The old "Stop N Go"

Back in the 1950's to about 1962-3, the old "Stop N Go" was the western destination point on a circuit driven by the high school kids in Kennewick, WA. The eastern destination was another hamburger joint known as "Zip's." The "Stop N Go" was up in the 'highlands' part of town, and "Zip's" was, and still is, near what used the be called the "old bridge" - which has been replaced by the "Cable Bridge."

The very first "really" cool car I ever laid eyes on was out in front of the "Stop N Go" when I was about 11 years old. It belonged to the quarterback on the varsity football team named Monasmith, and it was a beautiful, two-toned, beige and red, two-door, hard-top, '57 Chevy.

By the time my class landed behind the wheel, the "Stop N Go" had lost some of it's polish, at least for us as we drove on by it and turned around to drive back to "Zip's" in another location.

It amazes me that it's still there at all.

ink, watercolor

Butting Heads in a Game of Chess

I purchased this chess set in an outdoor market in Florence, Italy, in 1975. The pieces are large metal medieval kings, queens, knights, bishops, etc., and the set weighs in at just over 10 lbs. I lugged this sucker all over Europe that summer by tying heavy twine in cross-hatch fasion over it and wrapping a wash-cloth on one the cross ties for a handle. The set is wider than my arm is long.

I've taught my children and a couple of my granchildren the game on this set, so this evening when my 27 year old son and my 8 year old grandson sat down in our pink living room and started butting heads regarding rules and strategy, I couldn't help but grab my sketchbook.

These are two very special people in my life and the joy they provided me tonight with this game is indescribable.

The Apartments on Gage and Leslie - Richland, WA.

When I was a young man I wanted three things: a Corvette, a motorcycle, and an apartment in the city (Seattle). I did once own a motorcycle, but after I wiped out on a black lab, I sold it and haven't been on another. I have never owned a Corvette, or lived in Seattle; but I did once own a bran-new, fire-engine red, Mustange Mach I in 1969 - but I wrecked it before it had 5,000 miles on it's odometer.

This walk runs down the hill and connects to a larger walking path that circumvents the Columbia River. It crosses three bridges and runs along both sides of the river on its 20-something mile long course. The paths here are always busy with walkers, runners, bicyclists, people pushing baby carts and kids on roller blades. I like how the path and the apartment buildings meet in the distance so I sat in Round Table Pizza and sketched it out today.

ink, watercolor, urban sketch

"The Neighborhood Subway"

My early experiences with sandwiches is older than my conscious memory. I have an aunt in Oklahoma who tells me that when my parents moved back to Oklahoma from California after I was born (1946), and about 3 or 4 years old, I told her how much I loved them. I certainly don't remember NOT liking a good sandwich, or even a bad one for that matter.

I do remember once coming in from a late night outing in high school and going to the kitchen, like I always did, and making myself a peanut butter sandwich. After I put the jar back in the cupboard, and the bread sack away, I wondered why I had only used one piece of bread. Without thinking about it much further, I ate what I had and went to bed.

The next day my mother opened the cupboard and asked, "Who put this piece of bread on top of the peanut butter jar." I guess I had partied a little more than I thought.

Anyway, this is the neighborhood Subway shop where I spend significant amounts of my time and money, and where I try to improve my people-drawing skills. Yes, the people working there know me and one of them has memorized my sandwich, which I have described elsewhere in this blog, and yes, I get double-points EVERYTIME I purchase a "meal" with them. I guess you'd have to say my love of sandwiches is alive and well and my love of this place and the people who work there has become one of my addictions.

ink, watercolor, journal #3

"Groovin' at Costco for a Polish"

Can you believe it?  I drove right on by my favorite lunch spot today, Subway, and pulled into Costco with a Polish on my mind.  The Polish at Costco is $1.50 + tax and they throw in a drink, Diet Coke, thank you; and they are "mighty tasty" if I do say so myself. 

The place was packed today and it is only Tuesday and I was there at high noon.  Don't you just wonder why all these people who are out in the middle of the day on a week day aren't at work?  I worked for over thirty years and seldom, if ever, did I have opportunity to go to Costco and lounge around the book area, then go pick up a Polish and a coke and watch the crowd.  Nope.  It was nose to the grindstone and during Standard Time, like we'll have again next week (aaaaaaarghhhhhh), my nose was on the damned grindstone from dark to dark. 

I like them with lotsa mustard, a little bit of relish, and a mounds of chopped onions.  I would toss on some sauerkraut, but the sauerkraut at Costco is dry and lifeless. 

ink, watercolor, journal/sketchbook

"Sketching with Terry Banderas"

Our friends Elaine and Terry Banderas, who live in the Sacramento area, were in town last week and Terry and I spent a few hours sketching.  This wasn't on the list of places to draw, but when we found ourselves in this part of town, it turned out to be a good spot to settle in for a while with our sketchbooks.

The grain elevator sits on the banks of the Columbia River in Kennewick, WA.  The river is on the other side of the elevator.  Wheat has been a staple in terms of agriculture in our area for at least one hundred years, maybe more.  I don't know when the elevator was constructed, but when we moved here in 1957 it was one of the landmarks in town.  Still is.

ink, watercolor, journal/sketchbook

"Groovin' at Sloppy Joe's in Key West"

When Ernest Hemingway moved to Key West, he frequented a drinking hole just down the sidewalk from Sloppy Joe's called Captain Tony's. When the building owner decided to raise the rent on Tony, he and Ernest moved his establishment here and named it Sloppy Joe's.

Hemingway's home is 4 or 5 blocks down the street outside those two doors at the far end of the room, to the left. Story has it he bought the home because it was just across the street from the light house. This so he could find his way home at night.

To the left is the stage where, when we were there, there was a band of three who kept the place rockin' for hours. We went in during the early afternoon and I was disappointed when it was time to leave for Mallory Square to watch the sunset.

Not too many weeks after we were there, Kenny Chesney took the stage. Nice.

watercolor, ink, journal

"Sammie Munchers"

I was actually reading a novel and when I looked up, this was what I saw before me: A line-up of "sammie munchers" in the "sammie" capital of the world, "Subway." Fortunately for me and all you fans out there, I had my trusty sketchbook with me and my also trust number one Pigma Micron pen. So I went to work putting these fine folks into my sketchbook without anyone of them getting nary the idea that their "true to form," and perfect images would, in less than a day's time, be posted for all the World to See.

Ok, ok, I know the characters aren't really "true to form" for all you purists and photorealists out there, but for those of you who follow Danny Gregory's style - this is, sorta, - "true to form."

This is my second attempt to not download, then upload, but to cross-load an image from my flickr account directly to this page. Sizing is more of a problem with this one because this is the "medium" size, and the "small" one was too small. So there ya go, whad'r ya gonna do?

watercolor, ink, journaling sketchbook

"Another Day at Subway"

I just discovered a new way to post images to my blog from flickr. What I have been doing for the past, oh, couple hundred, posts is downloading the image to my computer and then uploading it. This takes not only time, but also those precious parking slots on my hard drive.

This image is downloaded from the "medium" selection and is larger than my other posts, but that may not be all bad. Yano whadda mean?

So, anyway, what I was trying to do hear was produce a single-page spread, something like magazines and newspapers do. I think putting the Big Black Border around the images didn't work too well, so it probably won't happen again. Yano whad . . . nevermind.

I layed out the square and rectangles first hoping to find something to put inside. The one on the bottom came out sort of funny. The lady on the left was a normally shaped person, I just ran out of room on the bottom when I was drawing her bod. It appears sorta of serendipitous though because she doesn't look too bad for a "short" person.
watercolor, ink, journal sketchbook

"Village on the Cote d'Azur"

Someday, when I am richer than I already am (smile), I will move here and have a dog and walk the streets in the evening, tipping my fedora to all the ladies, and shaking hands with all the men.

I will sit on the sidewalk outside the local cafe and enjoy the fine Mediterranean cuisine prepared by the retired chef from Paris, or Marseille, or Nice, who opened the cafe after leaving the city; and I will sip aperitifs, like Henry Miller, Anais Nin, and Hemigway did. I will sketch the clientele and become the southern France version of "Rick Tulka" who sketches everyday at Le Select in Paris.

I will sit on the beach and breathe the fresh air and draw pictures of the people on the beach. No longer will I need to cruise Flickr for interesting places to draw, for I will finally live in one.

Dream on, Pal ... lol

watercolor, ink, sketchbook

"Paris"

Paris from Eduard on Vimeo.

"Rooters at Flag Football"

Went to my grandson's flag football game last Saturday and watched mostly the people on the sidelines. It's interesting how different people are, and sometimes how crazy some of them seem to be - of course that would never apply to yours truly.

The guy in the red hat took a few pictures, and the tall guy followed him around. They must be related, or maybe just friends; and the pregnant one - well - what can we say about that?

Actually, before you get really disgusted with a mother-to-be having a smoke at the flag football game, let me explain. While I was sketching her, someone bumped my chair just as I was working on her lips. All of a sudden she had this line coming off her lower lip and I wasn't sure what to do about it.

That's when I decided she would have to be a smoker.

ink, watercolor, journal

"Funky High Heels"

High heels. How anyone could wear them is about as mystifying to me as people who step to an open door and jump out of an airplane.

I eat lunch in Subway, just about everyday (I love the turkey based cold cuts on 9-grain wheat bread, with pepper-jack cheese, no toast, all the veggies, mayo, mustard, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper - make it a meal with chips and a small drink - why would anyone purchase a medium, or large drink, then sit down to eat their sandwich? - anyway-), and I watch a lot of folks come through the door.

What has caught my eye of late are shoes: mostly women's shoes. The other day a young woman came in wearing the most amazing pair of sun-yellow, elevated high heeled, stilletoes. (And some of the women have amazing shoulder bags (purses?) made of leather with multiple straps, colors, pockets, zippers, and stitch patterns.)

So I went online and googled "high heels" to see if there was anything I might want to sketch -this is one pair.

You can click here to see a few more.

watercolor, ink, sketch, high heels

"Franklin County Courthouse"

A small group of drawers, sketchers, and painters got together this morning in Pasco, WA., to sketch, draw, paint the old Franklin County Courthouse. It was much like what a sketchcrawl would be, but we have yet to get a sketchcrawl group going - not too many of the others are online addicts like I am.

For someone who doesn't do much architecture, this was a fun sketch. I filled a couple of pages in my sketchbook, and decided this is the one that I wanted to post up. The building stretches left and right for about another 2/3rds. In other words, this sketch represents about 1/3 of the structure because I wanted to focus on the copper dome.

The building was remodeled two or three years ago and though it was very handsome before, it is even more so today.

watercolor, ink, sketch

"The 10 Yardline Clan"

Way over on the other side of the gridiron, at my grandson's grid kids football game last Saturday I spotted this interesting scene. The lady sat the entire game in her folding chair, in the constant shade below provided by her striped umbrella: eating pizza, chips, and drinking soft drinks.

The people spread around her didn't seem to move one way or the other, I don't recall seeing anyone get up, or even change positions. There was no cheering, no throwing of the arms in the air and yelling, "Way to go, Bobby!" I thought maybe it was a sculpture.

After the game was over, with her team beating the "you-know-what" outa my g-son's team, she got up; and those around her folded the umbrella, and picked up all the paraphernalia lying about the ground, collected their little football star, and went home.

I'm taking pizza to the next game.

watercolor, ink, sketchbook

"Elegance in Line and Color"

Isn't she elegant!? This is Britney. In real life she is about mid-twenties, very cute and full of fun personality.

This sketch doesn't help her much in terms of her personal beauty and personality, but without her this little beauty of a sketch wouldn't have ever, in the history of the universe, seen the light of day (sorry for the abrupt and penetrating cliche).

Please correct me if I am way off base, but the sketch seems to me reminiscent of some of Picaso's ladies. I love her.

I am not one of the charcoalists in the sessions. I used to be one, or a wannabe one. I tried to measure angles and boob lines with my thumb and pencil, just like I was taught and like I see others in these sessions do. It just isn't for me. I prefer to start with my trusty Micron Pigma pen, #1 in this case, and let it take me on an adventure. It never turns out how I thought it might when I started; but that is the adventure in sketching.

watercolor, ink, sketchbook, life-drawing

"The Sketchers and the Model"

I decided over the summer to begin attending the life-drawing sessions at Allied Arts in Richland again this year. It's been about three years since I was last there.

This sketch represents those in attendance today, there to draw, and for me, sketch, the model, Britney. I believe in this sketch is one of my best people sketches ever. It's the guy on the far right. For the first time I was able to capture not just the person, but the stance, the mood, the slouch - in this case. I like this one, alot.

My plan is continue attending, though they don't have nearly as many sessions as we had when I was attending life-drawing sessions in Pt. Townsend before moving back to eastern Washington. Here there is one per month scheduled; there they were available weekly.

watercolor, ink, life-drawing

"'Ferrandi Room' at Neel Estates"

Recently remodeled by Phoenix interior designer, Jennifer Ferrandi, for the Joseph E. Neel estates in Washington state, the "Ferrandi Room" was unveiled to guests over the Labor Day weekend.

The room features several upscale, and heirloomed items: the red couch, purchased at Ikea; the double-globed lamp, a family heirloom; and the black-framed mirror on the wall opposite the flat-screened Samsung television which features 1080-i high definition viewing.

Recent guests commented, "Yeah, once we got the lights turned on, it was ok."

"Andrew Wyeth - 1983"

I have been reading a biography about Andrew Wyeth and went to Barnes and Noble this afternoon to find a book with some of his paintings that are mentioned but not shown in the book I'm reading. In the back of the book I found was a photograph taken of him in 1983, so I sat there in the coffee shop and worked on it staying much longer than I had intended.

Having seen his work twice, once in DC, way back in the 1980's, and most recently in Seattle, I have been a fan of his work for a long time.

What I find most intriguing about him is the detail he used in his tempera paintings, and the degree of thought and planning he put into his art.

According to the book I am reading now, most of his art was apparently heavily influenced by experiences he had as a young child in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, under the tutelage and direction of a man who was bigger than life, his father, N.C.

ink in sketchbook

"Mystery Man at the Fillmore"

It was a long time ago. My memory tells me I was on a bus in San Francisco, but my logical brain tells me that couldn't be because I have never been on a bus in San Francisco; so it must have been through the window of my buddy, Herb's, mustang.

It was a 1968, blue, mustang with a cloth top, and we were on our way to Los Angeles from eastern Washington. A trip that actually took only 23 hours from start to finish because we drove all night and even stopped in 'Frisco for breakfast. This was before the Seattle Seahawks were even thought of - and we were going to watch Johnny Unitas and the Baltimore Colts (that's right, kids, the BALTIMORE Colts) play Roman Gabriel and the Los Angeles Rams (yes, kids, that is correct as well, the RAMS were not in St. Louis during the Dark Ages).

Anyway, the point is that this was a long time ago when I was in San Francisco for this particular memory. On a billboard, hanging off the front of a building in downtown San Francisco was this performer's name; and I knew his music. Everybody did.

Tonight on HDTV, he was performing from the Fillmore Theatre in San Francisco; so I tivo'd him and after the performance I went back into the archive, found a spot to sketch, paused the machine and sketched this image. Ok, it ain't perfect. The hat was really hard to capture, and I failed, and his hair isn't really this long, and he wasn't wearing a tie, or even a funky, traditional shirt like the one I have on him. The only part that really resembles him is the nose and mustache.

I have set aside an all expense trip to the nearest refrigerator of your choice for anyone who can name him; as if there haven't been enough hints in what I have had to say here, more than this quick and dirty sketch of the man.

Who is he?

watercolor, ink, sketchbook

"Man in Food Court"

I was waiting for my son to return from a micro-excursion into the game store at the mall where he was looking for a game, when I sat down in the Food Court and spotted this older guy wearing suspenders. He was casually chatting with a younger man at this table and I figured they were father and son; but before I could get the younger guy into the sketch, my son found me.

I like to think my people sketching is getting better. If it is, then the credit goes to "Fred's Scratchings," over at Flickr. Fred is a master craftsman of people eating in public places. I love his work.

Anyway, my son and I ended up back home to enjoy a pizza and a coke with his mom while watching Santana on HDTV. Next sketch...but in mystery fashion.

watercolor, ink, sketchbook

"Le Mont-Saint-Michel"

Le Mont-Saint-Michel - has to be the most picturesque communes ever, anywhere. According to the "Wikipedia" site I found, there are only 50 people who live here. I cannot imagine how only 50 people can support such a place, so I think the number must be incorrect.

I have been to France three times, but like most touristas, I found myself in Paris and on the Riviera mostly, rather than up on the Normandy coast where I've wanted to go since before I knew I wanted to visit Europe. Why didn't I go there? I dont' know.

If I ever have the good fortune to visit France again, I will take an immediate right turn, toward the west, once I land in Calais. I want to walk on Omaha and Utah Beaches and try to absorb something of what it must have been for our troops on D-Day; to hike through Marie St. Eglise, and the other villages, and countryside; and I want to pay respect at the American Cemetery there.

Then I want to travel on to this rocky tidal island, Le Mont-Saint-Michel, that is surrounded by mud-flats at low tide, and enjoy some of the breads, and wines, and cheeses; and take a thousand photographs, and fill a sketch book with the architecture, foods, and the people that both frequent, and live, on the island.

That would be fun. Wanna go?

"Trendy Walla Walla"

Yesterday we picked up my mom and drove about an hour east to the famous little city of Walla Walla, Washington. We only went to "get away" from our regular "digs" here in the Tri-Cities of Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland and hopefully find some Good Food while there.

Walla Walla has taken the course on community improvement over the past few years. They have developed an extensive wine culture and what has followed has been a nice up-scaling of their "diners, drive-ins, and dives," not to mention the fashionably conscious shops that line the downtown section. I have to admit when we drove by the "mall" and saw it entering the delapidated stages of little use, I was amused and pleased.

We stopped in at the old train depot where we discovered, "Jacobi's" diner. It is the type you see on the Food Channel at "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives." The menu is extensive and the lunch we had: Chicken Ranch and Ruben sandwiches and a huge plate holding 5 separate alads - peas, broccoli, spinach, cucumbers and onions, and pasta, were all, as has been said, "To die for." The food was fairly priced and we enjoyed every bite of it. Hard to find places like this one here where we live.

Afterwards we ventured into the trendy down town area where my mother and my wife went shopping and I sat on a street bench across the street from Starbuck's and had a little fun with my sketchbook.

"County Fair Guys"

Did anyone ever get bored at the county fair? Probably a few have, but the big majority of folks who go the fair have a great time. Where else can one smell the cows, the pigs, the sheep, the chickens, then go eat some of them right on the premises. France comes to mind, but here in our country, the USA, it doesn't happen often.

Then where else can you combine all of the above with displays of hot tubs, firestoves, art, photographs, the local FHA chapter's latest projects, and someone like the Beach Boys with the chickens and the sheep and the cows and the pigs? What fun!

We went to the fair this year to see the Beach Boys and eventhough we had to sit on the damp ground for an hour and a half, I gotta say, "it was worth it." The Beach Boys are mostly new guys who are good at mimicing the originals and then there are two of the originals: Mike Love and the other guy whose name escapes me.

There were no clouds on a star-lit sky and the temperature was as perfect as it can be for anyone to stay out and not get hot, or cold. There was no "warm-up" group to suffer through, so when the music started and the beach balls began flying, the crowd limbered up quickly. It didn't take long for us all to get up and started shuckin' and jivin' to "Little Deuce Coop," "My 409," "In My Room," "Good Vibrations," and "Kokomo."

After the concert, we sauntered over to where the rodeo was still going and sat in the bleachers, plenty of room here, and watched the last 4 or 5 bull riders.

We had a lot of fun.

"Farm Sketch"

I visited my buddy, Chris, in Sequim, WA., this last week-end and in addition to breakfast and visiting with Tim, another friend, and working on Chris' "boat-house" shed, we drove out to this farm to do some sketching. Years ago I lived in Sequim, and Chris and I frequently went out into the area for plein aire sessions. We both miss doing this, so when I get back into Sequim, not very often I'm afraid, Chris and I go sketching.

The farmer's name is Tom, and it was with enthusiasm and pride that he gave us permission to draw his farm buildings which were all built in 1913: the house, the barn, and the outbuildings - which included the chicken house.

watercolor, ink, sketchbook