International Urban Sketching Symposium—Lisbon

I am back from attending the Urban Sketching Symposium in Lisbon Portugal. What an amazing experience! I arrived early and spent three days exploring the city, eating the most delicious food and sketching. Then three days sketching with close to 200 very talented people. Lucky me!!!

Sketch Crawl: On the last afternoon of the Symposium we gathered at the Praco do Comercio for the 32nd World Wide Sketch Crawl. People sketching everywhere.

Shopping: I noticed many people wearing Birkenstiocks for walking the steep cobblestone streets of Lisbon so I joined in with a pair of a fashionable black pantent style. The talented Omar Jamarillo was working his watercolor magic with a large squirrel hair brush so I had to give that a try. Maybe I can paint like Omar—HA!

Food: Lisbon has the most delicious food. All of which I would not normally eat. Most meals started with bread, cheese, olives and a dry cured ham called Presunto. When in Lisbon...

Stuff happens: I played hooky from one of the lecture/presentations one afternoon for a delicious cup of coffee in the shade of an umbrella near the school—I needed a pick-me-up. When I walked back in to join the workshops, it was pointed out that I had a huge smudge of something that could be pencil or charcoal on my nose. I wonder how long that was there...

More to come of my amazing trip to Lisbon

OMC—Oh my cod! I'm going to Lisbon

Months ago, deep in the heart of the dark cold winter here in Maine, Lisbon Portugal seemed like a wonderfully warm destination. The Urban Sketching Symposium—three days of sketching with many talented artists in a beautiful city—wow, who could resist! So, I signed up and now it is time. I am on my way to Lisbon for a week of sight-seeing and sketching.

See you in a week.

Gone to the dogs...

Blogging has taken a backseat to working. I still manage to sketch but not as much and I am way out of pratice. I never find time to scan and post. I have been keeping a bit of a dog and cat journal during my travels and thought this was a good time to post since my blog has Gone to the Dogs.

Pampered in Paris

This little guy was one of many dogs that were living the good life in Paris. Paris is the land of the little dogs with coats. Even the dogs are fashionable.

Looking for food in Bali

My heart has always gone out to all the homeless Bali street dogs. The beauty of Bali was contrasted by the mangy starving dogs that roam freely in the streets, on the beaches and in and round the markets and restaurants. Rabies is an epidemic that has spread throughout the island. Too many dogs and cats that never get spayed or nuetered and this perpetuates the problems. I saw things that still haunt me.

Adopted in California

I met Rudy when I visited my parents in California. He is the cutest little dog that was adopted by a wonderful family. He has a great life now.

Snacking on Uni (sea urchin) in Maine

Sophie likes nothing better than to find a sea urchin washed up on the beach. She manages to crack it open and devour all the meat inside. The spines don't seem to even phase her. She has chronic fish breath...

Seems like I live in the airport

I travel every week from Portland Maine to Potomac MD for a great consulting job. That means Portland to Baltimore. Not a bad commute—one plane for one hour, but there is a lot of time waiting.

This little girl was coming back from DisneyWorld with her family. She had just been to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique and climbed on the plane in full princess make-up and clothes. She immediately fell asleep. It must be tiring to be a princess.

Sometimes this is my dinner...

Every Day in May/EDM challenge—catching up again

EDM # 123 a bell— The bell on Monhegan Island.

EDM # 131 a spray bottle & EDM #126 a sponge

EDM #125 a bird. I live amongst the seagulls here on the waterfront in Portland.

EDM # 127 a cityscape—Portland Maine. The view from my living room.

Catching up on Every Day in May/EDM challenges

So busy with work that I haven't had time to keep up with the challenges. A cold foggy Sunday gave me a chance to catch up...sort of...

EDM # 121—a coin.

My beautiful gold Chinese coin necklace is a wonderful reminder of my time in Bali. These are the coins they use in Balinese offerings—except not in gold.

EDM #116 something green & EDM # 120 a flashlight

EDM #118 some hair

This a sweet rescue dog named Rudy belongs to one of my mom's "dog park" friends. I would have taken him in a second, but his new family isn't giving him up. Just what I need, another dog...

EDM #117 something round

This pin cushion has been with me forever.

EDM #115 a basket.

An L.L.Bean pack basket used to carry the groceries up the six flights to our place in Portland. It weighs a ton when it's empty, so it is easier to use recycled shopping bags.

Every Day in May—EDM #112 something fresh

I love avocados and in California they grow in abundance. Growing up they were always a part of meals—salads, sandwiches and guacamole. Our favorite way to eat them was when my grandmother would cut avocados in half, leave the skin on, cut out the pit and fill the hole with her homemade vinegrette. It was like a bowl of avocado deliciousness eaten with a spoon.

Every Day in May—EDM #111 a bowl

Quick sketch of small bowl of stawberries for EDM #111. It had forgotten how hard it is to keep up with the Every Day in May challenge. Only 20 more to go...

Every Day in May—EDM #110 something with a flame

I love rocks! The beaches here in Maine are filled with amazing rocks and I usually end up with bulging pockets after a long walk. The cliffs along the coast here are shades of gray which these wonderful granite votives were made. Up north or "Downeast" Maine the granite is a wonderful shade of pink—spectacular. Maine is so beautiful and a wonderful place to live...especially if you like a good long winter...

Every Day in May—EDM #108 light bulb & EDM # 109 a clock around the house

Busy day tomorrow with travel to my consulting job in Maryland, so I had to get a day ahead. Keeping up with this challenge can be a little overwhelming.

EDM #109 a clock around the house

I actually did this sketch on the last day of my California visit. Sitting in the kitchen, while my mother fixed dinner, I sketched and painted this clock that hangs in my parent's rustic California ranch house between the open kitchen and living room. It's been there forever.

This old clock, that needs to be wound with a key, was a major part of our lives as we checked it all day long. Like making sure it was true when we were told "it is way past your bedtime", or when we had to dash to catch the bus and when our favorite TV shows were on. It's most important function now is to let everyone know when Jeopardy is on and the 10 to 15 minute window to get the glass of wine ready.

What fine wine does my father drink while watching Jeopardy?

What is Two Buck Chuck!

EDM #108— a light bulb

Some of these challenges are hard to make interesting.

Every Day in May—EDM #107 How I get my news

Day 7—Simple and easy way to get all my news. I seem to go here for everything.

Sketching on the plane this wayward 5th generation Californian travels back from sunny and warm San Francisco to not so sunny and warm Maine. It was a lovely week visiting my parents in the house I grew up in.

My parents Jim and Jackie Lawson—84 and 85 (that's me in the middle and I am not telling my age). Their day starts at the gym, then the dog park with their dog Freddie Brown (my adopted youngest brother), reading the San Francisco Chronicle and the Wall Street Journal, catching up on the market and Fox (UGH!) and then in the evening we all yell out answers to Jeapordy with a glass or two of Two Buck Chuck. They are amazing!

I love you mom and dad.

Every Day in May—EDM #106 Something tart or sour

Day 6 of the Every Day in May challenge—something tart or sour. Lots of lemon and lime trees in my parents garden here in Northern California. So it just seemed natural and so right to spend time outside in this perfect sunny warm weather sketching and painting on the patio for the Day 6 challenge.

"Out here havin fun in the warm California sun"

Back to gray rainy 55° Maine tomorrow...

Every Day in May—EDM #105 Scissors

Day 5 of the challenge—Scissors. I have way more than I need—hoarding? Most of these brightly colored handle scissors are in drawers, in the kitchen, my studio space, the hall cabinet, the bathroom and my bedside table. They are all more dull than sharp. There is only one pair in my "scissor collection" that is razor sharp for when I need to cut fabric. The rest I use to cut anything from paper to plastic to pruning plants and flowers to occasionally cutting wire.

My father is a bit of an "Orchidholic" and they are in full bloom in the garden right now. It is sunny and warm here in the San Francisco Bay Area so I enjoyed a few minutes last evening sketching in the garden.

I bought some Schmincke watercolors the other day and tried them for the first time on this little geranium painting out in the garden. They seem to be more opaque than the Daniel Smith and Holbien watercolors I started to use when I taught myself how to use watercolors several years ago. Wonderfully bright colors so I will continue to explore and develop the technique for this brand...hopefully...

Every Day in May—EDM #104 Salt & Pepper shakers

Day 4 of the Every Day in May challenge. Hand crafted salt and pepper grinders filled with sea salt and fresh pepper grounds.

"I'm out here having fun in that warm California sun" and visiting my parents in the house I grew up in the foothills behind Stanford University. After a long snowy winter in Maine with lots of work travel up and down the east coast, it is nice to just stop for awhile and enjoy some time with my family, visit with old friends and sketch and draw again. Hopefully I will shed another layer of sadness.

My mom watching Dancing with the Stars after starting her day at the dog park, an hour at the gym, shoe shopping with me, Jeopardy, dinner and a glass or two of Charles Shaw Chardonnay with my father and I. At $1.99 a bottle it is lovingly known as Two Buck Chuck and they have cases of it stacked up like cord wood in the garage.

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And speaking of the garage. There are shopping bags filled with tennis balls lined up next to the work bench. Seems as though my father takes his walks past the Swim and Tennis Club we belonged to when we were kids. He starting picking up the tennis balls along the way and took them home and tossed them in a bag. Now there are 5 bags!!! I always ask why, we then discuss as to what to do with them and then we all walk away. Must be part of my inheritence. Jerry always said I get my hoarding tendancies from my father...sounds about right.

Every Day in May—EDM #103 exercise equipment

Day 3 of the Every Day in May challenge. 2011 unfolded far from what I had planed and I could not imagine the rocky path I had suddenly stumbled on to. A friend suggested yoga for a way to cope with all the change happening in my life. So off I went to try hot power yoga at a new studio nearby. It has been a lifesaver both physically and mentally. I am a total addict. I am a yogi. So when I am not traveling for my consulting job, I am taking yoga classes. The combination of breathing which clears your head of clutter, the powerful poses that create long lean muscles and focusing on your core that makes you strong. I can now hold "crow" (shown above) for over 15-20 seconds...as long as I don't forget to breathe...

"I breathe in what I want and need and breathe out what I don't need anymore"

Every Day in May—EDM #102 a power plug

Day 2 of the Every Day in May challenge. A power plug from Ikea made this a much more fun thing to draw and paint.

Every Day in May—EDM #101 a bar of soap

After a long time of working through the sad days that crippled my creativity, I decided to take action to get back into doing what I used to love. Not having done much drawing and painting in almost two months, I am quite out of practice and I knew the longer time drifted the worse it was getting both in my head and what was coming out on paper. So the "Every Day in May/EDM" challenge sounded like just the kick in the butt I needed to jump start my creativity and get me sketching again. Besides, I am going to Lisbon in July for the Urban Sketchers Symposium and I need to get in sketching shape.

I did manage a quick sketch of my friend Mary's mother Julie, on Easter Sunday, and realized how much I love to draw, but it just wasn't enough . So here I go, a drawing every day for the next month...

Wish me luck

Blues and Greens

The Blues: I like when things are settled and dependable, but life isn’t like that and there are times when we outgrow something, it outgrows us, or things simply change. It is because of this impermanence that not only do painful times pass, but also great opportunities come. I remind myself that nothing is permanent about who I am or what I am capable of.

The Greens: I have discovered “Greenies” dental chews for dogs and Sophie loves them. Supposed they keep her teeth clean and are proven to fight gingivitus. They are not cheap, but you should see the proposal from my vet for Sophie to have her teeth cleaned—YIKES!

Lots of working, traveling and other things...

...that keep me from sketching.

I am so out of practice that my drawings are a mess. I walk by my sketchbook and paints everyday. Not sure when I will get back the enthusiasm and commitment of drawing again on a daily basis. I do so admire those who are able to keep that pace. You are amazing!

Influenced by the retail overload of Valentines Day, I bought a bar of dark chocolate with sea salt—YUM. A small bite a day until it was gone. Gone now—sad!

The vet said that Sophie was starting to develop a little gingivitis and I needed to start brushing her teeth everyday...EVERYDAY? Of course, she hates it, so it is not goimg so well.

The "Night Dog"

One day I decide to take the Balinese mesh canopy off the bed. It exposed the skylight in the ceiling letting more light into the room. However, as soon as it got dark outside and the lights went on in the bedroom all hell broke loose. Sophie climbed on the bed and starting staring, growling and barking at her reflection in the window. The "Night Dog" had come into our lives.

Ever vigilant, she will sometimes stand on her hind legs and growl at her tormentor. She eventually tires of the "Night Dog" and falls into blissful dog sleep. Of course, the dreaded "Night Dog" comes by every night and some early mornings.

What the "Night Dog" sees when it stops by to check on Sophie.