We had perfect weather to sketch and paint at the Gig Harbor waterfront. There was an abundance of subjects to choose from. Today was our last day of the season to partner with the Peninsula Art League Plein Aire painters. Thanks to Liz for the photo. Welcome Paul.
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| Sketchers and Plein Aire painters at Ancich Waterfront Park |
Yesterday we met at the Tacoma Community College Japanese Friendship Garden. I'd never known of this before but Beverly suggested it for a sketch outing. Everyone liked it and we'll go again. We were happy to welcome a few first timers, as well.
It expresses friendship with Tacoma's sister city in Kitakyushu, Japan. It was created as a “karesansui” or dry garden.
My sketch featured one of the stone lanterns and the bridge.
3589 Harborview Drive
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| 3589 Harborview Drive, Gig Harbor |
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| Ancich Net Shed |
Meet at 10:00 at the street level picnic area. Street parking is available adjacent to the park. This park offers a shaded lower level, public pier, restored net shed, views of the harbor, beach access and public restrooms.
We will be partnering with the Peninsula Art League Plein Aire painters.
Urban Sketchers Seattle and Tacoma came together to sketch in the Hanwoori Korean Garden in Federal Way. The garden’s name means “we are one”.
The feature is a colorful pagoda, Donghaejeong, built in the sister city of Donghae and donated to the park. I still haven't sketched it.
I started with an ink drawing of the side of the gate.
Then I painted the stone feature with the "Taegeuk:, which means "supreme ultimate" in Korean philosophy, representing universal balance and dual forces (um and yang).
A few more photos here.
We had a wonderful day to sketch and paint at Rosedale Gardens. There were plenty of gardens, paths, plants, trees, pottery, structures and sculptures to choose from. We partnered with the Peninsula Art League Plein Aire painters.
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| Rosedale Gardens |
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| The Throwdown |
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.
7311 Rosedale Street NW, Gig Harbor 98335
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| Rosedale Gardens upper entrance |
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.
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.
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| The throwdown |
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| Narrows Park |
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| 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.
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.
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| The throwdown |
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| Jerisich Public Dock |
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.
3211 Harborview Drive, Gig Harbor, WA 98335
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| Skansie Brothers Park |
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| Skansie Brothers Park and Jerisich Public Dock |
We had a fun sketch outing in Olympia at East Side Big Toms drive-thru burger restaurant. There were plenty of dinosaurs posed in several jungle scenes, vintage characters, and numerous fun views. Lunch was great, including milkshakes. Thanks to Kate for organizing.
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| The throwdown |
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| Thanks to Joe for taking the photo. A few sketchers left early. |
We had a busy morning to study and sketch at the Zoo and Aquarium on a dry May morning. Dozens of school buses delivered students on fieldtrip day. There were plenty of animals, sea life, plants, structures and people to sketch.
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| The throwdown |
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| Urban Sketchers visit the Zoo |
We met at the Wayzgoose printers' fair yesterday. The weather was perfect for the partially out door event.
This was probably the smallest group of sketchers to attend a USk Tacoma outing. Jen and I plus Seth, a visitor from USk Nashville.
We all sketched the steam roller printing huge sheets of carved linoleum.
After my first sketch I went inside the Tacoma Main Library to peruse the vendors. I was pleased to see a friend is keeping Chandler O'Leary's art available. Disturbingly, that website has not been altered and is written in the present tense. Chandler died too young several years ago of a sudden illness.
I always like dragons so the library's resident was my next sketch. I went in straight with ink and mixed the watercolors on the paper.
Our little throw down and group photo.
We met at the McMenamins Elks Temple, Tacomoa, which is celebrating 110 years now.
We changed the venue due to unexpected cost of the original and the prediction for significant rain. There was a smaller than usual group so I hope people didn't go to the other location!
I've sketched here many times before but found a couple views I've not drawn.
I used only ink for this...pen line and a waterbrush with diluted ink wash. I got the stamp from the hotel desk and also collaged a photo of the "6" that was painted on the elevator as well as a graphic of one of the logos.
I sat with Beverly in the restaurant to have some lunch. I sketched the view from our table.
