“World Sketches” show at The Gallery at the Watershed, 321 Mill Street, December 16 – January 17, 2015.

All the participants who were in town & not under the weather came to a “sneak preview” – Front: Mike Maszk, Barb Shirk, Manda Severin; back: Jan Brown, Barb Aten, Jane Harrison, Ken O’Connell, Jo Palmer, Tricia Clark-McDowell, Erik Johnson, Satoko Motuoji.  We were all thrilled to see the show hung.

    Erik, Jan & Barb A view one of the walls, while Trish samples the treats, and Mike, Amy & Ken take a look at another wall.

And then came the official opening & holiday party on Friday:

      It was pretty much a happy mob scene all night!

    Amy stood up to give the welcome and introduce some of the players. Ken, surrounded by Lucy Hart (who first introduced him to LaRomita), Erik Johnson (a long time colleague & sketch friend), and Satoko Motouji (who introduced Ken to Italy) then spoke about the unique nature of sketchbooks and the quality of the giclée prints.

     Ken even showed off a sample sketch book by one of his former students at LaRomita, Vicki Abbott, who came down for the show. Then the meet and greet and view (if you can) began in earnest. Here’s Tricia with (the) Robert Gamblin & Jane.

     Lynn Pfeiffer & Jim Patterson.  Anneke (Ken’s daughter) with daughter Fiona, her husband, and Satoko.

       Mike and proud wife Ann Wein; Mike & Barb A share a chuckle. The discussions got pretty lively and intense as the evening went on.

I think it’s fair to say that everyone had a great time! (And some sketch art even got purchased! Hooray!)

Starbucks on Willamette St., Eugene, OR

Jane just received the latest book by Urban Sketchers originator Gabriel Campanario – “People and Motion.” So she brought it to the sketch group today, along with a wooden mannequin:

And we immediately started to apply his suggestions, and sketch:

Here’s Barb Sommers, JoAnn Palmer and sister Barb Shirk, and Sandy, with Jane at the camera.

Tricia joined us, too, and you can see that we were having fun.

Jane had an unfortunate accident when she tried to arrange the little guy’s leg, and it popped right off.  But Barb Sommers took the opportunity to turn it into positive as she got a closer leg look! Jan joined us but went right into sketching real people.

Jane started writing the story of the mannequin; when she read it to the group, saying “Will it become a poster child for folks with disabilities?” she was imagining a take off on “Where’s Waldo?” and said we needed a name for the little guy.  Barb Shirk promptly dubbed him “Woodlo,” and had him already incorporated in her sketch of the people at Starbucks this morning!

Where will he show up next???

Gallery at the Watershed, Eugene, Oregon

We’re getting ready for an exciting show of travel sketches at the Gallery at the Watershed, 321 Mill #6, from Dec. 16 through Jan. 17, 2015.  Our formal opening & holiday party is slated for Dec. 19, 6-8 p.m.  Today we were busy getting the show of 67 pieces of work from artists all over the world who have worked with Ken O’Connell. Here’s what the process looked like:

First we unpacked containers and started laying out all the pieces.

Amy Isler Gibson held the ladder steady while Daniel Odegaard adjusted hangers on the hanging wires; Ken O’Connell adjusted the levels of Mike Maszk’s art pieces.

Robert Canaga had the layout vision, and Mike Maszk installed D rings for hanging on the gallery’s special hanging system.

Daniel hangs Erik Johnson’s work. Here’s what the pics on the sofa from above look like on the wall.

Robert and Mike confer about picture placement, then Mike does the high wire act to move the hanging wires so they’re straight.

Ken confers with Amy about the website catalog while Robert takes a reviving drink of water. But it’s not over yet – Amy has to tuck the hanging wire “tails” behind pictures, put up labels, make sure the pictures are all level, remember to sweep the floor, and the list goes on!

Full City Coffee/Palace Bakery, Eugene, OR

Well it wasn’t exactly the scene of a crime, but it was the scene of the first art show of our sketch work.  And today featured our great preference for sketching things that HOLD STILL.

Jane quickly did a sketch of the coffee bean poster outside the window, while Erik got serious about architecture lines.

    When a few more folks showed up, we moved to the other room.  Here are Sandy, Erik (with the view he started with – the trees outside the window frame), Heidi, & Barb Sommers.

     Sandy was able to get a whole sketch done of the guy having coffee in the window, while Heidi did a sketch of her – don’t move!

     Now you can see Erik’s trees through the window sketch as it has developed, as well as Jane’s tiny palette which she used to sketch this tasty pastry (which has mysteriously disappeared).

5th St. Market, Eugene, OR.

Erik chats with Heidi’s husband, Paul, and then Penelope pops in.

    Sandy is excited to show a photo of her new great-grandson, then Barbara Sommers, Heidi, Barbara Shirk & Erik get started.

Here’s what Heidi has been doing lately!

Penelope’s progress, and Barbara Sommers’ (a yarn challenge!).

WHAT are you drawing with, Barb?! Barbara Shirk discovered the Pininfarina, a tool that oxidizes paper!  Cool, except it doesn’t erase.

Erik started with his usual Crayon d’Arche tools, then resorted to borrowing Penelope’s watercolor to get just the “right” green – Sap!

Sandy sketches what’s in front of her (what restraint) – ta dah!

Heidi sketches a pot outside, and Penelope her own palette.

Jane picked up some new ornaments – OMG.  Got better with color.

Barbara Sommers and Barbara Aten tried their hands at them, too.