Date Night–Dance to the Music!

There are so many fun night spots and music venues in Chicago. Each neighborhood has its own flavor and favorites. This is a sketch done at one of ours, 12 West. The band was Rhythm City. They play mostly Motown and Soul. Great for dancing, great for listening!

The Reading Railroad

Having spent the last few weeks unpacking and adjusting to our new condo home in Rockford, Michigan, I finally got out tonight, post dinner, and did this sketch of the Reading Book Store. The store is located in downtown Rockford and is a unique housing of books for sale that occupy the old building, an attached equally old passenger car, and a weathered old caboose. To say the least the store is interesting and adds flavor to the downtown area. So here's the sketch...it was nice to be out of the house and back working with pen in hand.

Village Barber Shop

While on vacation I stopped in the Village Barber Shop in Estes Park, CO.  The gentleman that cut my hair has owned this shop since 1960.  He told me he started as a barber in 1957 which is the same year I was born.

Another interesting fact is that this barber is the Grandfather of a young man named Collin Klein who was a Heisman Trophy candidate this past football season.  I'm glad I stopped in and had the chance to visit with him.  Very nice man and it was almost a step back in time.  It looked as though not much has changed in the shop since it opened some 53 years ago.

Pen, ink & watercolor in a large watercolor Moleskine.

Goleta, California using fewer colors

While staying for a week in Goleta on the Central Coast of California, I decided to see how I could do just using my smaller watercolor set--12 colors versus my larger 35 color set (which I thought I couldn't do without). Here's three I did there.

Rose Beds
This was done from the 2nd floor balcony where we stayed, looking down on the backyard garden.

Coral Tree
Also done from the balcony, looking across the neighbor's yard and beyond.

In process: Zig Kure Taki set I've had for decades.

Snail on Swiss Chard Leaf

Mountains of Colorado

Last week I had the opportunity to spend some vacation time in Colorado.  It gave me the chance to draw and sketch a bit which was nice and relaxing in the beautiful scenery.  These were done in Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park.  My sketches don't do justice to the beauty of the place.  It was wonderful to see and experience.  These sketches were done with pen and Noodlers Lexington Gray Ink with watercolor added over the drawings.  Moleskine notebooks (2 sizes).

Spring? Maybe!

Our Monday sketch group met in Old Town today. It's was pretty chilly but the sun was glorious! I finally exerted some discipline and made myself sketch something a little different for me - buildings (well, building). The name of this florist is Green and its window expresses my delight that spring is finally getting to Chicago. I'm still loving working in my Stillman & Birn Beta series sketchbook.

drive through the Flint Hills

drive through the Flint Hills, a photo by vickylw on Flickr.

Last Sunday, we drove to Matfield Green, where friends are rehabbing an old house. Arriving early, I took time to draw this tiny house that provides their temporary living space. A springtime drive through this western edge of the Kansas Flint Hills is normally beautiful, but this seemingly endless winter has made it less so. None of the trees show any new buds yet, and cattle are out in pastures full of dormant grass. Who knows what they find to eat out there.

This building used to be located at the couple's old house, used as an interior designer workshop by the wife. I once helped her with some sewing here, with it's huge work table, 2 sewing machines, and lots of bolts of fabric stored overhead. Now it has been transformed into a charming little home.

I found the tiny palette for sale on artist Maria Coryell-Martin's web site. For more info, go to my blog.