April's Sketchcrawl drawings

We had intended to meet up at Case Park in Kansas City, but the rain defeated us...it's been a REALLY rainy spring in our corner of the Midwest.  So we met at the Nelson-Atkins, one of our favorite places, and enjoyed the quiet...and dry!

This young man was there sketching the whole time I drew the chimera...

I've always meant to sketch the chimera at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of art...these are Derwent Blue Grey, the one on the right wet with clear water, the other left as it was.

Of course I did my usual sketch of Quan Yin...

And one from our "virtual sketchcrawl!"

I forgot I hadn't posted these...siiiigh...I've been swamped with other stuff!

Aaaand, from our October Sketchcrawl..

I forgot to post these!  We were at the City Market, in Kansas City...fun, if small, crawl!

October Sketchcrawl for KC area sketchers

HI all--thanks to Susan for the reminder, we're planning our sketchcrawl for next Saturday, the 18th, in the lobby of the Crown Center Hotel, at 12:30--I need to paint/sketch the waterfall, and there's a lot there to do!  I've sketched The Streetcar Named Desire before, and there's always lots of good people sketching.

Hope to see you!

It's been a music kind of weekend...

Friday Night was Art Crawl...

Our friend Shawna makes instruments out of the oddest things...cigar boxes, sure, but also cookie tins, ammo boxes, and whatever she can find with a hollow body!

Copper Creek Band was playing Friday night, and I sketched quickly with a bent-nib calligraphy pen...love the brushlike marks.

Switched to a Black Cherry Prismacolor pencil on CP watercolor paper for the closeup...

Saturday night we hit the big city to hear our godchild Molly Hammer play at the Broadway Jazz Club...

Back to that fun bent-nib pen!

Added color and a little collage the next day at home...

Love that jazz face on Brian Baggett, the guitarist...

Last sketch of the evening, quick pencil drawings...

Urban Sketcher Donald Owen Colley in Kansas City!

Noodler's Creaper pen and Lexington Gray ink, with watercolor

Don was in Kansas City yesterday to demonstrate his use of Faber-Castell drawing tools at Artist & Craftsman Supply on SW Boulevard, and J. and I were delighted to get the chance to meet and talk to him. I was enthralled paging through his inspiring journals and loved listening to him talk to his interested audience (he is a LOT more relaxed in public than I am!), sketched him at work and shot a few photos.  Then we all went to grab a bite at Harvey's, in Union Station.

Don ate, I sketched the above, and we talked of cabbages and kings...lots of fun!

At Artist & Craftsman Supply in Kansas City.

This couple stayed for a long time, asking questions and talking...they were interesting too! 

Amazing sketches of people...

Heyyy...I've sketched this same old theatre in Kansas City...Don didn't get a chance to finish but I recognized it in a flash.

Zona Rosa

I'm working on drawing quicker than I used to.  Trying not to belabor details too much and focusing more on the overall character of a place has been my goal.  I liked this corner with the umbrellas and activity around the space.  Also attempting to add people which has been a fear for me in the past.  I'm pretty happy with the results I have here.  Stillman & Birn Beta Series sketchbook.

Lunchtime Sketches

 I've been trying to spend part of my lunch hour drawing.  This particular sketch is of a small Italian grocery in the City Market in Kansas City.  They have great sandwiches and it is a very interesting little market.  From the table where I was eating, I could see this counter so between bites, this is what I drew. I did the drawing only from my seat and added the color later at home.

This too was a lunch hour sketch and again in small deli not too far from the City Market.  They have great sandwiches as well and the counter area is very appealing.  The kitchen area is back behind the counter and the smells in the place are great.  They have a wonderful Chicken Mufaletta that is very tasty.

These were the first two sketches in a new Stillman & Birn Beta Series sketchbook.  I am really liking the texture of the paper and my fountain pen with extra fine nib work very well in this book.  The watercolor washes go down well and don't create much buckling of the paper.  Great book!

Kansas City Royals

View from my seat at a Kansas City Royals game.  I did have a nice view of the field too but this area of the stadium really caught my eye.  The Royals did beat the Detroit Tigers 6 to 5 on this particular night.  Fun time in a beautiful stadium!

Sketchcrawl in Kansas City

A group of us met on Saturday at Kansas City's Union Station, meeting under the large clock where people have been meeting for decades. Pirates were attempting a takeover, a few of them escaping from the traveling National Geographic exhibit.

The main concourse was very busy, with people heading in all directions and a local art exhibit on display. After a while, I escaped to this old waiting room -- very serene with the lovely antique lamps, sunny windows, and old-time wooden benches. I planned on sketching the benches next, but we had reservations at the Harvey House, located right in the station.

Kansas City Union Station

Had the opportunity to do this drawing as part of the July sketchcrawl at Union Station.  I did the drawing on-site but did add the color later at home.  My time was limited Saturday afternoon but was glad to have the chance to at least get this drawing done.  Thanks as always Kate for arranging the outings!

Saturday Night in Westport...

We checked out the Westport Flea Market Bar & Grill...dinner with Batman feels so safe, somehow...

Then off to English Country Dancing, which Joseph loves...he danced, I sketched.  FAST.

And of course I added the color and bits of the program after I got home...

Sketching Kansas City

Our May Sketchcrawl was on the grounds of the historic Elms Hotel in Excelsior Springs

The ladies in pink are bridesmaids, wrapped in towels by the pool!

As usual, I spend my time in the parking lot sketching while Joseph shops!

Nice lunch...

I'm not a shopper, so I always enjoy the chance to sketch, especially when I can find a great spot like the one in the Half Price bookstore in Kansas City.  Not only a chair to ssit in, but a table to use...

This was my bent-nib Hero pen, which makes wonderfully varied lines.

Sketchcrawl in Kansas City

Saturday's sketchcrawl, a photo by vickylw on Flickr.

On Saturday we drove to Kansas City, meeting friends for a sketchcrawl at the Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center. Lots of areas to sketch, inside and out, but the wind still has a cold nip to it. (Goodness! They are predicting snow again in parts of Kansas this week! Will Spring ever get here?) This tableau was set up inside.

After doing very little sketching for over three weeks, I played a bit with my newest palette to get back into it. At first, I had filled this palette with as many colors as would fit --- now I've reduced them to some essential pigments, leaving room for some brushes. Surprisingly, my fat # 12 travel brush fits!

Not ACTUALLY a church steeple...scavenger hunt!

Actually, this was once a tiny liquor store...the guy that owned the antiques store in Mound City, MO, moved it there and jazzed it up with the bell and steeple.  It makes me laugh every time I see it, so I had to sketch it for our scavenger hunt!

And in other news, I got to see the next to last show of I'll Be Seeing You at the Quality Hill Playhouse in Kansas City...godchild Molly Hammer ROCKS, as do her cohorts.

Soooo...any suggestions for our March scavenger hunt?  Signs of spring, maybe?

38th International Sketchcrawl, KCMO

 

We had a wonderful time and a good turnout for our Union Station sketchcrawl...so many interested watchers, as well, who shared their own stories of this magnificent old building.  It stood empty for years--I'm so grateful it was saved and is full of life and beauty again.

Imagine designing this place...I started out setting up my sketch stool so I could sit comfortably wherever I wanted, and craned my neck looking up at the chandeliers...

You don't see this kind of detail any more...

It was a warm January day, so I sat outside on a bench and sketched the Liberty Memorial, across the way...it was backlit and in deep shadow so the forms were very simplified.  Made me try a David Gentleman approach!

We always share food and journals and good talk afterward...Harvey's restaurant, in the station, had paper table covers, so of course I sketched as many of us as I could!

Here's the crew...less two of us.

Don's gorgeous sketch, which I hope he will scan and share...

I didn't manage to shoot Jeanette's sketch from the day, but her journal is an absolute joy...I get lost in it!

Malinda sketched Harvey's from the balcony!  Next time I think I need to branch out, what a great view!

I hope your day was as satisfying as ours was!

Life's eventful!

We just got home from the Ozarks, where I walked and stood a LOT, then shopping, then to the City for J's 18-month post-op checkup (all's well!)...

And I ended up using this!  Hooray, glad I had it...better, now!