Sketcher Fest!

 

All the instructors and volunteers after Sketcher Fest

July 17th-Ice Cream Boat Cruise

This was an amazing event, like sketch heaven.

The Ice Cream Boat

We started with an Ice Cream Cruise on an very interesting boat with hand-painted tables and chairs and stained glass. I drove over with James and Patti Richards. Even though I had my own rental, we were in the same hotel and carpooling is good!

We went to Figurehead, a brewery in walking distance of the terminal, after the ride for sketching. I had a really interesting White Stout on nitro and we sketched each other.

July 18th-Gas Works with Urban Sketchers Seattle

I forgot to get a good photo,
 but fortunately, Jim did!

The next morning, Urban Sketchers Seattle sketched at Gas Works Park. It was such a cool place! I mean literally, it was in the 60s, pleasant after the heat in Ohio.

I met a kindred spirit in Shawne, a sketcher from NYC who is hosting a sketch trip to Italy in October. We went to Rays Boathouse after the event for fresh oysters and, in my case, ceviche. When I am on a coast, I try to eat as much seafood as I can.

I met my friends John and Cheryl from Portland Friday night for beer and hot dogs, including their dogs Vinko and Pogo.

DAY 1 OF SKETCHER FEST

On day one, my workshop was not until 1:30, so I had a little time to sketch with Urban Sketchers Seattle again at the market.

It was such a hive of activity. I am still kicking myself for not getting a free cloth shopping bag. It was the perfect way to warm up for my workshop. I had several stops planned and we ended up at a gelato shop. 

The workshop participants were so engaged and motivated. It was a pleasure to work with them. My friend Polina Gortman surprised me by showing up to my workshop!

We talked about adding narrative to your sketchbook and overhearing conversations. We had three stops and ended up at a gelato shop which seemed to please everyone. I am very inspired by Dan Archer's reportage comics and suggest everyone check them out.

Images from the Edmonds Market and the cute dogs

Workshop Photo by Jim Beckley

Workshop Photo by Jim Beckley

Final throwdown at the gelato shop. Workshop Photo by Jim Beckley

That evening, they had a nice taco dinner for guest artists, guests, and volunteers at Graphite, the central hub of activity.

We went to a bar called Church Key after and sketched. 

My table in the sketch expo. Photo by Kat Klockow

DAY 2 OF SKETCHER FEST

The Sketchbook Show started at 10am and my talk was at noon. I sneaked and bought a bag from Roam to take to Poland.

My friends Kat, Blayne, and Marisa visited for my talk and we had luch at a really good Thai restaurant after.

There was a good crowd for the talk and two people sketched it. I had worked hard to make sure it stayed on time. I can talk a long time if unchecked. There were a lot of good questions asked.

My lecture! Photo by Kat Klockow

I love this sketch. I am still trying to find out who this is so I can credit the artist.

 

Blayne Fox's sketch. She added color later!

There was a nice after-party at the Waterfront Center followed by a sunset photo. After a quick sunset sketch, we ended up at Church Key again to unpack the day. 

The lunch crew!

    

The timeline is all over the place on this one from the 19th till the 21st.

Monday morning, the Seattle sketchers planned a trip to Port Gamble and Port Townsend.

I was at first going to drive the car to the ferry, but our friend Tracy had a huge Toyota and took 5 of us. That made the ferry ride really fun. The ferry loading process is so smooth, and the ride is delightful but short.

We sketched at Port Gamble and had lunch in Port Townsend at Sirens, a mermaid-themed restaurant/bar. I had an oyster shooter with vodka and fish and chips. Weirdly, they did not allow anyone in the restaurant in under 21, a bit of a surprise. Ohio, like most Midwest states, has some odd liquor laws, but that is not one of them. Leftovers from Prohibition? Although Carrie Nation said even she could not smash all the bars in Cincinnati because there were so many.

We (Matt, Bill, Aiden, Jenny, and Eleanor sketched each other.

I worked on a gouache sketch after lunch and everyone thought Bill Russell was in the picture. He wasn't but it does kind of look like him.

Port Townsend and the sunset from the night before.

After a transcendent day, I went back to the hotel to pick up my stickers(a whole other adventure), which arrived the day after Sketcher Fest, and went to a hotel by the airport, a Best Western a bit less fancy than the one in Edmonds. 

They had one last outing planned the next day for the famous Pike Place Market, but I needed to get home. I have a lot of art to finish before I go to Poland in two weeks.

Thanks again Gabi Campanario for organizing this wonderful gathering celebrating sketching and sketchbooks!

Gabi had us do nametag sketches