Muddled Monday

Our Monday sketch group met at Mariano Park. I arrived late due to a meeting that ran a little long and never quite focused on sketching. We met there last week as well so I'm posting both endeavors.

The triangle park contains a small Prairie-style pavilion designed by Birch Burdette Long in 1900. Today, it houses a Whisper Cafe coffee stand. The glazed tiles along the eaves are beautiful. Long worked for Frank Lloyd Wright before venturing out on his own. One would think I would have attempted the pavilion-I must go back before the weather gets too cold and give it a try!

Alex, from Pencilscribbles, has joined our group. It's great to meet a fellow blogger! Welcome!

Hurry up and Wait

I've said it many times but sketching does increase my patience for waiting!

New Week-New Challenge

I live in Chicago, a city known for its architecture, but drawing architecture is one of my biggest sketching shortcomings. Today I tried out a Lamy Safari pen and sketched the Fourth Presbyterian Church from the courtyard on Michigan Avenue. The pen is great! The sketch -not so great. It has made me determined to improve. Hints and suggestions are welcome!

Remembered Still

from September 1, 1936 W.H.Auden

I sit in one of the dives
On Fifty-second Street
Uncertain and afraid
As the clever hopes expire
Of a low dishonest decade:
Waves of anger and fear
Circulate over the bright
And darkened lands of the earth,
Obsessing our private lives;
The unmentionable odour of death
Offends the September night.
...

Defenceless under the night
Our world in stupor lies;
Yet, dotted everywhere,
Ironic points of light
Flash out wherever the Just
Exchange their messages:
May I, composed like them
Of Eros and of dust,
Beleaguered by the same
Negation and despair,
Show an affirming flame

Out and About

These are two quick sketches done on site. The first one was done at the Green City Market on Saturday. It was a chef demonstration. The chef was Rick Grish, executive chef of David Burke's Primehouse restaurant in Chicago. I got distracted when they passed out samples of heirloom-tomato bloody Marys! Yum. On Wednesdays, Chef Grish prepares a four course meal at the restaurant with items from the Wednesday Green City Market. If the pasta and heirloom tomatoes that I sampled are any indication of what to expect, it's a winner!

Today our sketch group went to Oliver Park, not far from Navy Pier. It's one of Chicago's best kept secrets, beautiful views of the lake and the city.

My Favorite Foodie

To those of you have viewed my food diary sketches I must confess - I am not the cook. Most of those delicious sounding (and tasting) meals were cooked by my husband. Not only does he like to cook, he's great at it! Six or seven years ago he started to experiment in the kitchen. At first he was underfoot. Things changed quickly and soon I was the one in the way! I happily left the kitchen, rarely to return.

On Saturdays in the summer we go to the Green City Market, a fabulous farmers' market here in Chicago. My husband shops and I sketch. A good time is had by all!

The Best Laid Plans…

For the past two summers I've belonged to a loose knit group of sketchers. We meet on Monday at lunch time in various places around the city. Sometimes there are ten of us, sometimes only three. Last Monday we met at the Conservatory in Lincoln Park. Chicago weather being what it is, we figured if the weather was nice we could sketch outside in the garden, if it was hot and muggy or raining we could sketch inside. The weather was cooperating so we had our choice. I opted to sketch inside. About a half hour into it the sky darkened. I applauded my excellent decision. I could hear the rain beginning to tap on the glass roof, then the skies opened! Who knew the roof leaked! You can see little splashes on my sketch. We were sent laughing and running to find dry spots to stand until it let up.

However, rain or shine, on most days I think we laugh as much as we sketch.