March 2012: 5 minutes in downtown Palo Alto

March 2012: 5 minutes in downtown
Originally uploaded by apple-pine

Amazingly short line at the post office gave me a chance to draw this before rushing back to schedule. Ballpoint pen.

Black Diamond Mines

From the 1860s through the turn of the last century, five coal mining towns thrived in the Black Diamond area near Antioch. It was California's largest coal mining operation, and nearly four million tons of coal (black diamonds) were removed from the earth.

Food Obsession

I have a food obsession for sure. At almost any given moment you could ask me what I felt like eating right then, and I could think of a LOT of things I would want to eat. Lately I've taken to drawing what I eat too. Here are a few recent food-related sketches.

A pear and almond tart and coffee at Filoli Gardens, Woodside.


A Reuben sandwich, Gunthers, San Jose


And condiments on the table.


More sketches on my blog or flickr stream.

More from The Actual Cafe

Actual Cafe and Saul's Deli

Actual Cafe, Oakland, ink & watercolor 8x5"

We had a great Tuesday sketch night at the Actual Cafe in Oakland. It's an interesting place with a huge mural on the wall, a lending library, bicycles hanging from the ceiling, and regularly scheduled art events. They host bingo games to benefit non-profits and, being a bike-friendly establishment, use an old bike rigged up to spin a bingo cage and send bingo balls down the chute.

Susan sketching in front of cape-wearing, pickle eater

We always enjoy sketch nights at Saul's Deli in Berkeley. There's such a huge variety of things to draw, from the interesting architecture to what's right in front of me.

Around Town

Oakland Airport and Hotel Lounge

View from Oakland Airport

Sketching the view of the bay and surrounding marshland while waiting for my flight to Scottsdale, Arizona was a great way to pass the two hour wait for my plane.

Sketching people watching TV in the hotel lounge

My hotel in Scottsdale hosted happy hour from 5-7 every night with free beer, wine, chile and nachos. Being a budget travel I admit to making that into dinner 3 nights of my 5-day stay, along with their free breakfasts daily. I was there for an Alla Prima Portraiture class with the amazing Rose Frantzen at the Scottsdale Artists School. 

San Francisco Bay Waterfront

March 2012 - San Francisco

March 2012 - San Francisco
Originally uploaded by apple-pine

Construction in San Francisco

The Mission Bay area is full of construction sites.

March 2012: Meeting Olga Prudnikova aka Olkazavr

March 2012: Meeting Olga
Originally uploaded by apple-pine
I had a pleasure of tea and sketching together with a wonderful Olga Prudnikova from Berlin. We met in downtown Palo Alto, and had a chance to draw a little while talking about 100 different things. I learned that I I draw differently because spend more time talking than looking - hence need to practice more sketching with others! So I will try and catch more urban sketchers to get some practice :)

Alameda Flea Market

Drawing San Francisco

Drawing Sam Francisco
Originally uploaded by apple-pine

Windy Evening in Palo Alto

February 2012: Evening
Originally uploaded by apple-pine

Spring in Berkeley

Mare Island, Vallejo

February 2011: Visit to USS Hornet

February 2011: USS Hornet
Originally uploaded by apple-pine
Bay area has many attractions but for a little boy a trip to SHIP WITH PLANES is an amazing adventure!

I found a small exposition of "sketches from the war" by George S. Eisenberg - wonderful inspiration! I sketched him from the photo in return :)

And then we were stuck in traffic and I did some quick line drawings (usually I cannot draw in a car:) and added color at home.