Back to Fort Nisqually

This time I'm there as an Urban Sketcher, not as a volunteer interpreter! 

Roy, Carolyn and Feather carpooled with me to Fort Nisqually. While we were still on the freeway, Carolyn asked, "are we headed to those clouds?".  As we arrived, the Pt Defiance park was covered with clouds and chilly. It didn't take long, though, for those to blow away and the sun to shine on us.

Fort staff (Tracy B) was so kind to let us in early so we could start our sketch outing at the usual time. Everyone quickly spread out around the grounds.

I'm an occasional volunteer there and in that role I've done so many sketches of the buildings and grounds. So I thought about what I could do differently. I climbed to the top of the "gallery" and saw a view of one of the Bastions I'd not sketched before. I needed my trusty tool to get the perspective line correct along the fence.



"A bastion is a projecting part of the fortification offering a safe haven in danger. It was a precautionary policy of the Hudson's Bay Company to build stockades and bastions around their posts to protect property primarily from theft and, if necessary, for defense."   Fort Nisqually was not a military installation but an outpost of the Hudson's Bay Company.

With about an hour left, I went over to the bright red poppies I'd noticed upon arrival. They stand in front of one of the (un-used) outhouses!



We shared our sketches in the shade of the Factor's House porch, then had our group photo.




More photos here: https://redharp.smugmug.com/SketchOutings/2017-0719-Fort-Nisqually/

Fort Nisqually outing

Though a bit chilly, we enjoyed a beautiful, sunny day at Fort Nisqually.  They were very gracious and let us in early.  

I'm also a volunteer there, so I've sketched scenes around the Fort a lot.  This was a wonderful time of year to be there as so much was in bloom.  I chose the Hollyhock and Sweet William bordering the porch of the Factor house.




Sharing sketches and the group photo:





All the photos are here:  https://redharp.smugmug.com/SketchOutings/2016-0615-Fort-Nisqually/

Reminder:   The Fort is hosting a juried art exhibition which we are encouraged to participate in by submitting the sketches of our Fort Nisqually outing.  Go here to download the pdf for the prospectus.  The deadline to enter is July 29.  

View from the bench

I sketched this while interpreting at Fort Nisqually yesterday.  I sat on a bench in the shade in front of the "Large Store" building.  The white house in the background is the Factor's House, where the manager of the installation lived.

For a Wednesday, there seemed to be many visitors.  I interacted with a few but nothing remarkable.  It was a very peaceful, quiet day.

Old kitchen

Do you know about the global Urban Sketchers' weekly themes?  On Monday morning each week, one of the volunteers posts a new theme for the week.  Sketchers add images, either previously sketched or new ones done for the theme.



The global Urban Sketchers flickr pool weekly theme is kitchens.  After finishing my shift at Fort Nisqually today, I took a few minutes to sketch the stove in the kitchen building.  The day had turned sunny and it was about 55 degrees.  The stove was not fired up so it was a bit chilly in the building.