CASUAL FRIDAY SKETCHCRAWL

What would everyone say about meeting in the Pasco Red Lion parking lot (in the NW corner by Roasters Coffee) at 7:00 am and driving to L'Ecole 41 on the way to WW this Friday?  It's about 20 minutes or so in the opposite direction of where we've been going...

6th Street Coffee, Prosser WA, Lapoynte

Stopped in here for an iced coffee on a very hot day!

DRAWING MARATHON

http://www.nyss.org/programs-courses/marathons/

Here is a link to the New York Studio Schools annual drawing marathon.  It is 2 grueling weeks of drawing for 8 hours a day!  Imagine your skill level at the end of this (I can't)!

This is the school I attended for the Fall quarter a couple years ago and highly recommend it.  I did not plan this year, but I plan to attend next year for sure.  Granted, it is not for the weak of heart or the semi-committed, but I wanted to share...

HINZERLING WINERY

You've heard the story...

DESERT WIND WINERY

One thing Jim brought back with him from the Urban Sketchers Symposium in Santa Domingo was the art of the thumbnail.  I started with a small page of thumbnails - no more than 2" square - of the Desert Wind Winery building.  It's a cool exercise and proves to loosen you up, gets you to notice light and shadow and more importantly I think - composition.

I am using my new Lamy fountain pen (another Jim suggestion from his trip) even though it came with blue ink (the black is still enroute).  When I tried washing over the lower drawing, I determined the blue ink is not permanent and a simple wet brush did a really great job of getting shadows.  I went back over the washed out drawing with more line drawing.  

These early morning sessions are lovely!!!

"Calle El Conde": Part Two

Sketching isn't everyone's "cup of tea."  Many of the "finer" artists view it as something below their level of expertise; but the more I do, the more I watch, listen, discuss, think, compare and contrast, and research it, the more it pulls on me.

When I first started messing about with art I tried to create watercolors that were as close to the "real thing" as possible ("fine art?".

It has taken me about ten years to realize that the thing that brings life and energy to a drawing is not the inherent accuracy of the thing being drawn, but rather the emotion and expression of the lines and the colors applied.

This is the "Calle El Conde," a sweet, upscale, vehicle-less boulevard in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

The drawing feels like the one that is taking me into a whole new place with my art. Thanks to Urban Sketchers in general and Veronica Lawlor in particular for the journey.

Hinzerling Winery, Vintner's Inn, Prosser WA, Lapoynte

First winery in Prosser and maybe the first winery in Eastern Washington.
The winery building is not really this narrow, -Artistic license.

Desert Wind Winery, Prosser WA, Lapoynte

"Desert Wind and Hinzerling Wineries"

We met at 7am this morning and drove back up into the wine country in and around Prosser, WA., to sketch more winery 'things.' Our first stop was at the Desert Wind Winery which overlooks I-82 as it winds its way across the Yakima river and heads eastward toward the Tri-Cities.  The winery was built sometime in the late 80's/early 90's as we moved from Prosser in 1984 and it wasn't there at that time. 

L to R top to bottom:  Nancy using her new Lamy pen, Jim,
Jan with graphite, and Dave.

Our second stop was down close to the heart of Prosser proper at the Hinzerling Winery.  Hinzerling, originally owned by Mike Wallace, was the very first winery in Prosser, 1976.  I remember it being quite the 'hit' as few people living there at the time had ever been to a winery and suddenly we had one of our own. Established in an old garage, and still there, rustic and original, their wines are as well produced as any of the others on the market today.  

L to R, top to bottom:  Nancy, Jim, Jan and Dave.

"36th World Wide Sketchcrawl - Musicians in Parque Colon, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic"

July 14, 2012, the last day of the Santo Domingo USk symposium, and the 36th WWSketchcrawl. Earlier I noticed the guy in the turban sitting on this bench. He wasn't part of the symposium, but he had his sketchbook out and he was sketching. I sat down beside him and started asking questions. His name is Harry and he is from NYC. He told me he was with a group and they would be performing later in one of the clubs here at the Parque Colon. I quickly learned the group he was with was the group of musicians I had watched the night before in the Calle Pedro Bellini Plaza. Fabulous, these guys. We talked a bit more and I moved on. Not long afterwards I hear some music, turn, and see a small group of the musicians creating some of their Caribben style music and they are surrounded by the USKers in the park. I was late arriving to the scene so was only able to capture these two, the guitar player, and Harry.

See the vid I took of them the night before, here: www.flickr.com/photos/bmgarner/7593951326/in/set-72157630...

Thanks to Jim Richards for the idea to toss in some color to hopefully enhance the energy and fun these guys were having.

Nancy at Chandler Reach Winery

So I'm not sure why Dave didn't put this one up on the blog.  It is me drawing them.  I don't remember wearing a dress, sitting on a bucket or having an admiral's cap on my head but the sunglasses I DO remember...

Chandler Reach Winery

Friday morning was PERFECT for drawing outside of Benton City last week.  The weather was beautiful, the shadows were long and deep and the company was terrific!  Here are Jim and Dave sketching away...

Chandler Reach Winery, Benton City WA, Lapoynte

Chandler Reach Winery is Beautiful. It sets above the Yakima River and looks out over the farmland on the South slope of rattlesnake Mountain.

Second "Casual Friday Sketchcrawl"

Four USkTCWA sketchers met this morning at 7am and drove about 10 miles west to the Chandler Reach Winery to do some sketching.  7am? We wanted to escape the heat of the day and see if we could capture some of that pure morning light.  Four?  Jan Watson, Nancy Thurston, Jim Bumgarner, and Dave Pointer.

Chandler Reach Winery

L to R, top to bottom: Jan, Dave, Jim, Nancy, Nancy

L to R, top to bottom: Jan, Dave, Jim, Nancy

Jim's thumbnails in the style of "The Decisive Moment" workshop presented by
Melanie Rheims and Nathalie Ramieriz, Santo Domingo.

Jim's quick sketch, no pencil, just the adventure of ink.

Jim's sketch with winery in background.

We have decided to make the "Casual Friday Sketchcrawl" a weekly event, check the upper left margin for updates regarding times, where to meet and where we will be going.  

  


Update

Please note the addition of a new blog, Urban Sketchers Chicago, to our blogroll of USk Communities in the left margin.  They are bran-new to the community and have a great looking blog.  You can check them out at this link as well.

Also:  We will be heading out on a casual weekday outing at 7am this Friday, the 3rd.  Meet us at 7am at the gas station between Fred Meyers and McDonalds in Richland for another fun trip into the Wine Country.  Everyone is invited!  

Also please note, we will re-instituting a monthly outing on the Third Saturday of each month beginning this month, August.  These outings will run from 10am to 1 pm with a get together planned at 1 for sharing and commenting.  Hope you can join us!!