Valiant

I found this old girl when I was out looking for something to sketch Saturday afternoon. The once beautiful sail boat is sitting in the weeds in the back of a field that was home to a wood boat restoration business in Montague Michigan. The restoration business is gone, in it's place is a garage that fixes car mufflers and brakes. The field that once cradled wood boats waiting for repair now hosts cars in various states of repair and decay.

When I finished working on the sketch I waded through the weeds to the back end of the boat to discover the old boat still carries the name "Valiant" on her stern.

Fish Town

This is one of the cast of old buildings that populate the water front area in Leland, Michigan. The building is part of Leland's "Fish Town" that demonstrates what the the fishing industry on Lake Michigan looked like many many years ago. Unfortunately these days "Fish Town" has more to do with selling t-shirts and souvenirs than it does recreating Michigan History. This piece was done during our trip north on our boat while the boat and we were docked next door at the Leland marina.

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.

Sketching in White Bear Lake, MN

I haven't posted for a while, but I have been drawing. This fun sketch was done from the Caribou Coffee window in White Bear Lake, MN.  I think this place just celebrated 40 years.  I met my confirmation mentee here to finish his faith statement.  I sketched at the small table as he wrote between our talks so he didn't feel I was watching him write. 

My tools here are Daniel Smith watercolor in my tiny travel kit, Pentel brush pen force fed with Noodlers Lexington grey, and a water pen. I have same kit loaded with Roz Stendhal's Schmincke Horadam gouache palette. I use this small arsenal on about 80% of my out of the studio work these days. 

I love seeing everyone's work!

James Nutt, AIA

Kansas Spine Hospital

 

Yesterday Bill had a repeat procedure to ease severe back pain. Both the doctor and the nurses agree that this will only provide short-term relief  (a bit over one month). Unfortunately, our insurance company will not pay for the correct procedure (that will provide long-term relief) until he has undergone this particular injection twice. Stupid insurance companies.

The newly built hospital is all curves, chrome, and glass -- I wanted to catch the sunlight's patterns in this sketch. The level of care here is top quality -- he was treated very well by all.

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!

Sketches from Our Summer Cruise

We went north with our boat, spending the month of July working ourselves north on Lake Michigan. We visited various favorite ports where my wife enjoyed shopping and I had a chance to get out the pen and watercolors.

This first sketch was done in Ludington, Michigan and it pictures the old fish market that's located near where the car ferry Badger docks and departs and is across from the marina where we docked our boat. The old market isn't any more but the building still stands as an interesting accent to the waterfront.

After Ludington we headed up the shore line of Lake Michigan to the town of Manistee. We like the municipal marina in Manistee because it has great facilities, is up the Manistee River so it's well protected, and it's right down town making for an easy walk to restaurants and the grocery store.
Though we didn't see one this time, great entertainment at the marina is to watch large freighters (600-700 feet long) work their way up the river and through the drawbridge that is just up from the marina.

The first day we were in Manistee I took the dog and walked up river on the river walk. I did this sketch of the back of buildings in downtown Manistee from across the river while sitting in a neat little band stand. Manistee was originally a logging town that at one time, during that era, boasted a large number of millionares who'd made their fortunes cutting, milling, and selling lumber.