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On Saturday morning the weather was so perfect that I headed down to the waterfront for a little sketching—not to mention a little quality time with one of my Droplets!
I guess you could count this as working over a holiday, but it sure doesn’t feel like that. To me, it feels like the best way to enjoy a summer day.
Workin’ on a new batch of little somethings…can’t wait to show you the finished product!
Well, I’ve eked out just about as much pigment as it’s possible to get from some of these half pans, so I think it’s time to break out a brand-new paintbox. Somehow it feels like I’ve refreshed the whole studio.
Photo by Candace Rardon
If you know me at all, you know this is how you’re likely to find me. But I’m not the only one known to be seen with a sketchbook and paintbox.
My friend and fellow travel sketcher Candace has been in town visiting lately, and we’ve spent most of our time together with sketchbooks in hand.
In addition to showing her my favorite haunts, it’s been fun to introduce her to some other Urban Sketchers I know.
And I have a feeling you can guess what happens when a bunch of sketchbook nuts get together.
I walked around the block to visit my friend Laurie today (and to bask in the glow of The Most Beautiful Christmas Tree on Earth)…
…and look who I found on the tree! It’s Victoria Anne McGillicuddy from our letterpress ornament set!
In case you might be wondering, I’m still working on my Mt. Rainier book. I don’t post about it often, but this is a near-constant backdrop to everything I do. Every day, I hand-color a few more prints. Every day, I cut a few more pieces. Every day, I cross a thing or two off the massive list. And every day, I get closer to “done.”
I just got back from a glorious trip to the Canadian Maritimes with my best friend. We got to spend lots of time catching up,
live our childhood Anne of Green Gables fantasies,
eat our weight in lobster (and sport the latest bib fashions),
contemplate hilarious souvenirs (I don’t think the polar bears are for sale, dude)—
—as well as the inexplicable—
—and of course, have plenty of time for sketching. I’ll be posting the occasional sketchbook drawing from the trip over at my Drawn the Road Again blog, so feel free to follow along!
I’m leaving for a fall vacation in a few days, so my to-do list has things like passports and battery chargers on it. But the things I took care of first? Refilling my watercolor set, and knitting up some mittens for the trip.
Because, you know, priorities.
I’m pleased to be able to show off a couple of brand new illustrations! The Broadway Center for the Performing Arts commissioned me to illustrate their two historic theatres to kick off their new capitol campaign. They’ll be restoring and spiffing up these grand dames in time for their centennial in a few years, so expect to see these illustrations pop up around Tacoma between now and then.
Many thanks to Lacey and Mariesa at the Broadway Center for bringing me on board! It was an honor to be a part of such an important milestone.
I moved to Washington five years ago today. In that time, I’ve enjoyed a whole lot of apples,
beheld countless spectacular views,
stared out to sea a zillion times,
stood beside many lit (and unlit) beacons,
memorized every crag of my favorite mountain,
lost count of all the city sunsets (even in the rainy Northwest!),
and numbered my lucky stars over and over again that I get to call this place home.