Sketching in the rain

We met at Stadium High School yesterday morning. One of our members is moving away and requested this location. It's been 4 years since we last sketched there. That was my first time there. Parking is difficult but now the light rail has been extended and there is a station near by.

Construction started in 1891 but was halted. After life as a couple different venues, it was renovated and opened as Tacoma High School in 1906. More about the building here. "Stadium High School, commonly referred to as the Brown Castle, was originally intended by its financiers, the Northern Pacific Railroad Company and Tacoma Land Company, to be one of the finest luxury hotels on the Pacific Coast. Construction began in 1891, but due to the railroad’s financial failure, the hotel was never completed and was boarded up for a number of years before it was acquired by the Tacoma School District."

That first time I'd sketched the front elevation so today I wanted to do something different. I chose the perspective challenge of one of the side wings.

Unfortunately, we were hampered by successive rain showers. About 11:30 we finally gave up as there was little to no shelter. We had a hurried throw down and group photo, though 2 are missing.

Thursday, August 13: Rosedale Gardens in Gig Harbor

7311 Rosedale Street NW, Gig Harbor  98335

Rosedale Gardens 

Rosedale Gardens upper entrance

Please park in the upper lot in order to save customer parking.  You are welcome to off load your gear near the gift shop if needed.

Meet at 10:00 am near the gift shop.  Rosedale Gardens has beautifully landscaped grounds, covered areas, open areas, walking paths, a gift shop, plants, pottery and sculptures.  

Public restrooms are available.

Holy Rosary

We met at Holy Rosary Church Catholic Church this morning. It was already a hot day. We found what shade we could and all sketched the impressive spire.

This church became unsafe due to water damage and was to be torn down. People advocated for it's restoration and eventually the Vatican cancelled the order to demolish it. However there is still a possibility it will be razed.

 

Most of us found a shady spot from which to sketch.  

 

Great morning to sketch at Narrows Park

We had a grand time sketching at Narrows Park.  There was plenty of beach fun, backdropped with an incredible view of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge.

The throwdown

Narrows Park

Thursday, July 9: Narrows Park in Gig Harbor

1502 Lucille Parkway, Gig Harbor, WA  98335

Narrows Park

Tacoma Narrows Bridge from Narrows Park

Meet at 10:00 in the parking lot.  From the upper level, there is a small, covered picnic shelter with views of the bridge.  There will be a short, a bit steep, walk down the hill to sea level.  This park offers scenic views of the bridge, a small creek and waterfront access.  Portable toilets are located at one corner of the parking lot.

We will be partnering with the Peninsula Art League Plein Aire painters.

Great weather to sketch at Skansie Brothers Park

Many were ready for a good weather day to sketch.  There were plenty of vendors setting up for the market, the historic Skansie netshed, metal sculptures and the waterfront at Gig Harbor for inspiration.

The throwdown

Jerisich Public Dock

Sketching in the rain

It might have been prudent to cancel this morning's sketch outing at Hanwoori Korean Garden in Federal Way. But USk Tacoma had invited USk Seattle to attend. Rain was predicted, even thunderstorms. Also, it was time to celebrate USk Tacoma's 13th anniversary as our first sketch outing was June 7, 2013.

Several sketchers from Seattle came along with a few from the Tacoma group. We were a hardy bunch as it rained nearly the entire time. A few huddled together under the shelter of the roof of the garden gate. More were in the pagoda itself. And then a couple of us sketched from under umbrellas!

I was one of the sketchers sitting under an umbrella, painting a view of the gate. Sadly, the Federal Way city site doesn't have any information about this fairly new garden. I did find that Hanwoori means “we are one”. And that it was created in a partnership between the City of Federal Way and its sister city, Donghae, South Korea.

We ended early and a few people had already left. The Tacoma group posed with our anniversary poster.