water garden in the Demonstration Garden

The Benton-Franklin Master Gardener Demonstration Garden in Kennewick, behind the Mid-Columbia Library, has 25 different gardens featured in it, and this is the water garden. Even though it is pretty small in size, it has what for a nice water garden...fish, turtles, water lilies, and a waterfall.

"My Day with the Spokane Sketchers"

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bmgarner/sets/72157635002161622/

I drove up to Spokane yesterday, August 8th, to meet up with Don Walls and his Spokane Sketchers.

We met at 10am in the Browns' Addition, an early upscale neighborhood in west Spokane, to sketch mansions, and other things. 

The weather was perfect, the coffee at the bistro where we met was hot and steamy, and the company of sketchers, about ten, couldn't have been more inviting and welcoming. 

This is mining millionaire, Patsy Clark's mansion. Built in 1897.  I challenged myself to put the line work down in 5 mins., and though I didn't really time myself, it was close.  Color added later.

To see the other two, click the caption link below the sketch.

I will definitely be returning to Spokane to join them again.  If you want to tag along, I'll drive and we'll have a great time.

"Another Day at Richland's Farmers' Market"

Yesterday the Allied Arts folks held a "First Friday Paint-In" on their patio so I dropped by to see what and how they do that.  Huddled up against the building on a concrete pad in front of the building they were all busy with their paints and canvases.  

What they were doing looked like fun, but I felt the tug of the excitement of the Farmers' Market just a block up the street, so that's where I spent my morning.

Future "First Friday Paint-Ins" are scheduled for inside the building.  Too claustrophobic for me, and I hardly ever do any sketching/painting from reference photos, or imagination: They are all on location these days for me.  

6x9 Super Aquabee Sketchpad, Noodler's Lexington Gray ink, watercolors.

A Corner at the Parkway,Richland

 

Went sketching with Nancy and Jim on Wednesday. I am very grateful that they explained the one vanishing point perspective to me. I think I finally understood the concept and knew how to approach a sketch afterward. While I struggled with an aching back that day, this was all I could do at the time, actually I did the coloring part later at home.  There are mistakes, but this is only the first try. I'll get better.