Old Cannery

We returned to sketch the Christmas decor at the Old Cannery. We've been twice before but not, apparently, since 2016.

There were so many interesting things to sketch. Our host brought out their new puppet mascot, Caboose the Moose, for someone to sketch. Carolyn added him to her scene.





I choose to do a montage.  A few of us drew the nutcracker statue and the piggies.   


More photos here.

Scorci's

Thanks to Katie B, one of our members, we could sketch at Scorci's Italian Cafe before they opened. She works there and negotiated this opportunity. We were an unusually small group today. 



 Paul left early. 


I elected to go next door to Van Lierop Garden Market. It wasn't too cold so I sketched outside. There's always something interesting in the garden there.



I returned to Sorci's to warm up and ordered lunch. Manny's is my favorite beer but I didn't have any because I had to drive home. It's brewed by Georgetown Brewery.



While at a table to eat my delicious caprese sandwich, I sketched what was nearby.



More photos here.


--Kate Buike

Santa among the couches

The holiday sketch outing for Urban Sketchers Tacoma was back to The Old Cannery in Sumner.  We'd sketched there last December, too. There is just so many choices of interesting subjects.  I got there early and wandered around for 20 minutes, trying to choose subjects.

I finally decided to sketch this amusing moose head.  It moves and talks!  It is triggered by someone walking under the arch, so I was treated to the full range of its conversations while I sketched it.



I thought the Santa statue situated in the middle of the recliners and couches portrayed the "gestalt" of this place!   I included the "Mattress Gallery" sign for full effect.



We shared our sketches around one of the dining tables and had a group photo.





A few more photos here:   https://redharp.smugmug.com/SketchOutings/2016-1203-Old-Cannery/

by Kate Buike

Unexpected Sun in the Garden

Our Wednesday outing was to the Windmill Gardens in Sumner, WA.  I've been there twice before to sketch but there are always interesting subjects.  I'd thought of some options for sketching out of the rain.  But we had warm sun instead!

I was amused by "Don Dirt," the leafy sculpture that greets arriving customers, so I made him the subject of my first sketch.   He's very cool with his shades.  






There were several patio-like tableau around the garden center.  I picked this one for its pumpkin-colored chair.

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We gathered in the gazebo to share sketches.




More photos:  https://redharp.smugmug.com/SketchOutings/2016-1019-Windmill-Gardens/

Sopwith Camel in a furniture store!

It is SO much more than a furniture store.  What an unusual place!  From the talking moose to the animatronic chickens there was so much to sketch it will require several more trips!  I could have even bagged the USk flickr weekly theme - "Organs" - as there was a small pipe organ!  I didn't sketch it first and then I had to leave for an unexpected meeting!

the chickens... they cluck and move

Lots of photos of this crazy place here   https://redharp.smugmug.com/SketchOutings/2015-1216-The-Old-Cannery/

I was there quite early so I wandered the entire place.  For my first sketch, I picked what I thought was the oddest thing there:  Snoopy and Woodstock in the Sopwith Camel!  Half way through drawing this sketch, I had to laugh at myself.  I volunteer at the Museum of Flight in Seattle (my regular readers know this).  I do a lot of sketching of airplanes there during my other visits!   So what do I draw when I'm in a furniture store..... an airplane!



The entire showroom floor is actually several huge rooms.  It was all decked out for Christmas.  So my next sketch was one of those displays.  Cow and sleigh.



We enjoyed free Keurig coffee.  For our sketch sharing the store provided some fudge samples!

To quote a Wise One, "Loosey-goosey makes it juicy."

This morning I enjoyed the latest entry in Thomas Kitts' blog . I've learned quite a few helpful things since I subscribed to his blog some time ago, and also I have also regularly appreciated his sense of humor. I mention this because I like to tell artist friends about blogs I think are enjoyable and helpful to artists!

Today, Thomas mentioned that he has noticed GREAT painters switch mediums..say from oils to watercolors...with facility. They seem able to produce very good paintings in both mediums. 

Recently, he decided to try watercolors again after a 20 year hiatus. I resonated with his angst about moving out of one's comfort zone and trying new things....or, old things once more.  Thomas recently did a couple of little plein air watercolors, posted them in the blog... AND...

He was timid.   

He was uncomfortable.

He self-critiqued with crippling great haste. 

He confessed he had the urge to hide his watercolors from artist friends, perhaps committing them to a landfill.

I KNOW those feelings and behaviors. I've been stepping outside my comfort zone recently. I'm experienced with drawing and with values, but fairly new to using color in any medium.  Recently I began trying to both sketch and paint while simultaneously trying to be looser in my rendering. I've often skipped pencil under-sketching and painted first followed by drawing directly in ink on top of the color. I'm been experimenting with using water-soluble ink which can sometimes have a mind of its own. I'm trying out the experience of being faster and more slap dash (though ingrained drawing skills are still present) rather than being a VERY slow perfectionist.

Thomas offered some other great handy-hints and ideas in his blog today--which I leave to you to go see...AND, he offered a mental note to self  that made me chuckle:  "Looser is better. Looser is okay. Loosey-goosey makes it juicy..."   Take a peek at Thomas Kitts' blog. If you do, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

O.K. FRANCES! LIGHTEN UP!  HAVE  FUN!

(First: Rebecca's Coffee Shop--One of my coffee hang-outs during the 3rd Annual West Coast Sketch Crawl in San Diego, CA 8-9-15)

(Second: Van Lierop Garden Market during our monthly Third Wednesday Sketch-out--Downtown Sumner WA 8-19-15)

(Frances-Loosey-Goosey-I-Love-Urban-Sketching-Buckmaster)

Van Leirop Garden Market

Our Wednesday outing was to Van Leirop Garden Market in Sumner.  It's a delightful small garden shop.  They were very gracious in hosting us today.








At least one person left before the photo.  So the group was 18-20 people today.  Not bad for a Wednesday morning.



Sharing sketches:



A group of us shared a delightful lunch at Sorci's Italian Cafe next door.  I gave them a half hour "warning" and they did a good job serving us.  The food was delicious and the company excellent.  There were many good conversations and ideas shared. 




There are a few more photos here.