Patterns in blue

I have always liked patterns in things like ceramic, textiles, tiles, floors and even toys. I don't know why, perhaps I find a certain happiness in the intricate designs.  I'm here again, looking at a rug's pattern and responding to the urge to sketch it. I happen to have a cup of coffee in a beautiful piece of talavera ceramic. I put them together and I although the sketch could be executed better, I liked the idea of these two patterns together in my sketchbook.

A very hot day can make fish.

A whooping 92 F (33 C) was a very hot day for September here. It invited me to stay at home and do this painting of fish inspired by the earthy color textiles of Mexico. A spent an afternoon next to my husband watching tv and painting in the living room. There is (or should I say was, because I ignore if they still teach it) a song for children about fish that I learned in kindergarten. With the musical notes of this song in my mind, I share with you the result of this day, and the lyrics of that song. 

Entre el agua clara 

que brota en la fuente

un lindo pescado 

sale de repente.

Lindo pescadito

no quiere salir

a jugar con mi haro 

vamos al jardin.

Yo vivo en el agua

no puedo salir

mi mama me ha dicho

no salgas de aqui.

Mamacita linda

ahi viene Vicente

salcale una silla 

para que se siente.

Le dio la viruela

le dio el sarampion

que le quedo la cara 

como un chicharron. 

😉

University of Chicago with the Urban Sketchers Chicago group

I missed the last time the Urban Sketchers of Chicago met at the University of Chicago, but I'm glad I went to this one. The campus is a fantastic area full of Gothic and modern buildings. My eyes went straight to the old buildings. This arch passage between the Ryerson and Eckhart buildings was just irresistible. The sky threatened us with rain but I'm grateful if didn't rain.

I was afraid I wasn't going to find a place to park since it was the University's orientation weekend for parents. I went there earlier than the meet up to take a tour at the Robie House located just one block from the meet up location, but I also arrived earlier to the tour, so I went to the cafe next to it and sketched the North side of the house.

After the assigned sketching time, almost half of the group went for a beer at Woodlawn Tap bar (sorry for the misspelling in the sketches). There, I sketched some of my fellows sketchers and one of the musicians warming up for the show that night. Willy the musician was self aware of us sketching him and tried to remained in the same pose for a while, then changed his pose and then I I got this sketch with three legs. How fun.

Busy day, but fun, I can always have another day like this one :)

Why keep drawing?

It's easy to do paintings in the comfort of your home. I actually remembered to take photos of the process this time while painting these color pencils. I bought them in Mexico last year not as drawing tool but as a souvenir. The paper makes a big difference in the final result. I love this painting. I used Arches paper cold press 140 lb, one of my favorites, pencil and watercolor paint. I'm being fascinated lately by the results you can get by using the classic combination of tools, so much that the title of this blog should be changed from pen and ink to pencil and watercolors, ha ha. I thought that pen was going to be my favorite forever, boy I was wrong. I guess artists evolve or mature? This makes me wonder, what is it that keeps me so hooked to drawing, or painting or sketching regardless of your tools' choice? Satisfaction. If you haven't tried yet, please do.

Sandwich Fair

And 12 years later I returned to this Fair in Sandwich, Illinois, where I try tried my first corn dog ever here. Where eating a corn dog and a lemonade is a must. This time I came with proper gear and had lots of fun sketching. Still wondering about Sandwich name? Yeap, that's the name of the town. 

Thursday was senior day discount, that explains the high attendance of seniors and the high demand of scooter rentals like this one.

Musicians and a spoon player where popular among the crowd. Have you ever got spooned? -he asked to the audience.

I made many stops and spent a lot of time at the animal exhibitions. It was hard to choose from so many grandiose roosters small and huge at the poultry building. I omitted sketching the cage in which this rooster was in.

I learned about goats and 3 different length of ears, once more! The power of sketching! The young man who told me about the name of the breeds didn't know how to spell them, so I hope these notes sound familiar to you since I have no idea about goat breed names.

Some of the cute sheep were wearing covers, like coats, for some reason, it seemed like breeders didn't want the wool of the sheep to get dirty, perhaps for future competitions. Of all the animals the swine were the ones that for the most part were sleeping. The round muscles and pink flesh reminded me of humans sleeping..... jeez! 

The Herefords were bored but pampered with lots of fans blowing wind to keep them comfortable. 

Finally I was running out of gas. We sat down to enjoy a huge profiterole filled with real whip cream and a chocolate eclair. Sorry no sketches, my mouth was faster than my pen. But....I sketched my view from my table towards a cinnamon roll vendor....go figure.

It was a fun day in Sandwich Fair. I'm glad I refreshed my memories from twelve years ago. Now I have sketches.

Kadoka

Stillman&Birn Alpha Series A4 Sketchbook and W&N watercolor paint.

Kadoka, South Dakota. Population 700+. An old train station, now a museum I never saw opened. Well, someone must have been watering these flower, right?