sketching

I know I said that I would be back with photos of my new rug. It is progressing and I would love to show you…but I have had problems with my long-time Macbook. I’m using it here, but its functions are limited. It won’t accept photos from my camera or phone and we nearly put it under when we tried to download a new operating system. It’s clear that I will have to replace her before too very long. 

I’ve been spending too much time removing photos and emails and files from said laptop in an attempt to unburden it and help it do its job, but it is a tedious and unrewarding task. This is further complicated by the new operating system which has totally reorganized (jumbled?) the files. More work to sort out! So I’m taking a break to connect with a short post of my sketches.

I am in Kingston for several days on a very pleasurable mission (grandparenting) and I’ve even had a little time for sketching (so much more fun that the computer sorting!) Here are two café sketches from yesterday and today. I have no scanning or editing functions, so these are straight from the phone.

 

I’m drawn to the backs of buildings. I love the configurations, the complexity and the peek into interesting living spaces. Yesterday I parked my car in an elevated lot behind the main street. It was late afternoon and sun was not in the right spot–much of the building facing me was in shadow. But I sketched anyway from the car, with the motor turned off, but the radio on. Eleanor Wachtel interviewing Derek Walcott. This is my idea of bliss–intelligent radio, sunshine and an interesting building to sketch. 

The first version is what I did on site with a little paint using my waterbrush. The second version, with paint, was finished at home after reviewing Shari Blaukopf’s wonderful tutorial on painting brick in her Craftsy class. I have watched this many times, and still learn something new each time.

Good Friday was a beautiful day, sunny after seemingly endless days of rain. I definitely wanted to sketch to capture the shadows on the buildings.  But it was still a sketch-in-the-car-day — windy and cool in spite of the sun. So I sketched this adorable little house on a side street near my neighbourhood and finished it at home. I’m thinking of doing a series of sketches of the 100+ year old buildings in my city. I love their lines and the careful architectural detail which has lasted so long.

I had a sabbatical last week in Montreal in one of my favourite sections of the city. It was colder than I expected and overcast, with two days of heavy rain, but I still sketched as much as I could.

I am fascinated by les ruelles, the alleys which run between the backyards of the houses, and I spent lots of time walking in these interesting spaces.  I think les ruelles are part of what makes Montreal such a liveable city. On Sunday, une ruelle, still plugged in part with snow, was set up with a make-shift table with wine and the neighbours were visiting after a long winter.

Anyway–here are a few from the streets and alleys and a couple of warm-up cappuccino sketches too.

 

 

First off I want to say thank you to my son Owen for updating the blog and giving it its new crisp appearance. The menu is now accessible from all devices, so you can link to the online shop, my instagram or either of the galleries from your phone or tablet.  And speaking of the on-line store, the green Keller bag featured to the right is available in the store and two more leather art totes like this will be there shortly.  I am finding mine terrific for toting around my sketching supplies and other essentials. 

I’ve also been out sketching. Below are a couple of local brick houses which I’ve sketched from the car. It’s once again bitterly cold in southern Ontario, but the sun is bright and it’s hard to resist those shadows. The first house is in Belleville, the second a short drive away in Picton. I managed to get the sketches done in the car–but have to admit I added the paint back at home in the warmth of the house.

Yesterday I was in Kingston to meet my son for lunch at the Juniper Cafe in the Tett Centre. I love this spot, right on the shore of Lake Ontario. And I love having an hour to spend with my son. After he went back to work, I stood on the main level and sketched this from the huge window there. The building is the old Morton distillery, a limestone structure from the mid 19th Century. The site is now home to all sorts of creative types. It’s a wonderful space in the heart of the city–a great place to spend an afternoon.

Today is Family Day in Ontario and we were lucky to have all our family home on the weekend. These tulips were painted during a brief respite in the activities–in celebration of family and the joy of having them all together for a little while.