"THANK YOU" to USk Blog group and Jason Das



Tagaris Winery, one of the more upscale spots here in the Tri-Cities.  Sketched a while back and used here as a test image for the USk Blog

Thanks to the crew at "adminsusk" and especially Jason Das for helping identify the problem we were having with our blog not showing updates on the USk Blog page.  We were stuck way down near the bottom of the listing with a comment that said we had updated last over a month ago.  I knew that wasn't the case, so I went looking for assistance when I exhausted all my technical skills ... it didn't take long to get there either. 

Anayway we are back in business with the USK Blog and, again, much appreciation to the "adminusk" group and in particular, again, JASON DAS!!

USkTC artist Ashby Lands Coffee Card Deal

Hello..  tho I haven't done a lot of going out and doing some sketching I thought I would share this with you. Last year sometime, Jim and Dave and I went out and did sketches of a couple of coffee drive thru buildings. One we did was Nikki Jeans out on Clearwater where the Shell station and the roundabout are. Well it now has new owner and is called Badger Canyon Coffee. So when this gal came into the print shop to order punch cards, I thought HEY wait a minute I have a drawing of this already. SO when she looked at the proof she loved it, and I showed her the original. SO now that little drawing of mine is on the punch cards.

Not the best drawing, even by me, but I thought this would be cute to show off :)
Greg Ashby
Ashnmyst@aol.com
509-619-6747

Summertime Fun

Summertime Fun, a photo by jimbmgarner on Flickr.

Stopped by the Dairy Queen on Gage to capture some of the folks looking for burgers, ice cream, and floats on this slightly warm day. Summer's back ... sorta.

Lunch: Roast Beef Sammies, Tortellini Pasta, and Smoothies

Lunch: Smoothie and San, a photo by jimbmgarner on Flickr.

So here it is June 26th and while the rest of the country is sweltering under the blistering sun, we are holding steady in the upper sixties and it is raining.

So, rather than head out into the wet, cold, dreary urban settings to find something to draw, a fire is going in the fireplace, some soft Brazilian Jazz is playing somewhere in the house and I'm watercoloring this little sketch I did at lunch right here in front of the fire.

What a great day.

sketching for scavengers---a mailbox

I found a mailbox in our neighborhood interesting,so I sketched it for the scavengers.

sketching for scavengers---a bench at park

Again I walked to Leslie Groves Park in Richland,looking for things to sketch. It seems like more benches have been donated to parks in Richland,and the city likes color blue for its new additions.The new drinking fountains are colored blue also.

UPDATE: Sketchers for Scavengers - a car

"Cool Desert Nights" car show in Richland, a photo by jimbmgarner on Flickr.

Found this cool looking yellow hot rod at the "Cool Desert Nights" car show in Richland.

"Cool Desert Nights" car show in Richland

"Cool Desert Nights" car show in Richland, a photo by jimbmgarner on Flickr.

Drove over to Richland to check out the car show and found this "blower" sticking through the hood of a, I think, '32 Ford.

Cool.

Hedges Winery: from my archives

About a year ago, Dave and I went out to Red Mountain to see what we could find to sketch and came upon Hedges, for me, the first time.  I sat at the end of this walkway, on the edge of a single lane roundabout lined with grape plants and lavendar plants and sketch this view of the building.  A copy of this sold at our show last year at Cheese Louise in Richland.

Hedges Winery: Front Door

A card sketch of Hedges Winery front door.

Jim at Hedges

This is Jim drawing the front of the building (with the fountain) - see the great landscaping!  We were privy to a glass of their Reserve Merlot as we sat, sipped and drew.  Whew!

HEDGES WINERY

Jim, Dave and I met up out at Hedges Winery this morning and sat outside under some beautiful shade trees to draw the gorgeous architecture and mature, elegant plantings.  Debbie Culverhouse invited us to tour the organic garden, walk over the carved, metal bridge and gave us pretty much free rein of the grounds.  There is this great fountain in front of the building...

Hedges Winery june 12

Hedges Winery june 12, a photo by jimbmgarner on Flickr.

We had a fun time this morning at Hedges Winery, and thanks to Nancy Thurston for two things: first for setting this outing up with Debra at the winery; and two for teaching me a few new tricks with this particular sketch.   

Hedges Winery june 12

Hedges Winery june 12, a photo by jimbmgarner on Flickr.

Thanks to Nancy for setting this sketchouting up with the Debra out at Hedges Winery. We love this place.

"Twigs Bistro and Wine Bar"

The Columbia Center Mall is by far the largest mall in our region.  It was built in the late '70's and completely changed the landscape of all three major businesses in our three cities.  This is the "Twig Bistro and Wine Bar" situated on the outer periphery of the mall.  It was the umbrellas that caught my eye, so I had to give it a try. 

I remember coming back from Europe the summer of '70 thinking about how cool it was there to have all those outside cafes with sidewalk umbrellas and how I wished we had them here.  They're everywhere nowdays.  Is that progress?  Maybe so.