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| Buffalo Gil presides over the bar at Club Mallard, an Albany institution which has been serving customers since 1945! Carrie McClish’s sketch (above) captured the place and Justin so well. I focused on Gil being sketched by Carrie and Micaela (below). Thanks for the hospitality Justin! |
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| Our July public sketching night was held at the hospitable Ocean View Brew Works, on San Pablo Ave., Albany. We had such a good time, sketching, sipping, and meeting new sketchers. I need to come back to learn more about the brewing process (to sketch the equipment better). Thank you Veronica and Melina for welcoming us! |
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| I had such a wonderful time on a rainy morning while sketching the colorful spices at the Oaktown Spice Shop (OSS) in Oakland with our group. The jars, bottles, mannequin, and accessories were delightful! Thank you so much OSS for having us over! |
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| We had a great time at Oakland's Beer Baron Thursday night, sketching this friendly, gorgeous place. The sketch above was actually about 3 weeks before outside in the afternoon when I was checking it out and enjoying a treat. The sketch below was indoors last night. I wish I could have better captured the barrel staves adorning the ceiling and the graphic artwork on the wall. Guess I'll have to go back! |
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| From old Oakland, Pt. Reyes, to the rooftops of San Francisco, there are so many beautiful urban and natural landscapes! |
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| Pt. Reyes |
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| From a rooftop garden in San Francisco |
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| I've been going back to Orcas Island, WA for about twenty years. The ferry carries me away from the urban tempos to a slower heartbeat. Thank you Moran State Park, San Juan Land Trust, Warm Valley Farm, Warm Valley Orchard, Girl Meets Dirt, and others who welcomed me to sketch and paint. Here are some of my sketches from my stay. Ferry view below. |
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| Moran State Park above. |
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| East Sound hydrant. |
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| Warm Valley Farm apple tree and strutting turkeys below. |
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| The Warm Valley Orchard Truck carries an amazing variety of goods for the body and soul. |
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| I love Warm Valley Orchard's sheep and they love munching grape leaves (Thanks M). |
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| Girl Meets Dirt transforms the bounty of Orcas orchards into jams and other delicious items. Preserving Orcas heritage fruit, one jar at a time! Thanks for letting me sketch there! |
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| Great people and food at Berkeley's Maker's Common. Thank you for the hospitality! |
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| "There Once Was a Woman..." Children's Fairyland on the shores of Lake Merritt, Oakland, has been has been enchanting children and adults since 1950. Thank you Executive Director C.J. Hirschfield and Art and Restoration Director Shannon Taylor for welcoming our sketching and keeping Fairyland so charming. |
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| Pinocchio |
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| Last weekend I was so fortunate to attend the Fiesta Sin Fronteras at Fruitvale and at the Oakland Wall, next to Luka's. Thank you Maria Alderete for leading the way to celebrate Oakland's Latin American cultures and immigrants. You so vividly reminded us that walls are for art and dancing! |
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| Aztec Dancer and Aztec Rattle |
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| Mariachi Estelar musician with flowers in her hair. |
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| Mariachi Estelar was so amazing. Their musical skills and presentation were very impressive. |
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| Bandaloop literally danced on Oakland's Great Wall! |
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| Between showers, I could see the mustard growing by the slough. |
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| The small yellow entrance to the boardwalk. |
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| The clouds over the hills were reflected in the water. |
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| I am mesmerized by the Tule Wave by Reuben Margolin. This 7' x 7' 25' high kinetic sculpture is housed in the David Brower Center located at 2150 Alston Way near the Berkeley BART Station. The sculpture is composed of tule reeds, brass beads, string, and steel with an electric motor that gently creates a murmuration. I had a view from the 1st floor. Our group sketched within the Center, focusing on the Tule Wave and other art in the Hazel Wolf Gallery which emphasizes environmental and social advocacy art. (Please see other posts). The Center's name honors David Brower, a Berkeley native who was a leader in both the Sierra Club and the League of Conservation Voters. |
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| I enjoyed leaving the cold, wet, grey day to enter into the warmth, colors, scents and tastes of Viks Chaat and Market. Here is a little sketch of part of the market. Please see Ceiny and Cathy's sketches and background info previously posted on this blog. |
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| I also participated in the Hands Around Lake Merritt yesterday. Thousands came to hold hands around the 3.4 mile heart-shaped lake in Oakland. Folks sang protest songs from the 60's and more contemporary chants during the peaceful demonstration for equality, equity, diversity and peace. Please see the sketches from the others who were there. |
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| GIRL meets DIRT at the Eastsound Farmer's Market One of the highlights of my annual visit to Orcas was meeting and visiting with the folks from GIRL meets DIRT. This small enterprise located in Eastsound, Orcas Island, Washington State supports local orchards and heirloom produce. The jams reflect the "taste of place". Thank you Audra Query Lawlor for the work that you, your staff and local growers do. And thank you for letting me sketch! |
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| The jam shop/tasting room/kitchen and crew on Enchanted Forest Road. |
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| Every once in a while, I visit SF and sketch from one of my favorite spot overlooking the Embarcadero. I particularly like to try to sketch the Bay Bridge shadows on the water. |
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| That is Oakland in the far distance. |
