Sketch Workshop Sketchout

 I spent a week at a workshop for watercolor sketching. This was at the Madeline Island School of the Arts. We had four instructors from overseas, all specializing in mobile watercolor sketching/painting. This is my third class at MISA. I just love it there! It's a short ferry hop from Bayfield, WI. On the Thursday night of our week-long workshop the instructors suggested a sketchout at a local pub. 

This is my first totally watercolor journal entry. My "standard" is watercolor pencils. I wanted this workshop because it would push me to try watercolors. I've taken a couple on-line classes in watercolor, which got me started. It also required me to buy a lot of tubes of paint. However, can one really own too many art supplies? Not. It felt great to finally start using them. Much to learn but I'm on my way.

Fountain pen, watercolors, enhanced with colored pencils. 

Amtrak to see Beth

 In late April I took an Amtrak train to visit a long time friend in Arizona. About a 24 hour ride. Beth and I were working at the same company 40 years ago. She moved to Arizona for a job and we've stayed in touch. Wilma and I visited four years ago and it was time to visit again. This time its just me.

Wilma and I had traveled in Coach before. This time I paid more to try out a Roomette. Pricey but more creature comforts and the food in the Dining Car comes with it. I found that the ability to lie flat helps sleeping a lot. 

Beth lives in Prescott. We'd start the mornings with coffee on her deck with a view. I love the dry air (as compared to Kansas). She drove me around to see the sights. That included coffee houses and a tap house. They had a bluegrass festival that weekend, too. Then on to Sedona. I wanted to see what everyone seems to know and like about that part of Arizona. 

The train has a stop in Albuquerque, both coming and going. The train refuels and takes care of other logistics. I sketched and almost missed the re-board call on the return trip.

This page shows some trip logistics. This is my fourth overnight Amtrak trip but the first one I shaved on. I wanted to see how hard it was to use a razor on a moving train. It's hard to sketch on the train so I thought it would be tough to shave, but it was fine.

I met a few interesting people, too. Dining room talk is always a good mixer. On my return, my Kansas City stop was scheduled for about 7 a.m.  I went down for breakfast and met Liz. It proved to be my lucky day. We talked until the staff kicked us out to end serving breakfast. We've been staying in touch ever since. 

Pick Only One (Really?)

 I recently downsized my 27' RV trailer to an 18' RV trailer. It's just me now and the old RV just had too many memories. Much less storage! I can't have ALL my coffee making methods on board. So . . . which one should I pick?! I can rule out the drip maker because it's just too large. I like the sentimental value of the percolator, but the French press is so darn simple, but it doesn't keep things warm. I just don't know.

Fountain pen, watercolor pencils and water brush. 

Coffeehouse Discovery

 I'm always on the lookout for new coffee shops, and I love to travel. Therefore, I combine these two interests and revel when I succeed. On a drive to son Brian's place I spied a food option listing sign on I-70 that mentioned a Casey Coffee Company. Casey, IL is JUST off of I-70. Always room for coffee, so I stopped. It's a little town of  2376 but one that is big into self promotion in a neat way without being overbearing. They have a whole list of "worlds largest" features to see. This just calls out for sketching. 

I fell in love with the world's largest mailbox. They built this thing so you can walk up the stairs and look down at Main Street from the front edge! And this thing was in view of a window seat at Casey Coffee. So I ordered a coffee and sketched. I sketched it too large just because I was too engaged with it. That happens to me.

The coffee shop is great! On my return trip I stopped for breakfast (oatmeal, choose your toppings). I'll be back.

Fountain pen, watercolor pencil with waterbrush. 

LBL Homeplace, Revisit

 I camp at Land Between the Lakes in western Kentucky a couple times a year. I always visit The Homeplace where staff interpret the history of the area. I've sketched the main house a couple times already and posted them. This is the second house. It's a "single pen" and is smaller. It was an overcast and misty day but I found a dry spot under the eves of the woodshop. Talked to a couple history interpreters and had a relaxing time sketching.

Fountain pen, watercolor pencils and waterbrush. I'm still exploring use of a wash I mix in an empty half pan. I'm touching my toe into the world of watercolor painting.

The Nicest Restaurant I Never Ate At

 Sometimes travel doesn't go as planned. I had a trip to a small town in Missouri. In my spare time I could see a plan develop. A neat coffee shop close by that I can sketch in! Got there at closing time. But a neat mostly restored old mill was close! Tour closed. Restaurant open but I just ate elsewhere. Oh well. I had time to sketch nearby with a view of the mill and water rushing close by. It was a sunny day with perfect temperature and I had the time. Who needs a plan?

The steel truss bridges remind me of some bridges we have on our rail-to-trails back home in Kansas. Love the design and feel.

Fountain pen, watercolor pencils and waterbrush. I used a spare empty half pan to create a wash from pencil pigments to use for the sky (a new trick I'm trying). 

How Many Is Enough?

 Over the years, things accumulate. We've had 40 years of travel and I like to buy coffee cups to prompt the memories as I get older. Thus, a huge selection of coffee cups. Wilma and I would always disagree on how many I NEED. With her gone, I can be guilt-free on how many I NEED. 

So, I attacked my collection this week. I pulled them all down from the cupboard and set them on the kitchen island. This had to be sketched!

If you read the sketch, I ended up with 70 coffee cups. BUT some have already been repurposed to hold pens, pencils and loose change, some are hot/cold travel cups (don't count since they are dual-use), and some are easy to give away.

Final count: 31 

Yes, I concede I only NEED one. But that's no fun. I love the memories in each cup. If Wilma's ghost haunts me, I will reconsider.