5th St. Market, Eugene, OR

      Barb Shirk showed her work from last time, including a mandala she designed of her dachshunds chasing their tails (can you tell?)

   Barb Sommers put her sketches in little boxes, which led us to talk about spaces between boxes, things extending out of boxes….

        Jane decided boxes were a good idea! And here’s her final page.

     Erik revealed his planning process for his sketches, testing out color combinations, doing a rough sketch before a final color version.

      Then the snipping process was revealed – Barb Shirk had designed snowflakes based on people’s names! We were astounded!

      And in-between the cutting and folding, Penelope and Tricia got an email from Winnie Givot – they’re going on the trip to Siciliy in Sept.!

      Meanwhile, back at the sketchbooks, Tricia and Erik work on their sketches of the  poinsettia on the table.

5th St. Market, Eugene, OR

     Nothing like sharing an exciting trip – here Joby shares information about the trip she & her husband just went on to Oaxaca, Mexico, while Barb Sh., Jan, & Sandy look on with interest…maybe we might want to go there, too!

    Among the treasures she brought back were handmade books, with handmade papers and block prints – Sandy & Ken were particularly interested.

    Of course there was a slide show, too, featuring landscape as well as charming designs. We were quite enchanted by her presentation.

      But best of all were Joby’s sketches done while she was there.

      When Joby was done, Barb Shirk had the opportunity to share her latest sketchbook page with Ken. And here’s the sketch Jane did today with artifacts gathered from the 5th St. Market stairs!

Cafe Yumm, 18th St., Eugene, OR

Here are some of the usual suspects: Erik, Penelope, Sandy, “Barbwires” So & Sh, along with Jane’s sketchable poinsettia.

      Barb Shirk brought us up to date on the “snowflake” sketch she started last time at 5th St., & another sketch page of emergence.

      Barb Sommers shared her “unfinished” orchid, a complicated wire sketch, and started in on the little poinsettia.

        Jane used her water soluble Pentel Stylo pen, and added QoR watercolors. Then she compared her little Altoids Smalls palettes of QoR & Daniel Smith watercolors…hmmm…..

    It was great to have Sandy back with us, making the transition from sculpture to sketching with ease! See her sculptures on the “Arting About” menu tab above.

     New to our group, but not new to hanging around with artists, is Helga Wood – welcome! Here she’s sketching what’s in front of her.

      Meanwhile, Erik is off on an entirely new bent, inspired by one of his favorite artists – Lori Ellison. Keep an eye on this development!

     Oh, and Barb Sh’s sketchbook continues to evolve – here’s the poinsettia added to a sketch of her mom & puppy, and now she’s busy adding color. Tiring? But ever fascinating

Cafe Yumm, 18th St., Eugene, OR

     Jan showed up at our meeting with two new folding cube creations – cows and aliens! She’s really on a roll with these clever details!

Barbara Shirk smiles her thanks at the gift the group gave her for all her work in helping us learn how to do folding cubes.

       Penelope & Barb Sh. get right down to sketching, while Barb A. and Jan discuss art opportunities in the area (Club Mud Ceramics Holiday Sale Nov. 21-Dec 18 at Maude Kerns, for one!).

Penelope is still looking for designs & patterns (thanks to the online course from Jane LaFazio) – she sees them everywhere!

Jane defies herself in being able to sketch some ideas from her memory of items from her kitchen…perhaps they’ll show up in her “grid” assignment from Jane LaFazio’s class.

 Barb Shirk not only sees patterns, she also pays attention to negative space.

Meanwhile, Jan is busy sticking new labels on wooden cubes to get ready for her next folding cube design. Told you she was hooked.

5th St. Market, Eugene, OR

     Jan brought her completed folding block creation, much to our delight. Barb Shirk and Jan enjoy each other’s constructions.

Here, give me that thing! Ken & Erik join in on the hinged block fun.

Now that we’ve been successful in hinging the blocks together so that they will fold open into new patterns, Barb Shirk, Barb Aten, Erik, & Jan start contemplating designs to go on them.

      Barb Aten refers to a Zentangle book for inspiration, while Erik begins a Greek key pattern on his blocks.

      Barb Sommers brought some sample sketches to ask our resident expert how she might use them on her folding blocks. Let’s see….

     Meanwhile, Jane was trying to figure out how to get her stacked rocks to look like they were sitting on the salal leaves, referring back at a previous sketch and photos of the rocks and the leaves. Ta dah!