Lake Chalet Plumbing, Milk and Rocks

Lake Chalet (and Plumbing) on Lake Merritt, Oakland. Ink & watercolor, 5×7.5″

What attracted me to draw this scene wasn't the lovely Lake Chalet building; it was the multiple plumbing features on the grass that slopes down to the restaurant from the sidewalk where I sat to draw. And of course the antique street lights that circle the lake.

Milk Carton at Picante, ink & watercolor, 5×5″

 I struggled trying to draw these two milk cartons so issued a challenge to the other sketchers at my table to draw them too. We all had a different view of the cartons set in the middle of the table so it was fun to see the variety of approaches and points of view.

Drawing Rocks Practice on Sculpture at Oakland Museum, ink & watercolor, 5x7x5″

After a workshop on drawing rocks (part of John Muir Laws' Bay Area Nature Journal Club) Susan and I walked down to the Oakland Museum's sculpture garden, looking for rocks to practice on. The only rock-like object we could find was this clay sculpture.

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.