Westgate Mall in San Jose

We took chewey to the dog groomers at Petco across from the Westgate Mall. Since he was there for a few hours, I dashed across Hamilton to the Starbucks in Barnes and Noble. A beautiful day.

Sonia's Sketches at Nong Thon Vietnamese Restaurant

Chopstick Bouquet by Sonia Tamez, Ink & watercolor

Sonia's rendition of the life-sized ox statue that stands in real grass in the restaurant's entry

Sonia Went to the San Juan Islands Too

Yakima Ferry docks at Orcas Island, ink & watercolor by Sonia Tamez

 Every year, for the past 12 years, Sonia goes to the San Juan Islands, which are located off the northwestern edge of the continental part of  Washington state. Here are a few of her sketches.

The Olga Store, ink & watercolor by Sonia Tamez

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Aircraft at the Museum of Space, Seattle and the Glass Museum, Tacoma

These two very quick sketches were done while watching a glassmaking demo at the Museum of Glass in Tacoma:

And these airplanes were at the Museum of Flight, Seattle:

More from the trip to Seattle:

San Juan Islands and Seattle

Schools were shut for a week here in San Jose, so we grabbed the opportunity to head out for a break: San Juan Islands and Seattle is where we were headed.

There is something magical about places on the waterfront.

Boats and Ferry, Friday Harbor, San Juan Island:

SAM( Seattle Art Museum), and a view of the cranes on the waterfront, Seattle:

And I guess you just can't do a "Seattle" posting without a Pike Place Sketch I could have sketched here all week, but I only got one really quick sketch in... I had my 3 and 5 year old with me , and every time I looked down at my sketchpad, they would have wondered off and gotten lost in the crowds! I sketched this balloon man because they were fascinated by him and stayed put!

Nong Thon Vietnamese, El Cerrito

The ox statue in restaurant foyer: a stationary subject. Sketched by Beth Bourland, Oct 26, 2010

Nong Thon restaurant

This is a spacious restaurant with a calm, relaxing atmosphere, really friendly and helpful people, and reasonable, too!

Sort of urban in New Hampshire

As a California native, painting fall color in New Hampshire, all I can say is WOW! The orange trees were unbelievable. Small towns were as close to "urban" as I got.

More from Cancun Restaurant

Cancun Fajitas, ink & watercolor by Jana Bouc

Now that it's dark by the time we meet we're back to scouting out indoor sketch sites. When we met at our original planned site we realized we felt uninspired there, so we headed across the street to the vibrant, warmly lit Cancun restaurant.

 Cancun kitchen area, ink & watercolor

I enjoyed drawing all the odd angles and perspective in the multi-level ceiling and light fixtures. The attractive young woman taking orders asked to see my sketch at the end of the evening. I was embarrassed by how poorly I'd drawn her face (in ink so there was no fixing it) but she smiled and politely said "Nice!"

sketchcrawl 29: san francisco

Sorry I've been away. I've been sketching though. Here is from the recent sketchcrawl in SF. Riders on BART and muni, dogs and sketchers in Duboce Park.


The Sunset Chinese Folk Dance Group near Duboce Park and the view from in front of Blue Bottle Coffee.


The view from Duboce and Buena Vista.


City Hall.


Table decoration from a Thai restaurant south of Market, more riders on BART.
More soon!

Sketching at Jupiter

Jupiter Pub Sketch #2 with Little Boy, by Jana Bouc

Last week we met up at Jupiter Beer Pub for sketching, pizza and beer on their outdoor patio. It turns out to have been the last warm night of the year and the place was packed. It was quite dark where we were sitting so my Pitt Artist's Brush Pen with a thicker line made it easier to see what I was drawing (barely) than my fountain pen. I had to add the watercolor at home.

Jupiter Pub Sketch #1, by Jana Bouc

As it got later and the crowd thinned out we were able to move to the main area of the patio where I sat in a wonderful Adirondack chair and sketched the courtyard where we'd started the evening.

Fall means sketching in coffee shops

I'm a wimp when it comes to the cold, so at the first sign of fall, I head indoors to sketch. One of my favorite haunts: Los Gatos Coffee brewing Company. It's always full, often a challenge to find a seat, but that just means lots of people to draw. Notice how everyone of this little group of people I sketched is on a device: a laptop, an iphone....

More from Cancun (Restaurant) from Sonia

Mango Medley by Sonia Tamez

Cancun Discussion by Sonia Tamez

Cancun Restaurant

We were going to go to Saturn, having been at Jupiter a week ago, but we decided Cancun felt a little friendlier with it's warm colors and lively murals. Not to mention the great food!

Cathedral Roof Garden, Oakland

Roof Garden at the Cathedral of Christ the Light, Oakland by Jana Bouc

Across the street from my office building is a huge modern cathedral that looks more like a concrete prison but their roof garden is perfect spot for a relaxing lunch and some sketching in the middle of a hectic work day. 

Lake Chalet Restaurant, Oakland

Lake Chalet Restaurant, Oakland, ink & watercolor by Sonia Tamez

The Lake Chalet restaurant building began life in 1909 as a salt water pumping plant for the Oakland Fire Department in 1909.  Later on in 1913, two building wings were designed for a boathouse.  

Today it is an elegant restaurant extending into Lake Merritt.

Opera At The Ballpark

San Francisco Opera broadcasts live performances of the Opera at the AT&T ballpark. 32,000 people came to this performance of Aida. There was seating in the stands and on the outfield grass. The performance started with the cry: Play Opera!

de Young museum, San Francisco CA

My Sister and I went up to the de Young last friday for the Post Impressionist!!! Great show!

What to draw in San Jose!

My Sister was in an art store in Marin, California. In conversation with the clerk had mentioned that She had a brother who sketched in San Jose. The Clerk replied with " what's to draw in San Jose??" This little theater was a very risque foreign cinema in the 1960's. It now shows Indian films.

Sketching at the Doubletree Hotel, Berkeley

Sunset Hornblower, Behind the Doubletree, Ink & watercolor by Jana Bouc

On the last night of the heatwave we met behind the Doubletree Hotel in Berkeley to sketch by the SF Bay to cool off.

Pacific Hornblower, Ink & watercolor by Sonia Tamez

 When it got too dark we explored the hotel, looking for sketching options. 

Doubletree Lobby Chairs, Ink & watercolor by Sonia Tamez

The seating area in the lobby was so comfy we plopped down and spent the rest of the evening relaxing and drawing the chairs and loby.. 

Doubletree Lobby, Ink by Cathy McAuliffe

Doubletree Lobby Chairs, Ink & watercolor, by Jana Bouc

Sketching Alameda, Oakland and Berkeley

St. Barnabas Church, Ink & watercolor by Beth Bourland

 St. Barnabas is a church on Sixth Street in Alameda.

Berkeley Twilight, Ink & Watercolor by Beth Bourland

 "Berkeley Twilight" was from our recent Tues night sketching session.

Marshal Street with Prayer Flags, Ink & watercolor by Beth Bourland

Marshall Street with the prayer flags: an ordinary neighborhood scene near San Pablo & Stanford, in Oakland.