More Alfoat

More images from the sketch outing at Foss Waterway Seaport 's Maritime Festival last weekend.  These are courtesy Pam Jenkins.

Sunday morning group:

 Sunday afternoon group:

Sunday afternoon "throw down"

Art Afloat All Hands on Sketch!

Today the Tacoma Urban Sketchers had the opening of their Gallery Exhibition Art Afloat All Hands on Sketch at the Foss Waterway Seaport Maritime Museum during the Maritime Festival.  I was there sketching along with other sketchers during the morning and there will be other sketchers drawing and painting all weekend long.  Entrance is free this weekend during the Festival. Feel free to come in and visit, enjoy the exhibit and the rest of the attractions.  Below is the sketch I completed today and pictures from the exhibit.

Happy Sketching!

Daisy

Porto Pity Party

Yesterday (Wednesday, 18 July) Urban Sketchers Tacoma met to sketch the streets and area around Artist and Craftsman Supply.  Since many of our fellow sketchers are at the 9th Annual Urban Sketchers International  Symposium in Porto Portugal we had a "Porto Pity Party".  I made special stick-on badges as a souvenir.  



Art teachers from the local chapter of Washington Education Association joined us for the sketch outing. They are interspersed in our group photo. 




My initial plan was sketching this statue. Goddess of Commerce bears symbols that depict Tacoma's industries and the port. That's Artist and Craftsman in the background, though I didn't recreate the massive mural painted on the building.  I added the badge and my lunch receipt from "Stink".  Despite the name, the food was very good.  It's just down the street.




I wandered in search of another subject. That took me a long way down St. Helen's street to a view of the Urban Grace church. I've wanted to sketch this for a long time. Opportunity and all that Gothic delayed me. This is just enough Gothic to not be intimidated. It is Urban Grace church.

They write on their web page: "Urban Grace is an ecumenical congregation that is multicultural, diverse, and welcoming to all. We welcome the full participation of all people–any denominational background, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status."  The statement goes on to say how they value The Arts: " We also seek to develop and nurture the arts and artists through the use of our facility as a community arts center."

 

More Photos.


-- by Kate Buike

August 2018 outings

First Saturday Aug 4: Chinese Reconciliation Park

Meet at 10 am in the parking lot.  KaCe & Alison are hosts for this outing. 

Though the map shows it on Ruston Way, the City of Tacoma website lists the address as:
1741 N Schuster Parkway, Tacoma, WA 98402

"The park design is a mixture of traditional Chinese scholar’s style gardens and beautiful natural waterfront setting.  The Chinese Reconciliation Park is a 4 acre park that is located at the southern end of the 1.5-mile Ruston Way waterfront along Commencement Bay, and is in the proximity of the early Chinese settlement that was burned down during the tragic expulsion."

"A "Ting" is a Chinese pavilion.  The Fuzhou Ting was donated by Fuzhou, China, one of Tacoma's Sister Cities, in support of our Chinese reconciliation efforts."

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Second Thursday, August 9:   Beekeepers Cottage

3406 64th Ave Ct NW, Gig Harbor

10-12:30 please bring chair and lunch for sketching.  There are flowers, animals, gnome doors, waterfall and bees in a charming happy place.

Directions: From North: 16E to Gig Harbor City Center, Wollochet Dr, right at top of ramp then follow directions below.

From South: 16W to Gig Harbor City Center/Wollochet Dr, turn left at top of ramp, cross over Route 16. Go .4 miles turn right onto 35th St NW, go 600 feet turn left onto 58th Ave NW, go .5 miles turn right onto 32nd St NW, go 500 feet turn left onto 64th Ave Ct NW, Beekeepers Cottage On left in 700 feet. 

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 Third Wednesday, August 15:  Point Defiance Pagoda

 5801 Trolley Ln, Tacoma, WA 98407

https://www.metroparkstacoma.org/pagoda/

It is just inside Point Defiance park from the N. Pearl Street entrance.  

Meet at 10 am on the patio in front of the Pagoda. 

Best spot to park is in the street parking opposite the Lodge and Visitor Center 

 (as indicated on the map, below).   

posted by Kate Buike

Marina Park

Urban Sketchers Tacoma/Gig Harbor section met Thursday (July 12) at Marina Park in Port Orchard. Photos sent from Pam Jenkins.

--posted by Kate Buike

Midweek Dinner

Jim and I went to Katie Downs on Wednesday night for dinner. I am blessed with a patient hubby. He sat for almost and extra hour while I sketched the crowd on the deck. Slowly my people are improving, perhaps before I die I'll get better with drawing people... you might be able to recognize who I am drawing.

I am working hard to do faster work, too. I didn't use any pencil... pen only and then quick watercolors when I got home. I plan to go out again later today and finish a drawing I began two years ago downtown Tacoma. 

Keep drawing, don't give up, that's my mantra...

pen and watercolor

Dad and Son Learn to Sail

My sketch at the Thea Foss Waterway Seaport Museum. There were sailing lessons being given and I got there just as about 15 people were getting into their boats. So I sketched the boats and waited for folks to come back and get out of their boats. This father and son seemed to have had a good time. The boy is grasping close to his chest what I presume is a handout about sailing. The dock had large open spaces for water to run off and then textured areas between them to avoid slipping. I liked this sketch, but one can tell that I need more time with perspective... my marina craft are going "up hill". And I didn't give any thought to how I was going to close the drawing... would I draw what was across the waterway? Well, I didn't, as you can see, so I just did water meeting sky... sort of ethereal.

I don't sell my actual drawings, but rather archival prints of them. That is what I enter into shows and give to clients. Because it is important to me that the print last, I do not use card stock that is "regular". Archival means it won't decompose from the chemicals in the fibers of the paper. It is made to a higher standard than usual heavy weight stock. It is also printed with pigment-based ink rather than dye. Dye will fade away quickly if the piece is hung where there is sunlight and who would want to have purchased a piece that disappears? So the ink and paper that are used are important to me. When you purchase a print the artist should know if it is archival, if they don't, it probably isn't.

Our exhibit at the Museum beginning July 28 we will have two categories... original or archival copy. So if you think about it, sometimes an archival copy could last longer than the original, depending upon what was used by the artist. Some artists don't care and think it frivolous to worry about, but I think those types of artists are not interested in giving their clients the best they have. They are only interested in selling or making a name as an avant-garde type artist.

The important thing is to keep on drawing. Observing life. Getting out there and being one with what is happening where you are at that minute. I you aren't an Urban Sketcher you are welcome to join the USkT (Urban Sketchers Tacoma) on any of our outings. You may find them here or on FB under our name.

Once more at Foss

Yesterday (Saturday, 7 July) Urban Sketchers Tacoma once again met to sketch in and around the Foss Waterway Seaport. We're sketching there so much because we will have a maritime-themed show opening there at the end of the month during the FREE Maritime Festival. So if you're around, please come to the festival and also see our show. Many of us will also be sketching around the event.






Our group photo was taken by Wes Wenhardt, the Exec. Director of Foss. He and his crew have been very supportive of USk Tacoma. That's why we're invited to have a show at the museum.

It was a nice day so I decided to sketch outside the museum. The Foss was offering a beginning sailing class. They were out on the water but I sketched a couple of the small, inflatable, boats.



While I was thinking about what to sketch next, I noticed one of the staff sitting in front of me, apparently engrossed in his phone. Perfect subject! This is sketched in the Field Notes Signature Sketchbook.



Finally, I walked far down the dock to the south side.



On to more sketching today at the Georgetown Garden Tour with Urban Sketchers Seattle!


---  Kate Buike

Maritime Festival Ad Hoc July 28 & 29

Saturday & Sunday, July 28 & 29:  Tacoma Maritime Festival Sketch outings at the Foss Waterway Seaport 

705 Dock St, Tacoma, WA 98402

In support of the Urban Sketchers Tacoma art show during this event, we' having ad hoc sketch outings on July 28 & 29.  The Foss has asked us to have at least 6 sketchers around the area on these days.

Frances Buckmaster has made a schedule of shifts:   9-12:00 and 1:00-4:00 on both days.  Please contact her by email to add your name to the schedule (fbuckmas@ix.netcom.com )

Entry to the Festival and the Museum is free.  You're encouraged to bring friends and family.  The link above has information about all the activities happening during the festival. 

Parking will be an issue. From the Festival website:
"Limited free parking is available along Dock Street. We highly encourage visitors to look at using public transit options, riding a bike, or even walking down to Dock Street from the Downtown Core via the 11th Street/Murray Morgan Bridge. A water shuttle will run between the Museum of Glass and the Foss Waterway Seaport. The distance between the Museum of Glass and the Foss Waterway Seaport is 1 mile with large portions walkable via the Thea Foss Waterway Esplanade."

You may be able to park in the garage at Freighthouse Square, take the trolley to downtown, walk to the the bridge and then walk to Foss. 

Freighthouse Square, 2501 E D St, Tacoma, WA 98421

Exit the Trolley at 10th & Commerce. Walk about 5 minutes (.2 mi) to the bridge.  

Then take elevator down to Dock street to walk along Dock Street about 8 minutes from the bridge to Foss (.4 mi).