Mt. Pisgah Aboretum, Eugene, OR

Despite threatening rain & last minute cancellation, three of our sketch group made it to the designated sketch spot, only to discover the place overrun with kids. But that didn’t stop them.

        An employee told Peggy about the barn south of the buildings where we were going to meet, and she found a cozy sheltered spot.

By the time Laura and Marsha got there, the weather had cleared a bit, and they were able to take advantage of the picnic table.

      Here’s Laura’s sketch of the park ambiance, Peggy with her sketch of nearby mossy trees, and Marsha’ sketch of a park building. Great!

Oakway Mall Courtyard, Eugene, OR

What a busy group! Sandy, Laura (under umbrella), Pat with Marsha beyond her, Hugh in the bushes in back, Katie, Peggy, Barb Sh, Tricia.

      Glimpses of the action – Barb Sh, Katie; Peggy, Marsha, Katie, Sandy; Marsha & Laura.  We never get too busy to check on one another!

      Barb Sh was so busy sketching the group of sketchers, she sketched them twice – one with her left hand, the other with her dominant.

      Hugh might have seemed above it all, but he took precautions when folks drew near, and enjoyed the perspective from his perch.

      Jane’s sketch was quite a departure for her – a pencil sketch of the architecture, then a brush pen, and then the duck got some color!

      We’ve missed Katie, but you can see what she’s been doing if you take a look at her sketchbook! Look at her sketches at the bottom.

      I almost missed Laura in the shade of the shelter – she picked up where she left off last week, adding more little vignettes around her.

      Marsha had a productive day – a sketch of  Barb Sh seated on the wall post, one of a couple at a nearby table, & one of Sandy, below.

      We were happy to have Pat back with us. She recently got a book she had given to a departed friend, & enjoyed sketching from it.

      Peggy is so quiet – what’s she up to? Sketching another pot of flowers in the courtyard, but she didn’t like their pot, so…nice!

      Sandy was sketching sketchers, too – here’s her ink sketch, then she added color when she got home. It makes a difference, she said.

      Tricia is a big picture kind of gal, and she didn’t mind staying awhile to get it all down – look at the size of that brush, and what she does!

      Finished sketches layed out for show & tell – Barb Sh’s two versions, Hugh, Pat, and Katie.

      Laura, Marsha’s sketch of Sandy (art prompt: graceful), Peggy.

.  Sandy’s second sketch of the sketchers, color added, too. Sweet.

Oakway Mall Courtyard, Eugene, OR

Who are these masked sketchers? Can you guess?      

If we did unmask while we sketched, we were at a careful distance.       If it doesn’t look like the right distance, it’s because the camera was zoomed, or the photo was cropped.  But careful didn’t mean no joy.

      At work: Barb Sh, Daisy (with Marsha in background), & Helga.

      Marsha with a sketch of…Peggy! Sandy with a sketch of Laura!

      Laura; Jane with yellow marker in mouth taking pics; Hugh.

      Sketches by: Peggy, Jane, Hugh, Daisy, ?; Barb Sh.; Sandy’s sketch of Laura, Laura’s sketch, & Marsha’s sketch of Laura!

     Finished sketches by Hugh, Jane (oh, that’s why the yellow marker!)

From the Gazebo at Owen Rose Garden, Eugene, OR

Nearly all of the intrepid sketchers: Bitty, Sandy, Daisy, Sharon, Marsha, Hugh, Katie – Jane behind the camera, Tricia yet to come.

      We all took a gazebo post to stay appropriately distance. Here’s Bitty deciding which way to look, then her sketch on toned paper.

       Daisy started out amidst the roses, and when it started to rain she brought her sketches to show us. Lovely treatment for the roses!

     Hugh set up on the sidewalk until the rain forced him inside. His sketch showed the gardener who refused to be deterred by water.

      Jane’s sketch was finished at home. She had a good time adding rain clouds and the lyrics from Annie Lennox’s song to the page.

   Katie braved sitting on the floor, sketching the floor medallion, and then the roses above her on the gazebo trellis. Nicely done, too.

      Marsha tried the over the ear mask style set by Jim Hinton last week, but mostly stayed face masked, & did a delightful sketch.

      Sandy got right at it, sketching the sketchers. Later she added the colorful background context, and wondered if that helped…hmmm.

     And who sneaked in to sketch just beyond Marsha? It’s Sharon! What a pleasure to have her back sketching with us again.

      Tricia set up on the sidewalk, too, before the rain brought her under cover. Here’s last week’s tree sketch, and this week’s. Terrific!

So you can see we’re enjoying being together, still being cautious about physical distance, staying outside, and wearing a mask when appropriate. I think we’ll keep doing this if the weather cooperates.

Owen Rose Garden, Eugene, OR

This is our first get-together since the corona virus shut down. We were careful to wear masks, and stay 6′ away from each other.

   It was hard to take a group photo since we were so spread out. Here are Helga, Jim, & Katie. Then a glimpse of Jim sketching canna lilies.

    Helga came prepared for the weather – hat, mask, sweater layer. And it did get warmer, perfect for sketching! She did cannas, too.

   Ah, that moment of deliberation…Katie pauses, then gets right into it with her lovely watercolor treatment. See her work at the end.

   Jackie joined them, and did a nice sketch of the cannas within the garden setting. It’s so hard to choose what to draw here!

      And here’s Hugh! He set up his tripod shelf for his sketchbook, got out his clever container of crayons, then it was water brush and on!

   Sandy wandered on through one of the rose beds before settling down to do her sketch. It’s so great to be back with one another!

    Barb Sh found a cluster of red oriental poppies, and did she have fun sketching them. Look for her sketchbook painting at the end.

   Daisy loved sketching here so much she did two sketches! Her sketches just burst with color, very fitting!

   Laura gets the award for the cutest chair! But, hey, it worked. And she captured a whole variety of flowers at the garden in her sketch.

      Jane’s back at using the frames template – such a handy way to include all kinds of images on one sketch page.  Love the rose.

      Tricia came a little late, so didn’t get to share at the review because she was still painting. Look at the size of the brush in the middle.

Then we gathered (6′ apart) for a sketchbook review.

   Barbara Sh, & Hugh; Jane & Jim (lower right).

Oh you have to see that one! And around we go.

Katie, Jackie.

And everyone rotates around the tables to see all the sketches.

Sandy, Helga, Daisy, Laura.

And here we are, suitably attired for undercover work, and happy to be together sketching at last! Jackie, Sandy, Barb Sh, Daisy, Katie, Helga, Laura, Hugh, Jim. Jane behind the camera, Tricia at the tree.