Zooming from home, wherever you are! This is our antidote to being in lockdown because of the virus numbers going up.

Marsha (the host), Jane, Bev, Daisy, Barb So, Bitty, Hugh, Sandy,
Danita. We had a lot to learn, & Marsha was a good teacher!

      Here are our screen shares by: Marsha, Jane, & Sandy, all on the Thanksgiving theme.

        Barb So and Bitty were thinking about food, too. Wonder why…

      Bitty had another from Willow Creek. Danita had two versions from recent travels, and Bev joined us from Brookings with great trees!

 Hugh had us laughing – perfect subject for a 2 page spread!

Daisy (one of the quilters in the group) says she can do two of these every zoom meeting – she only needs 90 for a quilt. NINETY!!!

We’re definitely going to try this again!

Oakway Center Courtyard, Eugene, OR

Starting Nov. 18, Oregon is going on Covid lockdown, so we won’t be trying to meet outside until things calm down. We’ll miss us!

Nearly all of us: Hugh, Bitty, Marsha, Laura, Barb Sh, Peggy, Jim.

           Jane (with pork tacos from Johnny Ocean), Barb Sh, & Bitty.

      Daisy on her feet moving around, Jim, Laura.

      Marsha sketching on her iPad, Peggy, & Sandy.

     Hugh checking to see where Sandy is, and his two page spread. Wow

      Barb’s tree from last week – great bark texture! And this week’s tree, surrounded by her journaling about the day (must print out to read!)

      Bitty remarked how much she was enjoying sketching in the 3 color sketchbook we got for a workshop that didn’t happen due to Covid.

      Daisy’s getting fast on her feet! She was layering colored pencil to get the right shade of green. Great sketch with wine colored ink!

      Jane’s pretty fast on her feet, too, taking photos & still squeezing in time to do some sketches of the decor around the courtyard.

      Jim got color on his sketch from last week, started a new one of cars, but then back to the former sketch – must go darker!

       Like many of us today, Laura’s eye caught on the decorated lamps – but hers were front and center! Nice addition of the oak leaf, too.

   Marsha is getting quite adept at using her iPad for sketching (here she caught Daisy sketching in the courtyard).

         After succumbing to the lure of the decorated lamp, Marsha was back to sketching people – first the outline, then the color.

        Peggy did a detailed ink drawing of the tree, then a loose application of watercolor. What next to draw? Well, the decorated lamp!

      Sandy’s default is to draw people – no noses in these masked sketchers to deal with!  Marsha, Peggy, Barb Sh, & Jane.

Morse Family Farm, & Tugman Park, Eugene, OR

Finding shelter from the elements is getting more difficult with competing groups. We started here: Bitty, Laura, Sandy, Barb Sh, Peggy, Marsha. Jane behind camera, Jim yet to arrive. 1 hour here.

      Barb Sh, Bitty sketching outside, Jane taking pics in the wind.

         Marsha, Jim, & Peggy took advantage of the shelter – nice option.

   Sandy & Laura sketched outside until the rain brought them in.

   Barb Sh started sketching with her non-dominant hand to assure a loose approach. Come back next week for the water application!

   Speaking of water, Bitty prefers to do direct watercolor sketching. She’s been gone, and said it was great to get back into sketching.

      Jane took on the still smoldering fireplace with all its odd angles.

      Marsha sketched it from a slightly different angle, &  colored pencil.

     Jim started with the view from the shelter, then from a travel mag.

      Peggy had space on a previous page, so incorporated this view, too.

   Laura was looking into the woods, started watercolor & rain started.

      Sandy was looking across the street, & finished her sketch at home.

Then the rain came, & the next group, so some of us went to Tugman.

        Jim finished his sketch, & Peggy sketched another tree – evergreen!

               Laura finish watercoloring the Morse sketch, & started a new tree.

        A kid in a frog rain suit caught Jane’s eye, & moms & kids under tree.

Oakway Mall Courtyard, Eugene, OR

It was predicted to rain so at first the sketching was cancelled, and then Peggy sent out a message that she was going to Oakway Mall to sketch, come on over! So the ever flexible sketchers followed along.

   The kind waiter from Johnny Ocean offered to take a photo of all of us – Laura, Sandy, Hugh, Marsha, Barb Sh, Jane, Peggy; Jane, Barb Sh, Laura, Hugh Sandy, Marsha (Peggy got cut off in the last photo).

      Jane’s careful planning went awry (all calligraphers can empathize, see photo #2). She had to be inventive to “fix” it! Fun sketch anyway.

   Barb’s ongoing sketch journal of her life got something to add to the hand on her page – acorn caps! Come back to see more story added.

      It’s so interesting to see how Laura’s tree sketch evolved, complete with color and closeup of one of the leaves around us in abundance.

   Sandy chose the always popular “sketch the sketchers!” She’s really getting skilled at catching the gestural study of us all.

   Hugh is always being innovative – white & black ink on gray paper. He and Sandy have such fun sketching together – nice sketches!

      Marsha enjoys sketching people, too –  captive models at lunch were perfect for the event, & leaf sketches added to the ambience.

      Peggy chose the biggest tree in the courtyard, wondering aloud how she could represent the moss and licorice ferns – more ink to come.

   Then look who showed up and did a demo of using Conte crayon – Ken! We all gathered around to see what he was doing. Wow.

Norma Pfeiffer Park, Coburg, OR

Yes, is was cold at the park. We were all bundled up, but none of us stayed there the whole allotted time! Where’s coffee & heat!

      Guess you’ll have to take my word for it that this is Katie. She did the frame, sketched a song and house, painted the flag & went home!

       Daisy standing; Peggy sitting, deciding she needed a spot of red, so the white lantern across the way transformed. She used glitter pens.

      Daisy was in the bright winter light sketching people, then got intrigued with the maple seed “wings” and had fun with them.

      Jane took on the whole scene across the street – challenging architecture, and every blade of grass. When will she learn.

       Laura turned the other way and focused on a pine tree – it’s not exact,  but “as inspired by!”  Ink, water brush on colored pencil.

      Tricia was looking at a different tree scene. The chilly weather didn’t keep her from loose watercolor sketching – what fun!

   Look who stopped by for show & tell! Sandy & Hugh! Sweet.

   Here’s the people sketch Daisy did of us, & Jane’s with watercolor.

      And here are the nearly finished sketches by Laura, Peggy, & Tricia.

After which we unanimously decided to move the time for our outside sketching meetings to afternoons, in hope for warmth!

Norma Pfeiffer Park, Coburg, OR

Nearly all of us under shelter – Peggy, Laura, Jim, Sandy, Hugh, Marsha.  Jane, Daisy, & Barb Sh were about, too. Chilly but not wet.

      Barb Sh was gettin up close & personal with one of the pine trees. Just look at the texture she got in the trunk & limbs!

      The shining balloons tied to a swing caught Daisy’s eye, and when she finished that she took on a colorful cluster of leaves in a bush.

      Hugh was trying to catch autumn leaf colors, too, but what’s he got? A water brush with a smudge stick? Wonderful for blending, he says.

      Jane’s love of botany came out today – she used water soluble ink, and it gave the sketch a colorful lift when she wet it with a brush.

      Jim was remembering the Saginaw Vineyard where he had an art show. Think he’s pleased with his sketch? He ought to be!

      Here’s what caught Laura’s eye across the street about the ornate house – no water on the crayons, just layers of color make it pop.

      Peggy was looking the same direction, but the starting sketch of the house disappeared all together in her fascination with the trees!

      Marsha was looking the opposite direction – park benches & autumn colors, with an up close view of the maple leaf.  Charming.

      Sandy is getting quite accomplished at people sketches – here Laura and Peggy. She used water on her watercolor pencils – painterly!

Our masked show & tell – Marsha, Laura, Jim, Hugh, Daisy, Barb Sh.

Peggy, Jim, Sandy, Marsha, Daisy, Laura, Barb Sh, Hugh.  Must remember to bring fingerless gloves next time we’re out!

Oakway Mall Courtyard, Eugene, OR

Tucked away under the overhang: Peggy, Jim, Marsha, & Ken. Jane was doing camera work, her sketchbook lower right.

      Here’s where Jim left off last week, and here he goes with water color! It’s such a warm lively sketch, makes you want to be there!

      Jane got intrigued by the tower construction, & since she was using water-soluble ink, she just couldn’t leave well enough alone.

      Peggy’s eye was caught by the gnarly tree and surrounds, which she captured completely in ink (as is fitting for “Inktober”).

      Ken’s so resourceful – here he uses a paper towel for an ink brush sketch of one of the oak trees. It absorbs ink fast, so he moved fast!

      Marsha started sketching the masked sketchers, then really had fun putting little vignettes of context on the pages, too. Take a look!

Oakway Mall Courtyard, Eugene, OR

   Masked and spread out – Laura, Daisy, Marsha, Peggy, Jim.  Another view: Marsha, Peggy, Daisy, Sandy, Jim, Hugh, Penny, Laura.

And yet another view of the crew, starting upper left: Daisy, Hugh, Laura, Jim, Penny, Sandy, Marsha, Peggy.

     Helga joined us later, but got in a sketch of the courtyard structure – nice perspective! So glad to have you back with us.

     Jane was there, too, focused first on free floating images. She was using water soluble Elegant Writer pen & watercolor.

     Jim caught the scene at a slightly different angle, with his usual ink precision. Watercolor is no doubt coming soon – stay tuned!

      Penny wasn’t too sure she still knew how to sketch, but gamely began and look at the finished product! Yep, she’s still got it!

    There were lots of large pots & plants to draw, and Marsha used her colored pencils to good effect capturing the turning autumn leaves.

      Peggy picked the pot & tree, too, & kept saying she was trying to get looser. Hmm, maybe try watercolor first and ink last? Still nice.

      Laura sketched a potted tree & flowers, too, first with an underdrawing, then watercolor, and then a soft brown ink pen.

      Daisy saw an entirely different tree & had fun defining it with water soluble colored pencils. Then on to the Black-eyed Susan.

      Hugh sketched both of the trees in pots, first in ink, then water soluble crayons, and then water brush. The yellow wall makes it pop!

    Sandy was the only one to do people! Laura, then the pot & tree with Daisy beyond. She also used water soluble crayons. Very sweet!

It was nice to have the long bench for our show & tell. We’ll be back.

Cortesia Sanctuary, Eugene, OR

   It’s always a challenge to know where & what to start sketching here. Peggy, Tricia, Laura, and Tricia, Daisy, Satoko get settled in.

      Danita didn’t waste any time when she came in – sketching the garden as seen through the decorative pergola walk supports!

      When Jane wasn’t running around taking pictures of all of us, she was selecting special pieces of the garden to sketch.

      Peggy, who has a background of doing detailed acrylic paintings, is using the Japanese brush to loosen up, and it’s working! Nice.

      There’s Laura! She sketched a decorative gate to the labyrinth, then added nearby plants. And who’s that just beyond her? Marsha!

      Always thinking ahead, Marsha found a secluded apple tree & took a photo of the fruit so she could sit with some of us to sketch it!

      Our hostess, Tricia, has a distinctive sketching style – loose watercolor along with poetic commentary. Always interesting.

   It’s a challenge to find Cortesia, but Daisy made it and did a charming sketch of the garden gate entry, with hints of mystery.

      Satoko took a break in her busy schedule to come sketch with us, & we love watching her watercolor sketches as they develop.

Show & tell time! Laura, Satoko, Jane,Daisy, Tricia, Marsha, Peggy, and Danita line up behind their work on display. What did we see?

      Satoko, Laura, & Daisy lay out their work for viewing. First Tricia’s two sketches with Laura’s two; then Satoko’s lovely watercolors.

      Sketches by Jane & Daisy; Peggy & Marsha; Danita. Great time!

Owen Rose Garden, Eugene, Or

Turns out that sketching is a great way to lessen the effects of stress in these stressful times. Here’s a sample of at home sketching:

   Laura enjoyed exploring watercolor for the daily prompt challenge the group is doing, while Tricia is going for landscape spreads.

      Barbara said she discovered she was wearing a variation on three themes at home – robe, painting gear, gardening – fun way to show it!

Then we got down to work in the Rose Garden: Laura, Jim, Barb Sh, Marsha, Peggy.

     Jane, Marsha, Daisy; Tricia. It takes effort to find us all!

      Laura tried her hand a sketching the benches and the gazebo – quite a challenge! But her final sketch turned out to be quite charming!

      Jim chose a different vantage point from the walkway (& ignored the guys doing yoga on the lawn). Nice depth perspective here!

      Marsha caught the guys doing yoga, a bicyclist & walker, and the tree just beginning to turn fall color (graphite pencil & colored pencil).

      Peggy worked on a tree, too, but this one’s deciduous. And she used Japanese brushes with watercolor for a loose effect. Great effect!

      The Japanese anemones caught Jane’s attention. They were so wispy she just did a light pencil & then watercolor & inked frames.

     Barb Sh assured their wispiness by sketching and watercoloring with her non-dominant hand. What a lovely effect she got!

      Daisy got quite botanical in style (nice!), then did a loose watercolor of them, and a sketch of fellow sketcher Jim from behind. What fun.

      Around the corner, Tricia found some autumn crocus, so she did a whole page dedicated to harbingers of autumn, including notes.

And we closed with show &. tell sharing on a picnic table – it’s always so interesting to see what others have sketched, what techniques and tools they’ve used, how they chose to present the topic.