Columbia Heights Alley

So the original plan was to go to a couple of bookstores around the city and put prints of this sketch in the pages of as many copies of "The Art of Urban Sketching" as I could find. (Not an original idea, as fans of the Post Secret blog & books do this too with their anonymous confessions.) It turns out though that none of the bookstores actually had any copies on the shelves, so no-go on that idea. Instead I went back to the alley in Columbia Heights where I drew the original sketch and found some spots to give them away or hide them for people to find.

I found a couple of windshields to drop the envelopes.  Some that drove off before I got a picture of them,  of course not without a few funny looks as they picked up what I left for them.

When I felt like too many eyes where on me to put the last few envelopes on some windshields.  I found some bicycle baskets to drop them in.  A couple that also came and went before I got a picture off.

The original sketch

Cherry Blossoms

I went into the District today to see the cherry blossoms, which are blooming early this year due to the unusually warm weather. Most of the crowds go to the trees around the Tidal Basin, but there are also many cherries along the river in West Potomac Park, which is more peaceful.

UNION MARKET

Took a walk today over a bridge
on New York Avenue you can hear and see it all.

Downed Tree in Rockcreek series 1/2

A tree in Rockcreek park near the dc park police station.

People Reading

Instead of the usual sketches of people absorbed in their cell phones, this week I found people actually reading the printed word.

Sketchcrawl 34

As you may have already read, we held our DC branch of  International Sketchcrawl #34 at the National Portrait Gallery/American Art Museum last Sunday, and we had a pretty good turn out! (Erica had to go before we got our shot!)

We met in the Kogod Courtyard, expecting to head into the museums to start sketching, but we were pleasantly surprised to find it was "Farm to Table Family Day" which included a concert by The Richmond Indigenous Gourd Orchestra. The band actually came over to check out what we had been up to, as they noticed a lot of people listening but with their noses buried in sketchbooks.

Afterwords we headed up to the Modern & Contemporary wing and sketched a bit. We toured the museums for a while also, but eventually most everyone found they had to head out or where tired so we called it a day.  I was happy to get a sketch of Duane Hanson's "Woman Eating" before leaving though.

And here are a couple of sketches I made when our Sketchcrawl group went to the Native American Indian Museum about a month ago.

34th International Sketchcrawl NPG & SAAM

Indigenous Gourd Orchestra playing in the courtyard of the museums

The artists display their sketches of the Indigenous Gourd Band

Artists sketching in the great Lincoln hall of the Smithsonian Amer. Art Museum

Indigenous Gourd Orchestra
pen sketch of them in motion playing

Indigenous Gourd Orchestra
individuals in their unique gourd hats!

artists sketching 

Richmond Indigenous Gourd Orchestra

The D.C. Urban Sketchers met at the National Portrait Gallery for the 34th World Wide Sketchcrawl. As we were gathering, something rather strange was going on in the central courtyard: a band of musicians known as the Richmond Indigenous Gourd Orchestra was setting up to play.



The Gourd Orchestra plays instruments made out of locally-grown gourds - and had some pretty colorful costumes, including gourd hats. They played several lively instrumental pieces, sang songs about gourds, and told stories about growing gourds in their neighborhoods in southside Richmond, VA. Not many orchestras can say that they grow their own instruments, but these guys can. Children of all ages had a good time.



At one point, the band noticed us sketching them - and announced from the stage that they would be critiquing our work after the show. Which they did.

Pennsylvania Avenue

Pennsylvania Avenue, from 15th street near the White House, as people were getting ready for New Year's celebrations.

‎Frank Ching Lecture

‎Frank Ching lecture at Taubman College University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan. Friday 12.02.11.

Francis D.K. (Frank) Ching, University of Washington Department of Architecture from Taubman College on Vimeo.

http://vimeo.com/33296611

Mad Dog 20/20

A walk along the tracks reveals many images near and far.

Frank D.K. Ching Lecture at the University of Michigan

An amazing night last Friday in Ann Arbor, Michigan with a great lecture and a great dinner conversation with Master Frank D.K. Ching. He showed his amazing drawings and the value of this powerful skill. I always learn something new and great from him. "Do not do Architecture just to make money; do Architecture in order to make a positive impact" --Frank D.K. Ching during the N.O.M.A.S. Dinner after the Lecture at Taubman College University of Michigan 12/02/11.