In memory of Mr. Blue

For Christine, in loving memory of Mr. Blue.

Alexander Calder’s Eagle, red chairs + Hannah Mae at Olympic Sculpture Park

 

I have always loved this photo of Hannah Mae (top) — taken last spring at Olympic Sculpture Park. I forget to work from photos. I also forgot about my soft pastels, and was so excited to pull them out from under a stack of sketchbooks and magazines after a couple years.

This little series was inspired by a few things that all came together at the right time — the strong colors and shapes in Picasso’s work at SAM, the bold curves of Alexander Calder's Eagle, and the clean swooping lines that jumped out at me on the sails of Oprah's regatta with the Sidney Opera House in the background.

Click here for another Alexander Calder’s Eagle sketch.

{ black ink + Sharpies + watercolor + soft pastel }

Oprah’s regatta + Sydney Opera House

Rarely does something I see on TV inspire me to sketch. As soon as I saw the lines of the sails on Oprah’s regatta and the curves of the Sydney Opera house, I had to get them on paper. That’s it. Nothing too fabulous. Oh, and the big red "O" that lit up the sky.

Green tea from Christine

The packaging for this green tea inspired this sketch — the colors, simple tea illustration on the box, typography. I love my neighbor, Christine. She is always surprising us with little treats. Last week it was super mini alphabet noodles for the kids and this tea for me.

A Dubsea date with HM

With about a half hour after picking HM up from school, on our way to pick up E, I had just enough time for this quick sketch at one of my favorite coffee shops in our neighborhood. Right after leaving the house, I ran back into my studio to grab my pens and travel watercolors — remembering I had a free coffee waiting for me with my filled up punch card. HM loves using my Sharpies. We sketched and munched on some of my chocolate chip cookies — also grabbed just before walking out the door. Perfect.

Black only

Just a quick sketch I did while sitting at SODO Macrina. Resisted the urge to add a bunch of colors.