I found a new coffeehouse in Lawrence

I finally found a coffee shop that's been open a while but under my radar. Decade Coffee. A fellow sketcher mentioned it at a recent Lawrence sketch crawl but I didn't take notes. Took me a little web surfing to find it but I did. It's on the very east edge of town, down by the tracks in a mostly industrial area that's not on the way to anywhere.

Friday morning I headed out to check on it and sketch a little. It turned out to be my kind of place. With a fresh latte I sat down and took out my gear for a nice quiet sketch session. Less than a dozen fellow patrons but several come and go. A father and gradeschool age son were there, and I think it's his minivan that had the bumper sticker that I mentioned in the sketch. Brought a smile.

I used a fountain pen with Noodler's Lexington Gray ink to lay it out. Then used my watercolor pencils and waterbrush. BFK Rives 140# in my own journal. Started the text there, then took it home to finish the text and add the map.

John Payne

Lunchhour Coffee

I wanted to start the new year with a work-day tradition of mine. A cup of hot coffee at a coffeeshop over lunch, with time to sketch or draw. Needed a sketch, or course. This is the closest independent coffee shop to my work location right now. These coffeeshops seem to move or go out of business. Blackbird is a change of ownership a few years ago and is a nice shop with a personable owner. Until I win the lottery I'll need to limit my time here to just the lunch hour. I could spend the whole day.

Some coffeeshop time in Pre-Xmas Salina

I had the good fortune of having time on my hands while Wilma attended an activity of her own. That gave me the chance to find a neat little independent coffeeshop in Salina. Had some sketch time while I took in the local scene.

Spent a couple hours in a converted warehouse that's a coffee shop now in downtown Tulsa that I found on prior business trips. Again on business, I  was lucky enough to be in town when I knew they had an open mic night. House rules say all material must be written by the performer, so I wanted to see what local artists can do. I brought my sketch gear to keep me company. Turned out to be a fun night. Performers were approachable, the audience was supportive of their talents and I had some nice sketch time.

Manhattan Meeting

Had a meeting in Manhattan last night. That's the one in Kansas. That other Manhattan won't be in my sights any time soon. It's a meeting of mostly volunteers running a State-wide youth outdoor organization that I've been involved with a few years. I need some sketching time so I get there early just to sketch before the meeting. I discovered that it makes for a very settling shift in mindset.

(Noodlers Ahab flex nib pen, Noodlers Lexington Gray, Derwent watercolour pencils, water brush, 5x8 journal with Velin Arches text woven)