us went into Toby's for a cold drink and fresh Penn Cove Mussels. I got a pound of fresh mussels to take home and steam for dinner tonight. They turned out great!

Sketching at Tri Dee Art Supply

Tri Dee Art Supply back door and mural. 

There's always such a positive, welcoming environment when I go to Tri Dee Art Supply in Mt. Vernon.You can tell it's going to be creative, fun and exciting, just by the way it looks on the outside!

The back wall has a huge mural that says, "Make Art Not War". It consists of 139 pieces made by members of the community, from the owner's daughter to well known artists.

In the alley, there is a giant chalkboard with blank spaces for you to fill in your words at the end of the sentence: "Before I die I want to____________". Anyone can write on it. Just like the people who made them, the statements are thought provoking, sad, affirmative or amusing.

I liked the ones that said: Before I die I want to:
........Ride an elephant with (name)
........Dance lots
........Take over the world with GOATS
While I was outside sketching, I saw what seemed to be a newly engaged couple, with their photographer, writing that they wanted to marry each other.

On the tree out in front, there is an example of probably the most positive form of graffiti, a yarn bomb. A lovely, colorful cozy has been custom fitted around the tree. This is no beginner project, with various bright colors and patterns, extending several feet all the way up to where it branches in two, and beyond!

Only three of us (Anne, Michele, Sandy) made it back inside the store for a photo on the steps with our sketches.

It was such a lovely day, sunny and in the 60's. What a treat for February! So although our sketch meet up was planned so that we could shelter from winter inside, many of us just had to take advantage of the early spring weather. Some walked up and down the block, others joined up way down by the river. I'm looking forward to seeing their sketches as they post them on the Anacortes Sketchers Blog in the next few days! So much to tell you today, so I'll post my sketches from the day tomorrow!

A Collector's Treasures

Yesterday, I visited a wonderful place with fellow sketchers from ASk. I mean to say, the place wasn't just virtual, it was a state of mind.
We were at the home of one of our fellow artists and she shared her treasures with us. Just like the person, the home was beautiful both inside and out.

(In progress) Almost finished with this year's Sketchbook Project!

All stored in jars, baskets and the collector's memory, each small and seemingly insignificant piece has a story.

Meanwhile, outside the cosy tasting room...

A very cold day in Anacortes

I stayed a little longer on Monday to finish the color on the copper still. The sun goes down early here and I wanted to run some errands on the way home, so I finished up at the distillery around 4:20-ish. I posted that spread yesterday.

On the way home, there were tempting views I hadn't seen before of the Cascade Mountains and Mt. Baker. (I'll be back!) Nevertheless, this time I went to a spot where I know I can safely park and sketch. It simply proved too hard to resist! Today I finished it with watercolor while sipping my latte at home. Ahhhhh! Fulfillment!

Deception Distillery in Anacortes

Today I joined the Anacortes sketchers at the Deception Distillery in Anacortes. We got a tour of the distillery and adjoining barrel room as well as the warehouse full of beautiful marble slabs.

These barrels are empty, waiting for a new batch of moonshine. The mystery object was discovered to be Roy's missing jet ski.

Although it was an icy cold day and the warehouse wasn't much warmer, I just had to stay out there and  sketch the barrels above me in the attic.

Empty barrels in the attic

Unaged whiskey is called moonshine

The hammered copper kettle with its pear shaped helmet and two steam columns looked like a beautiful polished musical instrument. The staff nicknamed the still Jeannie, since it reminds them of the bottle from which a Genie appeared in fables.

Paul, our host and guide, offered a taste of the Apple Pie and Blueberry Apple Pie spirits or the gin. Needless to say, we all stayed cozy and warm while sketching in the elegant tasting room!

At Carolyn's in Anacortes with ASk

We were invited to come and sketch at the home of Anacortes Sketcher, Carolyn, today. Through the beautiful wrought iron gates and into a warm and hospitable atmosphere we came.

More photos and sketches on the Anacortes Sketchers' Blog.

Homemade baked goods and pots of piping hot coffee or tea were offered. The butter cream frosting was like a pillow of creamy sweet goodness! Just the right thing on top of Carolyn's rich, moist (gluten free) chocolate cupcakes! Perfect balance!
Everyone chose a spot at the large family sized table in the Victorian dining room or in the cozy parlor. Then we spent the afternoon sketching, visiting and admiring works in progress.

That makes 6 more for NaNoDrawMo 2014, unless I get desperate and then I'm counting each one of those truffles!
Total: 48/50

It was a Yummy Day!

I should have posted this yesterday, but I was interrupted by life. Here is my sketchbook spread from our Anacortes Sketchers outing to Skagit River Produce.

My friend, Sylvia, gave me the title for this post. It truly was a yummy day!

It was a Yummy Day!

I sketched at Skagit River Produce today with the Anacortes Sketchers. We had some new ones from all over the countryside, Anacortes, Marysville, Mt. Vernon, Whidbey Island, Camano Island, Snohomish, and more! We even met a Canadian art teacher who was on his way home from the marathon in Portland.
Back in the bakery, Lauren baked fresh pies and the air smelled like peaches, rhubarb and butter all the way in from the parking lot. The pies were still hot when we ate them for lunch. Yummmmm!

My sketches (zoom)

I think Sylvia and I were the last to leave.....we just kept finding things to add to our sketchbooks....and the light just kept getting "yummier"!

Rosario

My sketch in progress on location 9/8/14

Anacortes Sketchers roamed all over the Rosario beach section of the Deception Pass park system today. Rosario Beach is a small cove on the southwestern corner of Fidalgo Island where you’ll find sandy beaches, centuries old trees that provide perches for bald eagles, and a meadowy bluff that comes to life with wildflowers in the spring.

I've been enjoying the paper texture and proportions of my new tiny Pentalic Aqua pocket journal. It's easy to carry, but presents a bit of awkward maneuvering while working on the bottom edge.

Finished sketch--Rosario, Looking Eastward (zoom to see larger)

Fidalgo Bay

Still at Seafarers' Memorial Park, but sitting in the cool shade of the sculpture, Lady of the Sea, I found this panorama for my new sketchbook. (More about the new sketchbook on Sunday.)

Getting started with line and establishing the distance

Finished Sketch

Edison

There's always something sketch-worthy in Skagit farm country, especially at the peak of the summer growing season. There are road side stands selling flowers this week, but they'll have home grown fresh vegetables and fruit to offer soon.

"Farm Fresh Eggs" ink sketch on location, Bow, WA

Although the Anacortes Sketchers were meeting for lunch at 12:30, I drove out a little early to see what the day would offer. I could have sketched the whole day and never made it to Edison, but I settled on doing a 15 minute ink sketch at Rosabella's Garden Bakery. Then I drove back to our lunch spot to wait for the others and added watercolor, parked in the shade. I need to let it dry before posting, so I'll add it into tomorrow's post.

Jane and Lisbeth sketching in a high traffic area of Edison. (Pop. 110)

With temperatures soaring into the high 90's elsewhere, the Anacortes sketchers lounged in the shade in Edison this afternoon. It was a refreshing 84°F, in the shade. My car made it to 100°F where it was parked on Cains Ct near "Hedgerow".

Some of the renowned restaurants were closed on Monday, but not the Breadfarm, where I bought a wonderful loaf of ciabatta bread, warm from the oven. (My husband and I enjoyed thick slices of it with brie, olives and cold prawns for dinner. Yumm!)

Cap Sante Marina with ASk

Met with Anacortes sketchers today at the Cap Sante Marina in Anacortes. Right away I noticed the masts, flags and rigging of two tall ships.

Hawaiian Chieftain now joins Lady Washington, the Official Ship of the State of Washington, in educational cruises and ambassadorial visits along the west coast throughout the year.

My shady spot disappeared at the point where I was adding color to my sketch of the distant rigging of Lady Washington. Even so, I needed to let background washes dry before adding darks and details.

So Joyce and I walked down to see the ship up close. I found out the name of the boat blocking my view of the entire profile....Zorro. :-/