blooms on April 25,2012

In the morning, I noticed iris has started blooming in my neighbor's garden. Later when I walked around the neighborhood, with those pretty spring flowers blooming,and a robin singing on the fence, I decided to sketch them all together, as a reminder of this gorgeous day.

dance of picking tea

I did not have enough time to sketch the dance on May 5;only had some lines put down. I finally was able to finish the sketch with memory.

Aidan at Bat

Never thought baseball could be so much fun as watching my g-son, Aidan, play. This is him at bat. He walked this time, but with the bases loaded, so he got an rbi for having such a good eye. It was Cancer Awareness Day at the ball park so the umps were all wearing pink shirts.

photoshopped color

6x8 sketchbook



Notre Dame and Degas, by Nancy

I spent the day at Notre Dame today and it was sunny but really cold and windy! I sat across the street and drew this first one. I kept telling myself, 'remember the Pasco court house and just keep going' - see what practice does! I will never tell that I totally messed up in the middle there and maybe no one will know.

With my fingers frozen, I went INSIDE and drew this next one. It was really dark and I shouldn't have tried coloring it but I did anyway and it's too yellow but it was a great fun exercise.

The last one I did this morning before I left my room. I copied a post card I bought at the Degas show. His is a pastel and mine is a watercolor but again, great, great exercise.

Tomorrow I drive 5-6 hours to the workshop so no sketching then - too bad!

Yichien's Inspiration

I got inspired by the Urban Sketchers and took my young ones out the other day.  The wind was too big that we only lasted less than 15 minutes.  Yet, I was happy with my result of this happy moment. 

The second try got better.  One of the moms stayed and did her quilt while her daughter sketched.  Even though they faced different direction from each other, I purposely put them together, as if having a dialogue.

Pochahontas Trail Grass Mower

Early one morning on our trip to Williamsburg, I sat on the curb across the street from this guy with my sketchbook, pen and cup of coffee. The scene was very peaceful, the fence an authentic Virginia rail fence, you see them every where here, and it was screaming for a sketch.  The street name escapes me, but it was on what is called the Pochahontas Trail.

MUSEE' d'ORSAY

This museum was the old train station in Paris and this is the main thoroughfare right down the middle of it all.  There are small galleries on the bottom 4 floors along each side, 1 large gallery on the second floor (where they held the Degas Nudes show) and the top 5th floor is filled with all the great Impressionists.  So many Monets and Manets and Renoirs and one of my favorites, Bonnard.  Great space and Great clock!

DEGAS NUDES

Please don't think the bottom one is mine (wait - you can think that if you'd like, actually) except it's not.  I bought 4 post cards of my favorite Degas pictures and drew the top one of a small one that seemed like there was absolutely too much going on in such a small space.  Man, it worked.  The museum was SO crowded (it took an hour just to get in!) and it was awkward drawing with so many people around so I only did this one...

RIDING THE TRAIN TO MUSEE' d'ORSAY

I arrived in Paris yesterday, spent the day sleeping (and the night) then got up this morning to head to the Musee' d'Orsay via train from my hotel out by the airport.  I did this quick pencil sketch first then realized I had a lot longer trip than I realized, so I did another one.  It's a great way to get around, even if it did cost me $25 round trip...

Roaster's Coffee by LaPoynte

Roaster's Coffe in Richland WA Greeting card.

"Detroit to Salt Lake City"

 

The second leg of a three leg flight that brought us home to the Tri-Cities, WA, from Richmond, Va, on May 1st.  Click the pic to see the collection of sketches I made on this trip. 

A Walk Through Howard Amon Park

A card I drew on one of my walks in Howard Amon Park, Richland WA

Erica & Michael

A new softer work...

Asian Awareness - Taiwan

One of my friend dancer,Zhu Mei,posed for me for a few minutes before the performance. I really could use a lot more minutes,still,thanks a lot,Zhu Mei.

Asian Awareness - Taiwan

We met at Richland Public Library, and I tried to record the event with sketches. It was very difficult to sketch any of the performances, they moved way too fast for me to put anything decent down. Disappointed, I sketched a pair of dancers while they awaited their turn to perform.