EDiM 30 and EDiM 31 - Birdfeeder-Eggs-Nest

Still catching up with EDiM

Tap or Click for Higher Resolution Photo

Interesting coincidence:
EDiM 30- A birdhouse or birdfeeder
I saw this birdfeeder at our son's home in New Mexico and sketched it with our granddaughter. Then last Monday, I was with the Anacortes Sketchers in Conway, WA, and saw another one just like it. Before this, I had never before seen any quite like these. I wonder if they are antiques.

EDiM 31 - Eggs
I LOVE eggs! Everything about them: How they look, how they feel, how they taste, what you can make out of them and drawing, sketching, painting them.

Nutmeg, the Balloon Fairy

Nutmeg, the balloon fairy, making a red puppy for Quinn

Yes, I did promise to post the entire sketch spread with the nest and eggs and etc. But I forgot that there was an important lunch date with my granddaughters and daughter-in-law in Bellingham today. Besides, after lunch we went to the Fairhaven Village Green and there was music, dancing, face painting and a balloon fairy.

I got out my Micron pen and did manage to find one more page available in my Pentalic Aqua Journal. I tried to draw discreetly, but she's a fairy and she caught me! I pretended that I wanted to buy something for my great granddaughter, but she knew what I was doing. Fairies are clever that way.

Bellingham Balloon Fairy, Nutmeg, at the Fairhaven Village Green

Bellingham Balloon Fairies live here.

Quinn watches closely as Nutmeg works her magic.

More From TerraBella

I mentioned in yesterday's post that I had another sketch from TerraBella, a wedding venue where the beautiful grounds and buildings are all set up for outdoor weddings. One of the buildings is called "Nest". It's exclusively for the bride and her party. A quiet place for them to rest before the ceremony.

Steps leading up to the porch and what I discovered in "Nest"

I didn't post this one yesterday because I had an idea!

Two reasons I didn't post my pencil sketch from yesterday:

1. I had an idea! I thought I might have fun using my watercolor pencils (which were at home) and couldn't wait to try them on this subject.....it's so curvilinear!
2. It was only a scribble of a pencil sketch and needed color. (besides, I got an extra 15 minutes from the sketchers before we shared our work and I decided to use them to finish the color on the Airstream.)

Nest Eggs-Original watercolor by Michele Cooper

I am putting this on the EDiM Day 31 page in my sketchbook. Still trying to catch up! But wait! There's More! I am working on another section of that page and will post the whole spread tomorrow.

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.

Street Yoga?

Out sketching at Occidental Park with the Seattle urban sketchers yesterday, I saw this row of chairs and tables leading all the way back to the Bamba Fusion food truck. Zoom in for a closer look and you will discover a group of men practicing some unusual and odd postures. Is it possible that there's a new movement of street yoga that I don't know about?

If so, I believe that I have deciphered the names of some of the poses: (left to right)

1. Deodorant check
2. Hair of the Dog
3. Lean and Read (balance)
4. Centering head in circle (back)
5. Hokey Pokey-right foot in (front)
6. Street Lamp
7. Hands Free Text and Walk Stretch (advanced)
8. Wedgie

As break dancing is to ballroom, street yoga could prove a grittier alternative to traditional methods.

(The chair yoga pose on the far right is "Sketcher")

The Occidental Tourist

The Seattle Urban sketchers Ad Hoc meetup took place at Occidental Park this morning. If you've ever been to the Pioneer Square district in Seattle, you may have discovered this tree lined square on the back side (east) of the historic Pioneer Building. 

I found myself smiling throughout the morning, affected by the upbeat atmosphere created by the combination of fantastic summer weather, Jambalaya Brass Rock music played by Tubaluba (one of the free lunchtime concert bands), and the mix of people in the square.

I imagined how a tourist might experience this place:

One might look up through the trees and see the top of the Smith Tower, once the tallest building on the West coast.

The top of the Smith Tower from Occidental Park-7/17/15

The shop front of Arundel Books is a reminder that Seattle is "the most well read city in the U.S." according to Amazon. I finished my sketch just as they opened the shop.

Arundel Books opened for business as I finished my sketch.

With only  twenty minutes left before sharing our sketches, I hurried into position to speed sketch the tuba player. Nearby, a couple "of a certain age" got up and broke into "buck jumpin", a New Orleans style of dance with bouncy, intricate footwork. They were smiling, too.

Rough Sketch, Tuba Player

The word play in my title ironically alludes to the novel "Accidental Tourist" by Anne Tyler. It's about Macon Leary, a travel writer who hates both travel and anything out of the ordinary.  But you would know that as one of those "well read" Seattleites.

More late posts from EDiM-Day 23 and 24

Here are the sketches I'm posting late for EDiM, Days 23 and 24.
DAY 23--An interesting section of a building

Just a very small portion of the old barn on HWY 20

I drive by this place almost every week, whether on my way to meet the Anacortes sketchers during the summer or on my way to teach a class during the rest of the year.

DAY 24--KEYS

When you think of the option of sketching keys, so many things come to mind. See a short list of my other ideas on keys on my May 24, 2015 blogpost......besides house keys or car keys. 

Catching up with EDIM - 28 and 29

I am using part of my summer vacation to catch up on some projects that got set aside during the last month of teaching weekly classes this spring. So, although I sketched this today, I am belatedly posting the sketch for Day 28, May.

Is July 15 too late for EDM? Day 28-Yard Ornament or Statuary

And here's another one that finally got scanned after finishing the color.

EDIM 29 - A Faucet

I have drafts of all the EDIM daily sketches that I missed. Check the back posts in May for more of the story as I post them.

Tea-dious

Since I missed out on sketching with the Anacortes sketchers today, I thought I would finish up a sketch from a previous meet up with them. It's one of my longest procrastinations ever! May 18, to be exact!

The occasion was one of my favorites: we met at Aleli's house for sketching and a fabulous tea party. She made lovely tea sandwiches, with the crusts trimmed and everything. We had flower tea, wine, all sorts of treats, and then she said we could take home the cup that we sketched.

Which one would you have chosen?

While sipping, munching and listening to half a dozen conversations, I had been languishing with my pen, sketching the cover of a book about tea by Mary Engelbreit (of "Life is Just a Chair of Bowlies" fame). I dropped THAT project like a hot scone when I realized I didn't even have a sketch of my favorite teacup! I quickly got enough of a sketch done to qualify for the prize of taking my cup home. Whew! But I barely had any color on sketches of anything else except for the sandwiches and three grapes.

I finally finished the color on this one today!

So that's where the "tea-dious" bit comes in. Mary E., I love your work and respect your talent, but all those tiny details, dits, dots, cups, flowers and bees everywhere! That cover for your book about tea must have taken ages! It certainly did for me! And I fudged a bit.....no need to worry about copyright infringement here!

PS Sorry I missed today, sketchers. As you see, I was with you in spirit!

Friday at Westlake Plaza

What fabulous weather and location for urban sketching! The Seattle USk Ad Hoc meetup on Friday couldn't have been more perfect! Seattle urban sketchers met an hour early (9:00 am) at Starbucks on the Westlake Plaza downtown. Since the timing puts me through a grinding commute from where I live 45 miles north of Seattle, I opted to leave at 9:00 and get there a bit late. Then I had to find parking, which isn't cheap! Then walk around the block in the wrong direction getting my bearings.

Sketched in graphite, my DYI Altoids mini watercolor palette and waterbrush (iPhone photo)

It was all worth it, though. I made the most of my day, sketching the Seattle Ducks ticket van quickly with graphite. It's a mini version of the larger WWII vehicles known as DUCWs. Every so often, a new tour leaves the plaza, blasting upbeat party music. Crazy "captains" take the current ticket holders on a very entertaining ride. The Seattle DUCKs take up to 36 people on a 90 minute amphibious tour of Seattle landmarks. (Explore the link for more info on these amazing vehicles.)

Here's a clearer scan with parking ticket collage and notes. Zoom for details or view on Flickr

I saved the option of adding color later because there was so much else to do! After sharing our sketches, some of us went across the street to the main plaza area, where a bandstand was set up for the free lunchtime concerts. I enjoyed my British style fish and chips from NOSH, one of the high end (and delicious) food trucks parked there. (Zagats rated, by the way)

The music was pretty loud, so Tina and I walked over to see the Northwest Watercolor Society Exhibit at the Washington State Convention Center. This year marks their 75th Diamond Anniversary Celebration. Although I did not enter the competition this year, I am proud to say that I am a signature member of NWWS.