The Remains of the Year

Gifts from friends...

Winter to Spring

When it was chilly outside, I was getting desperate to sketch something in the house that I hadn't already sketched...thus the sketch of the closet.

I finished my sketchbook of very small things...

Luckily, winter turned to spring and there are more flowers to sketch.

I can get away from doing car sketching so much...

and soon, I'll be able to sketch people who are outside enjoying he sun.

Happy Spring!

Sketching with the Compagnons

Friday, it wasn't raining in Portland and some of the Compagnons d'Esquisse went out to Edgefield in east county to spend the morning drawing in the sunshine. This sculpture actually delivers water to the plants that are in the kegs. It's one of the clever creations on the grounds of the old poorhouse that is Edgefield. http://www.mcmenamins.com/54-edgefield-home

I don't know what this little building is. It has a guitarist on the weather vane and a sign that says "No Motorcyles", but those are the only clues.

A few of the Compagnons went to the Canvas  Art Bar and Bistro http://www.thecanvaspdx.com/ to sketch. This is one of my sketches of the model last night.

Last Saturday, it was raining again, so I sketched inside, adding this to my book of small things. It took me three NPR shows to finish it. Trying to get both kings and queens to match was pretty challenging. It was one of those activities where it seems like you can actually feel your brain working.

And that last picture gives me a chance to stick in this Kate Spade display that I sketched months ago at Pioneer Place with the Compagnons.

There's not much chance of wearing that outfit in Portland this summer.

Bowls....and Britt Festival

Here's the latest from my book of small objects. The definition of 'small' is enlarging. It started with buttons and has grown. It's all relative, I guess.

Last week, some friends and I went to Ashland to see plays and spent an evening in Jacksonville at the Britt Festival. Mary Chapin Carpenter was the featured artist and Marc Cohn was the opening act.

My view was between a stranger with a handy wine glass holder and my friend, Barb.

Here are some quick sketches of some of the folks in the surrounding area who were all quietly enjoying the concert.

It was a beautiful summer night and both Mary Chapin Carpenter and Marc Cohn gave terrific performances.

More Small Things: Art Supplies

Who doesn't like to draw or paint their art supplies?

This is what Portland sketchers do when it's rainy outside. We also drink a lot of coffee and draw elipses.

On the Lighter Side

Years ago, a roommate of mine put a stone egg in our refrigerator egg tray. I wasn't fooled, but I was amused. I kept it out of the refrigerator. Someone saw it and brought be another egg, this time a yellow alabaster one. One thing lead to another and over the years people kept giving me eggs. After a couple dozen, I made sure that I said, "I really don't have (read "want") and egg collection", but the eggs would occasionally  keep coming. For a few years, we'd deposit one near a rabbit garden sculpture in a neighbor's yard. Then their kids grew up and we stopped that. Now the remaining eggs just come out at Easter and I always tell visitors....

I could seque into talk about omelettes, but really, this next sketch had nothing to do with eggs.

Jazz faces, Coffee Heads, Small Objects and Another Grid

As part of the Portland Jazz Festival, Duo Chronicles was playing at the Benson Hotel.

The Portland Urban Sketchers had a sketchcrawl that never left Stumptown Coffee Roasters since it was, once again, very cold outside. These are my sketches of a few of the people out for coffee this weekend.

 At home, I added a couple more pictures to my sketchbook of grids and small objects. Some of these shells were from the Caribbean. I think I need to go back there to get some more. Sun...warm ocean...walking in the sand...it all sounds very enticing right now.

The Book of Grids and Some Very Small Objects

I have a square, Stonehenge sketchbook that I am devoting to grids and small objects. This is the title page. Hmm, a Sara Midda influence, perhaps.

The button idea came directly from looking at Andrea Joseph's Sketchbook blog. http://andreajoseph24.blogspot.com/

These double snowdrops were our first sign of spring.