"Support of Urban Sketchers the Season"

Our friends on the Urban Sketchers board remind us that our donations can help this non-profit organization keep growing and inspiring people around the world. Why not support the scholarship program as a way to start the new year off on the right foot?  

Here's the link to check it out. 

A very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all, and may 2015 be full of inspiration, adventure, friendships, and joy. 

"Mercer Estates and Sixth Street Art Gallery's Holiday Festival"

L to R:  Dave Poynter, Patti Kirch, Felicia Follum, Denise Bowles, Gail Roadhouse,
Rachel Lucas Bertsch, Jim Bumgarner, Jan Taylor.

Carol Ashby of the "Sixth Street Art Gallery," in Prosser, invited us to participate in the Festival this year. We had an excellent turn-out with the eight you see in the pic above.  As you can see the location is rather exotic with all the wine barrels lining both sides of the area where the festival was held.  As is always the case, we had a nice time and look forward to doing this again.

Kennewick Fire Department

A few weeks back the Tri-Cities Urban Sketchers had the opportunity to visit the Kennewick Fire Department for our weekly draw session.  The row of fire hoses were interestingly rhythmic and perfect for a drawing.

Sketch by Felicia Follum

"Mercer Estates and Sixth Street Art Gallery Holiday Festival"

Thanks to Carol Ashby of the Sixth Street Art Gallery in Prosser for inviting us to participate in the Annual Mercer Estates & Sixth Street Art Gallery's Holiday Festival held at Mercer Estates each December.

Food Court Sketching in the Mall

Urban Sketchers: TriCities ventured into the cold and dark morning hours to meet up in the local mall to sketch whatever they could find to sketch:  mostly people.  I chose to try to capture some of the peeps that ventured through the food caldrons.

"Congo Rhythms at the Farmers' Market"

I love African and Latino rhythms and this guy was doing it up good at the Richland Farmers' Market this morning.  He was with "Tom..?", the same guy Nancy, Dave and I sketched out at Terra Blanca Winery a couple of years ago.

They were a powerful duo.  Great recognizable, and not recognizable songs, all flavored by these congo drums this guy was massaging.

I had to try to capture him, so here are a series of sketches all on the same page with a couple of thumbnails and Tom, in the green shirt.

Great fun.

"Cruisin' on the Columbia"

This sternwheeling cruise ship comes into the dock at Howard Amon park in Richland, WA., frequently. I happened to be driving to Richland today and noticed it on the river, so I hot-wheeled it down to the benches just off the dock and sketched it coming in.  The park was quiet today, hardly anyone there, but fortunately this lady jumped in the frame to get a few pics, so now she's in my sketch.

how to "PICKUP" urban sketchers 101

An assignment, I'm going to sketch…… no wait, "Red Pickup"  Attention getter for sure!
This is Jim Bumgarner's two week old Ford pickup.  Next Wednesday I will be in Moscow, Idaho at Jean Pierre and Yael's Tapestry Book Release presentation!!  On my to do list for today, I was suppose to sketch something that I can use for a small format tapestry study.  Dang,  Jim's truck got me good!! lol
Okay, back to tapestry…….  patti kirch

"USkTC'ers in Walla Walla"

L to R:  Jim Bumgarner, Nancy Thurston, Cindy Rutherford, Patty Gardner, 
Dave Poynter, Jim McNamara, Nancy Parks.

We have had some really great outings this summer with the USkTC group.  The first was at the IHOP when we ordered breakfast and before eating, drew our plates and each other. The second was at Bookwalter Winery on Tulip Lane.  Then today, we met at the Starbucks in downtown Walla Walla and had one really super fun time socializing, drawing and having lunch together.

"WSU: Tri-Cities"

Out behind the main administration building with the USkTC group yesterday, 8.20.2014.  This very lame attempt to capture the perspective in these four buildings will be posted against my better judgement.  Doesn't matter much few will see it here, hidden on the blog. :-)

"Sketching the Ice Harbor Dam"

The Ice Harbor Dam sits on the Snake river just a few miles upriver from where the Snake dumps into the Columbia river meandering its way westward toward the Pacific Ocean. Ice Harbor was dedicated in 1963 by then, VP Lyndon Johnson. I remember yelling, "Hi ya, Lyndon," when he passed me by in his motorcade that day. All I got was a stern frown.

5x16 Moleskine Watercolor sketchbook, Noodler's ink, watercolors.

Calm cool current at 6:30am sketch

 Testing 140 weight, watercolor paper for a journal that I recently completed,  early this morning at Howard Amon Park, Richland WA. I took advantage of the calm cool current.

Coptic bound, 140 watercolor paper, my bicycle touring sketching journal.  If you look closely, the ribbon closures are of bicycles and chocolates!  patti kirch

To Paint or Not to Paint

Fun morning at  Bookwalter with a great group of local art buddies!  Not sure if I have finished this.  To paint the birch tree or not?  I kind of like some of the painting pure white.  Some lavender or blue shadows might be nice.  I really liked the sketch and could have left it just in pen.

Tulip Lane Wineries

I nearly melted out in the sun sketching this scene. Left to right is Bookwalters, Barnard Griffin, and Tagaris on the far right.

5x16 Moleskine Watercolor sketchbook, Noodler's ink, watercolors

Sketching the Wineries on Tulip Lane

L to R:  Patti, Patty, Debbie, Jim B, Cindy, nancy, Jan, Katherine, Gail and Jim M

What a great morning sketching the wineries on Tulip Lane in Richland this morning.  Most of us stuck around and had lunch together afterwards.  We gotta go back to this place, soon!!  Too much fun.

Sketching Coffee Klatch

This was one tough assignment, sketching sketching friends.  At this moment, (l to r) Patty, Nancy and Cindy were toned into brilliant color palate conversation, while Harry sketched Patty G in pastels and Jim, in-between, busy imagining his food.  IHop will never be the same!
patti kirch

"IHOP Sketching"

L to R:  Patti, Patty, Jim, Nancy, Katherine, Cindy, Gail and Harry.

With local temperatures hovering around the century mark this week, we decided we needed to go inside for today's sketch crawl.  Where better than the local IHOP (International House of Pancakes). Most of the members had never sketched their food before, so this was a really fun experience.  We started with portrait and table items sketching, ordered our food, then drew it.  What a great fun, outing.

"Texas Road House"

A popular eating establishment, the Texas Road House, Kennewick.  Not much reminds me of my years in Texas here, with the exception of the nearest flag; but the food is pretty good. The beer is really cold and those buns they serve with the honey butter are worth waiting for a booth during the long lines at dinner time. 

6x9 Super Aquabee Sketchbook, ink, watercolor

Portland Sketch: St James Lutheran Church

St. James Lutheran Church on the South Park Blocks in Portland, Oregon.  Sketched during the
2nd Annual West Coast Urban Sketchers Sketch Crawl" on July 12th, 2014.  

Methodist Church: Kennewick

The Kennewick First United Methodist Church on the corner of Dayton and Kennewick Avenue.  

Initially Green, Hwy 395's Pioneer Memorial Bridge

My thanks to this shady tree at the Lampson Pit, beside Columbia Park Trail's bicycle path in Kennewick, Washington.  Comfortably cool, I sketched the Pioneer Memorial Bridge, dedicated July 30, 1954.  There are three bridges in our area that cross the Columbia River;  The Blue Bridge, Hwy 395 and The Cable Bridge connect Kennewick to Pasco and The Topless Bridge, Hwy I 82 connect Richland to Pasco.
Patti Kirch

7/9/14 - Lampson Pits and the Blue Bridge

               

Another beautiful, hot day in the Tri-Cities!  This is the "Blue Bridge" sketched from the Benton County side of the Columbia River.  A nickname?  For as long as anyone can remember, she has always been this color.  Also blue, is the Lampson Pits sign, floating docks and ramps that are used at the hydroplane races, held each year in our community.  Blue sky, Blue Bridge, blue water and Lampson blue...this day was full of blue but was anything but.  It was pure joy!  #usktcbluebridge

Patty Gardner

"The Blue Bridge"

Our Wednesday morning sketchabout was down in Columbia park this morning, July 9th, 2014.  We were there to sketch the Blue Bridge which spans the Columbia river connecting the cities of Pasco, and Kennewick, Wa.  Upstream, to the left, another bridge connects Pasco to Richland: thus the Tri-Cities.

"This Week"

I have long wanted to sketch the Pike Street Market and got the chance last Saturday when attending a sketching workshop in Seattle. Frank Ching said to "sketch something with the big sign in it."  I walked to the corner and standing in both a large crowd of people coming and going across the intersection, and a threatening rain, sketched my sketch.  I like we didn't have but 15 or 20 minutes to do the sketch as that lends quickness, expressiveness, and energy to the sketch.

Following in the footsteps of hurry-up-and-get-it-done, I found myself at this intersection in Prosser, WA today, the 4th of July, with my family.  We were there to celebrate the 4th as we have such warm memories of their celebrations when we lived there in the 60's, 70's and 80's.  A real flop today with nothing more than a Car Show in the park.  Phil's Corner Drug is long gone now.  Phil had a real soda fountain in there, one of the few I ever remember seeing.  It's a Mexican restaurant now.  No soda fountain.

Four Approaches

I am here at Cannon Beach OR enjoying every single moment.  After an amazing weekend of the Cannon Beach Plein Air Festival I have been been doing a bit of sketching.  For some reason I kept fooling around with different approaches.  Probably matching my moods at the moment. 

Enjoying a leisurely lunch on a rainy day under cover at Sweet Basil's

pencil sketch w/watercolor

Sunny day at the beach looking north  =)

Micron pen w/watercolor

Relaxed evening watching the sunset and the shadows creep over the dunes looking south at Hay Stack.

2b pencil sketch

Hot day at the beach looking north

watercolor sketch

Hope to join you all next week!

World Cup Soccer-futebol-futbol

 Soccer was so exciting, two crazy great games, I'm Canadian, I loved the colors!  I looked up soccer in Spanish and Portuguese.  Goooooooooaaaaaaaaaaal!!!!!!!

Out with a hamstring injury, the USA was ousted, great road exciting game.  The two sketches were of situations that seemed to be suspended in time.  The top sketch the players seemed to be align ready for the pass and the lower agony waiting for an official.  I used pencil followed by micron .05 pen then Art Bars.  So exciting!
Patti Kirch

Wimbledon, not quite yet

 Max is a 7 year old sketcher and tennis player, so at the end of our lessons he sketches and writes what he learned.  One of his service attempts, this actual pose happened, unplanned.  I had to sketch this one, too funny.

Over this past windy weekend Sporthaus Northwest Sweetspot Tournament was held.  For over 25 years my husband and I have created and directed a "tennis flash mob" over this tournament weekend at Kamiakin High School and previously Kennewick High School.  Hey, I was the tournament  director, only had time to sketch one participant's grandparent and their shitzu. Initially, I sketched with pencil followed by micron .05 pen then Art Bars.
Patti Kirch

Pasco Farmer's Market - June 18, 2014

  

"Gerry the Giant" samples peaches at the farmer's market...wow, my scale was really out of whack!

It was a really fun day though and it was exciting to see and smell all the fresh fruits and veggies on display.  I used my trusty Micron pen on Strathmore 90 lb paper with watercolor.

      

Radishes!  A close up of just one of the beautiful fresh wares offered at the market.  

"Porsche"

Driving through Columbia park this morning to see the dealer show and spotted this little Porsche in the parking lot.  Plenty of time to kill, sketchbook in hand.

"Rat Rod Sketching at Cool Desert Nights"

 Last Wednesday we decided to head out to the "Cool Desert Nights" car show in Richland this morning, at least I thought we did.  Anyway, Yichien met me there at 9:30 and we had a great time sketching "rat rods."  I taught her the difference between "rat rods" and "hot rods."  She's a quick learner and I'm thinking we may have to do more Saturday outings so she can join us.

Quck sketch of the "Old Desert Rat." 

A slowed down version of the "Old Desert Rat."  More deliberate and more controlled. 

Back to quick sketching. 

Drew this in about 8 minutes while waiting in front of the Spudnut shop. 

Another muy rapido sketch. 

Learning to Sketch with Color

I have always wanted to sketch with water color and thought it was a crazy idea. Most water color techniques seems so laborious.  As I have watched the quick draw McDraw sketchers around me on our weekly jaunts I have begun to take a new approach with a quickish water color sketch.  I can't seem to loosen up and quick draw but if I start splashing color around I feel a bit more freedom...maybe too much ;)

"Pasco Farmers' Market"

Shoppers were sparse at the Farmers' Market yesterday in Pasco.  Maybe because for mid-June we had a few days of cloudy and cooler weather than normal.

They were running only one stall, but on Saturdays they open two because there are more folks coming out.  Weather permitting, I suppose.

"I-5 Bridge at Vancouver, WA., and Portland, OR."

The view from my 6th floor hotel window in Vancouver WA earlier this week.  It was a great weekend as I met with the Portland team working with me on the "2nd Annual West Coast Urban Sketchers SketchCrawl" coming up in July; I attended the Washington State School Retirees Convention in Vancouver; and met up with a classmate from KHS '64 who is going to provide some music for our 50th reunion coming up in September.  A very productive trip, and a bit o' sketching, too.

9x9 Super Aquabee Sketchbook (double page spread); Lamy pen, watercolors. 

"Red Mountain, WA"

The Urban Sketchers:Tri-Cities went out to Red Mountain to do some sketching among the wineries there. This is before Kiona Winery looking down Sunset Road toward Hedges winery.

11x14 pen and watercolor, lapoynte

just a touch of photoshopping to remove the wet wrinkling in the sky - jb

6/11/14 - Hedges Winery, Red Mtn AVA

The many wineries in Eastern Washington are a playground for sketchers, painters, photographers and anyone else that just enjoys beautiful surroundings.  I tried my best to capture some sights at just one of these amazing facilities.  I was treated to an impromptu personal tour of Hedges Family Estates.  All sketches are done with a Sharpie fine pen and watercolor on Strathmore paper.

Coming up the drive...

               

First look at the traditional French-style chateau tasting facility...

                                            

Just around the corner is a charming, petite potting shed...

               

Last, but not least, an antique wine press, full of strawberries, nestled lovingly in an organic garden.  While there I was serenaded by buzzing bees, giant blue dragonflies, too many birds to count and the soothing sound of the bubbling fountain in the pond...ahhh, this must surely be Heaven.