Alvadore School @ Camas Country Mill Bakery, Junction City, OR

   The old Alvadore Schoolhouse is quite an attraction for many people (even Danita’s husband), especially with Jim H’s watercolor show!

   Peggy, Lynda, Danita’s spouse, Katie, Sandy; Danita, Daisy, Laura, Marsha,  Barb So., Serge, Jim, & Hugh. Paintings on wall by Jim H!

      Barb So did a sketch of a tree outside on her pre-stamped page, then added a cat from her photos, and finally a sticker from the bakery!

      Bev began with the window,  then the scene beyond, and then the sheep in the field across from the old schoolhouse. Delightful!

      Bitty’s sketch was a sketch within a sketch – a lovely watercolor of the scene outside, then a sketch of a sketcher & wall paintings, too.

      Daisy’s been well trained – sketch before eating! Well, do most of the sketch before eating, anyway. It sure does look yummy!

      Danita did a sketch of the table decoration complete with salt & pepper shakers, then a cluster of old tools she brought from home.

      Hugh is very fond of using water soluble wax crayons, often applying them with a water brush, but here direct to paper for quite an effect.

      Jane finds using framed vignettes to be a help in getting focused amid distracting elements – like other sketchers! This was fun.

      Jim had a taker for a sketchbook page, but she didn’t know if she wanted it colored or not – so he scanned a copy to paint for choice!

      Katie appreciates including thoughtful quotes in her sketchbook, and here uses a pre-stamped pattern page for subtle lines.

      Now what’s Laura up to….oh, the table arrangement! And didn’t her used of colored pencils make her sketch effective!

       Lona stopped by to see what Hugh & Jim were doing before taking on her own sketch challenge – pumpkins in a degrading line.

      Lynda had a simple flower sketch to show, but she usually tackles complicated views, like this vine covered post, or rock wall – wow!

      Marsha has developed a colored pencil strategy that allows her to work quickly and to fill her pages with warm detail. Nicely done.

      Peggy liked the scene outside so much she turned to a second watercolor sketchbook. She was still working on the sunflowers.

      Sandy dipped into her travel photos for this sketch and did a great job with the many layered rock stacks, moon peeking out behind.

      This is not Serge’s usual architectural scene, but terrific gestural portrait studies. He used two shades of Pitt pens for the shading.

Jane’s place, Eugene, OR

   This is what the set up looked like before everyone got there.

   The dogs were there to greet everyone (note the protective cover on the carpet for the sketchers), and here came the snacks!

   Ken was at the airbrush station – here’s Barb So trying her hand at it. The stencil table was just beyond Ken was eagerly utilized.

      Let’s see…apply the ink pad directly, use a brush to stipple the ink through the stencil, a spray bottle, or use Copic markers airbrush…

         Ken prompts Lynda through her first airbrush experience, then helps Jim mask his sketch for it – Sandy & Bill stop by to observe.

   Meanwhile, folks at the rubber stamp station were going wild!

      Think they’re having fun? The unmounted stamps were new for some, who learned how to peel them off the page & use the blocks.

      Stamps were chosen with an eye to how sketches would be incorporated later. Bill enjoyed showing Hugh how his turned out.

      Bev took a moment to just sketch! Jim tried the airbrush on his architecture sketch. Danita sketched, & used a spray with stencil.

The dogs may have felt a bit neglected, but the rest of us had a good time!

Emerald Art Center, Springfield, OR

   We went to see member Katie Stocks’ art show, and found another Top Drawers member (Bev Taylor) had art up, too! Nice shows!

 We had to look at the show first – Serge, Bev, Bitty, Penny, Barb So, Jim (already sketching!), Marsha, Carol, Laura & Peggy.

By the time Ken (our guru & mentor) & Cathy showed up, we were all busy at sketching. They enjoyed seeing Katie’s show, too.

     Cathy viewing Katie’s work; Ken chatting with Laura & Peggy; Ken and Cathy getting to view work Serge has been doing lately.

     So what was Jim working on so intently? Ohmygosh! He took on the entire entry wall of the place, angles and all! Nicely done, too.

     Penny shares some of her inspiration photos with Bev. Look at that distinguished bird! Then she quickly got into doing portraits on site.

        Bev really excels at sketching the people around her, but she also sketched one of the fascinating (& challenging!) sculptures there.

     Hugh said he couldn’t resist the photo he took of a neighbor’s sculpture when “Audrey” ate the Elf! Then back to refine a sketch.

        Marsha did a terrific gestural study of two sketchers in the midst of the art gallery. Love her elegant use of colored pencils.

      Marsha & Carol were sitting together, but Carol’s attention was caught by the architecture of the building. Wonderful windows.

     Peggy started with the window, too, but included a passing truck, and then went on to add hints at the paintings on display.

        Laura took advantage of the captive audience of sketchers to try her hand at people sketching. Adding color makes a difference, too.

  Jane started slowly, but built up her montage of sights at the gallery, including one of Katie’s paintings! Fun mini display here.

5th St. Market, Eugene, OR

    Jude, Daisy, Danita, Serge, Marsha talking with Ken, Peggy; Bitty, Bill, Jim H.  (Jane behind the camera.)

     Barb Sh & Ken; Bev, Hugh, Barb Sh, Erik, Barb So, Sandy.

First – the seasonal decorations observations:

      Barb So

      Bev

      Daisy

    Peggy

Second – the non-seasonal observations around us:

    Bill

      Danita

      Hugh

      Jane

    Marsha

   Sandy

Third – sketches from places far, far away:

      Barb Sh

     Bitty

      Erik

       Jim H

     Jude

      Lynda

    Serge

Café Yumm, Eugene, OR

    In the entry lobby: Bev, Helga, Barb So, Laura. In the back room: Bitty, Jim S, Michelle, Barb Sh, Jim H, Marsha, Serge.  Game on!

Oh, but first, a mini-reunion of sketchers who went to Italy together this year – fun reminiscing – Jim S, Lona, Michelle, Jane, Katie.

        Sketching & socializing – who says you can’t do both?  Here are Jim S, Michelle, Barb Sh; Barb Sh, Hugh; Lona & Michelle.

          Serge & Hugh; Sandy with book on color Marsha brought to share; Sandy & Lona. We benefit so much from what each person brings.

       Hugh & Sandy collaborate with Katie on her sketch; Serge explains his study steps preliminary to doing a painting to Sandy & Michelle.

Now, on to what people were actually sketching…

      Bev chose a great pre-stamped page in her sketchbook which added to a very festive air about her. Some color, then on to colored paper.

      Helga is still practicing thumbnail sketches, which she finds very helpful in determining perspective. Next to apply it to bigger ones…

     Barb So prepared her page with rectangular boxes for mini-features. What a delight to see what she chose to capture around her.

      Laura started simple, then thought she’d sketch the snowflake ornaments hanging from the ceiling – easy, right? No, difficult!

      Hugh began with water brushing color for the sky, and worked to down to the ground. It’s the scene clear across the street from us.

      Bitty zeroed in on the rocks in the courtyard, applying her wet-on-wet watercolor technique to very good effect! Nicely done.

       Can you tell Jane’s in love with line? Fun to see that courtyard develop, such a different approach from Bitty’s close-up.

      Jim S (Jane’s son) joined us from Portland, and enjoyed taking a break from architecture to do some sketching – nice shadows!

       Barb Sh is continuing to do experiments in sketching to get different effects – the latest is one on toned paper, and she made it pop!

      Katie got the “armature” of the branch down in pencil first, then on to watercolor for the berries, and now the branch itself. Nice.

      Marsha was so quiet no one knew she was sketching them! She’s getting very proficient at doing quick portraits. Great to see.

      Here is Serge showing his four stage preliminary sketch work done prior to a larger watercolor painting. Lovely work already!

     Sandy took advantage of people nearby who were preoccupied so that they made great models – interesting to see on toned paper, too.

      Jim H said he thought he was done with vineyards for awhile, so branched out with a column from Greece & door from Madagascar!