"Fertilizer Tanks and Old Homestead"

My dad went to work for Phillips 66 in the panhandle of Texas when I was about 4 years old. It had been an ammunitions production plant during WWII and was converted to a fertilizer production facility (anhydrous ammonia) afterwards.  

 

When I was 11 Dad was transferred to the Finley plant, Phillips 66, a fertilizer production facility. He retired from there in the late 80's.

 

These tanks still stand in Finley. I think they are still being used. In the last half-century this product has been responsible for feeding the world.

 

I thought the juxtaposition of the old homestead with the tanks in the background was interesting.

 

 

"Perspective in Local Stadium"

 

 

I drove over to Gesa Stadium in Pasco, WA., today to watch my ol' alma mater, Kennewick High School, take it on the chin in the state baseball play-offs.  They led 3-1 into the bottom of the 5th when the KHS pitcher sort of lost control and the opposing team scored 5 runs. 

Once again, I work on perspective.  Can you find the horizon line and the vanishing point in this one-point perspective sketch?  If so, you are an expert perched way above the heads of the general population who claim no be able to draw "stick-people" (which they could with a just a little training). 

"Kadlec Hospital: Richland, WA"

Noodler's Lexington Gray ink, Dick Blick watercolors, 9x9 Super Aquabee Sketchbook

With 20 minutes to kill, I parked in a local parking area and sketched out one of our local hospitals today, Kadlec Hospital, in Richland, WA.  Once home, I added a few details and some color.  Total time on this sketch: 30 minutes.

VINEYARD CITY ARTS FESTIVAL!

JEAN, DAVE, NANCY, GREG

DAVE:

JEAN:

GREG:

NANCY:

SKETCHING TOMORROW - SATURDAY!!

Please join us from 10:00 am - 1:00 pm (or whenever) tomorrow, Saturday, May 18th, 

for the Third Saturday Sketch Day!  

We'll be meeting up at the park in Benton City for the "VINEYARD CITY ART FESTIVAL".  

It's a small park so I'm sure we'll run into each other (just look for people on stools sketching) and we can meet up for some sharing, photos and lunch around noon.

Should be a beautiful day!

"Local Sketcher Organizes Event for July Sketchcrawl Event in the Bay Area"

Click the image to find an announcement that went global throughout the urban sketching community today when it was published on the "Urban Sketcher" main blog in, "'Round the World Sketching News."  This blog is followed closely by over 1,200 urban sketchers across the globe.  Jim Bumgarner is the organizer of the event.

Jim says he came up with the idea driving down one of the local streets and thinking about what he could do rather than go to Barcelona.  So, with the help of some of the sketchers he has met both in person, and online, the event has come together and will be held July 12 - 14 this summer in the San Francisco Bay Area.

This event was designed for those folks who, like Jim, couldn't make it Barcelona this summer, but want to participate in the social event that urban sketching has become.  So far there are respondents from far and wide who have committed to being there.

A full day of marathon sketching is planned in San Francisco on the July 14th, day of the "40th World Wide Sketchcrawl," in the the city where Pixar artist, Enrico Casaros, came up with the idea.

THIRD SATURDAY SKETCHABOUT !

"VINEYARD CITY ARTS FESTIVAL"

The folks in Benton City have specifically asked the "Urban Sketchers: Tri-City" Group to come do our thing at their thing this Saturday, May 18th from 10 - 1pm.  

Here is the email that Desiree sent - so you can see she is really excited to have us there!

Oh I am so excited!

The park is only about a mile from the freeway
- coming from the tri-cities, you take exit 96 I think.
at the stop sign, turn right. Stay on that road, despite the turns /
curves / name changes. You pass the Conoco on your right, cross the
bridge, swoop to the left, then swoop to the right (and you MUST swoop,
right?!)  pass another Conoco - this time on your left - and the street on
your RIGHT, after that, will be Dale. I don't believe that you will be
able to turn there (think that it will be closed) but the park is right
there, behind the US Bank, etc.
Thank you again, Nancy!
Desiree

If you were at the Cinco de Mayo Festival last week, you will know what you are missing!

Please let me know if you'll be there and maybe we can carpool...

"Meetings, Meetings and More Meetings"

My local school retirees association put on a pre-retirement workshop today for teachers thinking about retiring. There were just over 80 signed up, but due to there being no fees to attend and it being a beautiful day, we were about 16 people short. This is small sample of the crowd at the workshop.  They are listening to a presentation regarding Social Security. 

It's nice nowdays that I don't have so many meetings to attend.  There was a time in my career, early-on, when I thought those who "lucky" enough to attend meetings had more seniority and clout than I.  By the time my career closed in retirement, I had been to so many I was beginning to gag on them.  Not literally, of course, but "gag" is the best word to use here.... 

 

"New Hospital Construction"

On our Wednesday morning sketchabout, Nancy and I met up at this construction site here in Kennewick, WA., where the Kennewick General Hospital (KGH) Board has begun construction on a new hospital.  They are a public board, but the public did not approve this facility in a recent election.  Good for the board for finding the funding needed without having to go the voters for more tax dollars.

  

KGH Construction Site

Jim and I met up in South Kennewick at the site of the new Kennewick General Hospital to draw.  

It is very l o n g and clean (for a construction site).

CINCO DE MAYO!

Dave, Jean and I met up at Pasco's Cinco De Mayo celebration on Saturday and even though it got a little breezy (!), the little mariachi band was a big hit with all of us...  

JEAN

 DAVE

NANCY

NANCY

NANCY

When the band cleared out, I did this larger view.  

SATURDAY SKETCHING!

The weather should be perfect for tomorrow's Sketch Outing at the Cinco De Mayo festival in Pasco!  Come out and draw whenever you'd like (thinking maybe 9-10am) but be sure and meet up at the extreme SW corner of the Pasco Farmer's Market area at noon to share some lunch and our drawings.

We've also been asked to come draw on May 18th (another Saturday) in Benton City so save the date - more information to come.  The Tri-Cities Urban Sketchers are much in demand these days and it is so darn fun - come join us and we'll see you tomorrow!!!!