Meet the Sketchers: Nina Khashchina

I live in the heart of Silicon Valley and can bike or run to sketch some Google buildings or how Caltrain rushes by ;)

I enjoy the process of discovering a face of an urban landscape - through drawing and painting and just quiet moments. And I sketch nature and how it survives in cities around the world and first of all right here - in the Bay Area.

It's almost impossible to catch me without a sketchbook and I draw everywhere: standing in line, in the park while my son unwinds after a day in preschool, taking a break form lunch, sometimes even waiting in traffic :)

My main tools are ink and watercolors, sometimes watercolor pencils. Oils and Acrylics are great for studio but too cumbersome for on the go - as a freelance illustrator and graphic designer AND a young mom I need to be ready to drop everything and run (literally)!

So I am on a quest to a simple set-up, always experimenting with some new pens, brushes, pigments, paper etc. Here are some of my sketching set-ups:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/23173190@N07/sets/72157611296595847/
I just got a new little kit and hope to try it out this week and post some pictures ;)

I started book binding a couple of years ago too and enjoy it very much. The ability to choose your own paper, size, number of pages - and the fact that you create something with your hands make it very special for me. You can see some results here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/23173190@N07/sets/72157606244662915/

I work in my sketchbook daily. Small drawings or 10 pages - does not matter - I enjoy the continuity and flexibility, the rhythm. Sketchbook became an art form in itself for me.

I am honored to be a part of this blog and look forward to sharing my work here.

You can view more of my works at:
http://www.apple-pine.com/
http://apple-pine.blogspot.com/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/23173190@N07/