Urban Sketchers Tacoma met this morning at the WW Seymour Conservatory in Wright Park. We've been there a few times before but not for some years. It dates from 1908.
The walk ways were narrow and there a number of other visitors. So I chose to sketch a sculpture outside. I'd never noticed the creature but staff said it had been made and placed by a former curator in the 1970's! There is another figure to the right of the entrance, almost obscured by plants.
There were a few new sketchers today. At least four left before our throw down and group photo.
Sketchers from 4 local groups met at Southcenter Mall to sketch the
massive Lunar New Year Dragon. It's been there for the past 3 years.
However, new this year is a horse statue for this year's Chinese Zodiac
animal, the Fire Horse.
Artists from USk Seattle, USk Tacoma, the Eastside subsection of USk
Seattle, and the South Sound Sketchers from Olympia all convened.
Since I've sketched that dragon at least 4 times over 3 years, I
elected to sketch the horse. I still have motor memory for horse
confirmation from having drawn so many when I was young! This was a
multicolored horse, covered in quilling designs. Paper quilling is the
art of rolling, shaping, and gluing narrow, colorful paper strips to
create intricate designs It is also made of foam.
In 2024 I'd spoken with Kate Z, the marketing manager and learned
that the the dragon was made for a SF company in Shanghi. It's made of
steel and foam, weighing 500 pounds. The Wishing tree is concrete,
steel, and foam, weighing 750 pounds! The staff member I spoke with
today said the horse only weighs about 70 pounds and is easily tipped
over. Hence the four posted frame around it for protection.
We had a great group of sketchers at Java & Clay Cafe. The cafe was busy with lots of sketchers, customers, coffee, baked goods and wonderful views of the cafe interior and exterior views of the harbor through the windows.
The Throwdown
Urban Sketchers visit Java & Clay Cafe Welcome Erin, Karen, Lane and Cara
We met at the Tacoma Art Museum (TAM). It was a very chilly day so most people sketched inside. The Museum has 3rd floor windows looking out over some historic buildings.
Many of us sketched Leroy, the large dog sculpture who is the Museum's Mascot. The sculpture title is actually, "Leroy, the Big Pup," a Coon Hound by Northwest artist Scott Fife, made from archival cardboard and other materials, created for a 2004 exhibition, inspired by Fife's own dog.
I sketched Leroy plus two other animal sculptures. It's all I did as I spent some pleasant time talking with other sketchers. I saved my entrance tag ("TAM") to attach to the sketch.
Meet at 10:00 am in the Cafe. Street parking is available along Harborview Drive and additional parking is available uphill from the cafe. This venue offers seating in the cafe lounge. Food and beverage are available for purchase. For anyone interested in sketching on unfinished pottery, the Pottery Studio is available for a fee.
We had a great morning to sketch on a brisk January day. The Vintage Aero Museum in Gig Harbor had plenty of vintage aircrafts, automobiles, bicycles, pedal cars, canoes, boat motors and motorcycles to draw inspiration from.
