In a rare moment of seriousness: Marsha, Jane, Laura, BarbSo, Peggy, Rita, Daisy, Hugh, Sandy. Must have been talking about our upcoming book of sketches: Top Drawers Sketching During Covid.

        Marsha’s into b&w – TUL ink on the flowers with water brush, then back to the tried and true graphite pencil – lovely gestural studies.

       Jane was entranced with the bug, until it moved! then the latest gratitude sketches (the later not being a vine maple after all).

    Laura started a sketch in the rose garden, got home and thought “what’s missing in that blank space….roses!” And ta dah!

      Things are blooming in Barb So’s world – even her dogs are in awe!

Peggy finished the sketch she started while many of us were in the Owen Rose Garden – her rose topped them all, however.

Daisy went all out on roses. Then she discovered her kitchen tiles were just the right dimension to measure her folding sketchbook, complete with a collection of…brooms! 

Rita’s “Art Buddies.” You can tell a lot from such simple lines. Great!

         Hugh didn’t lose his hands-on chops with water soluble crayon, even though he keeps getting better & better with digital sketching.

       Sandy keeps herself flexible, doing quick people sketches, and more detailed bird sketches – lovely all in their own way.

   And look who sneaked in the website door – Bev! Delightful 2 page spreads of her experience  down in Brookings, Oregon. Nice visit!

Bev, Jane, Danita, Marsha, Daisy, Peggy, Bitty, Laura, Rita.

         Rita brought her sketch to the group asking for suggestions – more hair, go darker! So she did, and isn’t it great!

Peggy had photos (taken at different times, hence the lighting difference) to show how she developed her poppy painting. Then shared (below) her sketch from Alton Baker, & pages for our book.

       Marsha had sketches from the park, and a photo of her daughter who helped her put up strawberry jam (sketch from last year).

              Jane did a water-soluble ink sketch in her yard, the remnants of a peony, and her sketches from the park.

Danita is continuing to play with the face shapes and expressions.

         BarbSo was having technology problems so couldn’t join us on Zoom, but sent photos of her recent sketch work – so wonderful!

The reason you’re not seeing work from the other folks who were at the Zoom meeting is that they’re so busy they haven’t gotten around to sending images of their work to the webmaster. But there’s still a whole lot of sketching going on!

Marsha, Jane, Bev, Hugh, Danita, Peggy, Sandy, Laura, BarbSo., Daisy, Rita, & Bitty.

         Marsha’s on a tulip kick – they grow up above her kitchen window sill! The ones in color are from Tul ink pens, water soluble!

            Jane sketched peonies in her yard, flowers & patterns at New Day Bakery, and her widely dispersed dog training devices.

   Bev’s kitty is always a willing model. And she just can’t quite playing with shapes and patterns herself!

     Hugh is into deep color, lines, and watersoluble inks. Fun? Yes!

      Danita put down Payne’s grey first for shadows, then watercolor. And she’s playing with grandkids making faces on little face shapes.

Peggy showed us a line drawing of this poppy, and here it is done!

      Sandy’s really honing her people gesture skills, and then she couldn’t resist sketching what at “her” end of their coffee table.

      BarbSo finds beauty and charm wherever she goes, from marigolds, to a dog on his blankie, and even….rocks!

      Daisy found time in-between her food illustrations, and drawings of collections, to re-visit her neighbor’s garden as promised.

      Rita’s making an accordion book about the adventures of cats, and still loves going back to sketch owls – with a funny quip, of course.

     Bitty is one of our most dedicated watercolor only sketchers, and so much enjoys trying new things, and new challenges. You go, girl!

Sunshiny faces: Hugh, Jane, Bev, Marsha, Danita, Peggy, Sandy, Laura, BarbSo, Daisy, Rita. But some have been too busy to sketch!

Hugh has discovered that he can view several of his small sketchbook sketches side by side in his iPad!

          Jane has discovered what a difference various sketchbook paper makes – left, not so good; right better. And then there’s Bee paper.

      Bev sketched her first gallery sitting in Brookings, along with her cat (of course), and a trip to the beach “collecting” beach walkers.

    Marsha discovered the difference in image recording devices!

Then she shared her mock-up of her 2 artist pages for our book.

Peggy had a great time with this rose – note the use of orange gel pen for the stamens. How clever was that!

        Sandy’s being loose while working on expression in her people sketches, and it shows – good work! (Love that middle one!)

        Daisy’s continuing her cooking sketches, did a corner of her room, and then in an accordion book a collection of bottles! See below:

      And Rita’s have fun going back over her photos to do quick sketches, and we’re enjoying that virtual  trip.

Laura, Jane, Bev, Marsha, Hugh, BarbSo, Bitty, Daisy, Rita, Danita, Peggy (trouble with visual), Sandy, Tricia (trouble with audio).

      Barb So

     Bev

      Daisy

      Danita

       Hugh

         Jane

        Laura

           Marsha

        Peggy

          Rita

      Sandy

Bitty, Jane, Marsha, Barb So, Bev, Peggy, Daisy, Danita.

      BarbSo has been taking a watercolor class from Shari Blaukopf, and having fun applying what she’s learning to her own sketches.

   Bev finished her beauty acrylic painting for the city art project. Here it is from layout using cutouts, to final painting -wow!

   Bitty is combining field work with quick watercolor sketches (she says the last one’s not done yet, so stay tuned!).

      Daisy did a garden sketch, a sketch of her wonderful muffins, and then participated in a live online model sketch (which was fun!).

      Danita is a natural teacher, here showing her process step by step, with a fabulous result for her bird sketchbook she just started.

   Jane’s smitten with spring green, and having fun with it, too,

Laura’s been busy, but not to busy to finish her Friday sketch from Oakway Center Courtyard.

   Marsha went from an elegant b&w ink sketch to making cards with her loose watercolor iris. She enjoyed making them, lucky recipients.

   Peggy finished her Oakway sketch, too (a tree between trees), then went out with the plein air group to do…more trees!

The usual suspects plus a new one: Bitty, Jane, Marsha, Bev, BarbSo, Laura, Danita, Peggy!, and Daisy. Welcome Peggy. (Note that Bev is totally preoccupied with the banner she’s doing for a local festival.)

      Bitty just got back from Summer Lake and environs – can she tell she’s in love with rock? Lovely fast sketches.

      One of the things we like about Zoom is being able to see works in process – Jane’s carefully planned page, and a quick tree sketch.

      The first two irises are Marsha’s from a year ago, the last from a few days ago – from very careful details to the loose spirit of the flower!

   Speaking of breaking out of the mold, here’s Barb So’s headstone rubbing with  quick sketch in front, then a moody sketch with pot .

     Laura’s sketches from the cemetery visit zeroed in on plants and designs. It’s interesting to see what catches each artist’s eyes.

   Danita has started a new sketchbook focused on the birds she sees around her at the various feeders they have hanging in trees.

     Peggy had a dramatic sketch from the cemetery, and a tree done with sparkly ink (which doesn’t scan or photograph well, darn it).

    Daisy’s continuing her illustrations for the mystery novel, and wants to continue to do food and flowers (see the new sketchbook entry!).

Marsha, Jane, Hugh, Laura, Barb So, Daisy, Bev, Danita.

      Barb So.

      Bev

   Daisy

   Danita

      Hugh

      Jane

      Laura

Marsha, Jane, Danita, Bitty, Daisy, Barb So., Bev, Laura, Hugh.

      Barb So. has such a light joyous approach to her sketches this spring.

   Bev always has a way to make simple things from home be special.

        From closeups to landscapes sketched during a zoom presentation, Bitty is having a wonderful time sketching.

      Daisy did another recipe sketch for a novel, a 2 page spread to celebrate the expedition to Mars, and the traditional field kit sketch.

  Danita’s on a horticulture exploration, and we sure enjoy it!

      Hugh’s artist eye serves him well in sketches from near and far.

   Jane can always be diverted by flowers, but coffee & a Danish-yes!

Marsha’s been preoccupied with installing a new computer, but her tulips still snared her for yet another lovely loose sketch.

      Sandy’s been too busy to get to our Zoom meeting, but not to sketch.

     Rita & husband are off on an exploration, which she’s busy recording.

Marsha, Jane, Danita, Bev, BarbSo, Daisy, Hugh, Sandy, Laura.

Laura uses both sides of the pages in her sketchbook, and primarily works in colored pencil. The amaryllis is stunning!

     Sandy has gotten into sketching couples she finds on her walks, and has devoted one sketchbook solely to bird couples!

      Hugh continues to explore with his use of water soluble inks, but has also made a commitment to do at least one digital sketch a week.

Daisy was rightfully proud of her sketch of the bubbling rock fountain at Hendricks Park – great job!

        Barb So sketched her dog in the hyacinths, took a class on direct to watercolor for portraits, and drew a cheerful bird in her yard. Nice!

       Bev is stretching herself – first a bridge detail, then playing with circles (what fun that turned out to be!), and a lovely camellia.

       Danita loves native plants – hence the trillium and the Oregon grape, she also  worked roses into a wreath technique from a zoom class.

      Jane’s double page spreads are quite different from each other. She seems to be spreading her wings in trying out new techniques.

      Just when you think you’ll never get water soluble ink away from Marsha, she surprises you with a watercolor then ink sketch! Wow.