Scavenger Hunt! Our Ladys Chapel, St. Louis

No June wedding here but an awesome cathedral for the June Scavenger Hunt: Churches

 Our Ladys Chapel

One of the most visually intriguing interior spaces in the city is the sanctuary of the Cathedral Basilica. The floor plan is reminiscent of European cathedrals and its stone walls are built up high. There are few windows so the atmosphere is subdued and the overall lighting level is low. A blue rose window by Tiffany and Company is placed over the entry doors and a vast dome is centered high above the great space that is filled with mosaic covered arches, walls, lunettes and columns. On either side of the Baldacchino that covers the high altar are two smaller richly detailed chapels with barrel vaulted ceilings. Each is filled with marble sculptures and elaborate mosaic work. This sketch was done in Our Ladys Chapel during a Meetup with the St. Louis Drawing and Painting group. The Cathedral Basilica website features an excellent virtual tour of this remarkable and inspiring place.

Our Ladys Chapel, 09/30/2011, Michael Anderson, waterbrush, watercolor on Canson 140lb cold pressed; 7″ x 9″.

In a Chinese Garden, St. Louis

At the center of the Missouri Botanical Garden stands an exquiste Chinese pavilion surrounded by a walled courtyard with a reflecting pool, arched bridges and lush plantings. The built-in benches are an ideal place to sit, contemplate the views and sketch. On Sunday afternoon members of the St. Louis Drawing and Painting Meetup group, now with over 800 members and one of the most active Meetups in the country, convened at the garden for some outdoor sketching.

In a Chinese Garden, 05/26/2013; Michael Anderson, waterbrush, water color on Canson 140lb cold press, 7" x 9".

Bike Show, Michael's Motorcycles, St. Louis

Michael's Motorcycles is not your typical motorcycle shop. More like a museum/art gallery, it is hard to take it all in when you walk through the front door. A bi-plane hangs over a collection of vintage bikes stacked on white steel racks. A large arrangement of fresh flowers is placed in front of a white sofa that is surrounded by toys and a chess set. A barrista is brewing espressos under a striking art-deco motorcycle ad. The coffee shop is called Kickstarter Cafe.

Saturday was their annual Bike Show and open house.  Michael and his staff specialize in rare motorcycles which they collect, repair and sell to collectors all over the world.  I joined several members of the St. Louis Drawing & Painting Meetup to sketch our impressions of the event that included a live band, a food truck and about 80 guests many of which parked their own vintage motorcycles along the street in front of the building in an industrial area on Chouteau Avenue.

 

 I cound not resist sketching the early '20's Indian, a beautifully restored museum-quality object. Check out the white tires.

There is a cool video of their 2010 Bike Show on Michael's Motorcycles web site http://www.michaelsmotorcycles.com/

Bike Show sketches, Michael Anderson, watercolor on Canson 140lb cold press. 7" x 9".

 

A Christmas Eve Eve-Eve sketch, St. Louis

Despite the holiday rush I knew I just had to make some time to do some sketching when I saw that the St. Louis Drawing & Painting Meetup group was headed to the Temperate House at the Missouri Botanical Garden this past Saturday afternoon. It was chilly outdoors but very comfortable inside the glass covered space that is filled with fountains, climbing green vines, palmettos, giant jade trees, ripe oranges hanging from tree branches and flowering plants of all types set within a classical garden that could easily be a set for a Shakesperean play. Fellow sketcher Brian Anderson organized the event and was on hand to snap photos of the happy artists having a great time. He was kind enough to post this one of me drawing with a Nomad brush on iPad. Happy holidays and best wishes to all my USK Midwest friends!

 

Classical Garden, Temperate House, 12/22/2012, Michael Anderson, Brushes3 for iPad.

Photo: Brian Anderson