A Family of Cellists

7/3/13 Sailor pen, Diamine Eclipse ink, Stillman & Birn Alpha sketchbook

I hadn’t been to the Wallingford Farmers Market since it moved from Wallingford Center to Meridian Park, so I was eager to check it out on this warm and clear-blue-sky day. As soon as I got near the neighborhood, I remembered why I rarely visit this market: Traffic is bad there even when it’s not rush hour on the afternoon before the 4^th of July holiday, and today it was both. Parking was even worse.

 

Feeling hot and frazzled when I finally got into the market, I wandered around a bit looking for a sketch. Hearing saxophone music in the distance, I walked closer to see who it was: the man who seems to know only five songs! I sketched him last year at Phinney Farmers Market, and today I would hear all five songs again.  

 

Just then a family carrying large instrument cases walked by, so I followed them to a shady tree on the other end of the market. After a few minutes, they set up stools in the grass and started tuning up – two parents, a boy and a girl, all with cellos. The boy (center), named Calun, said he’s been playing for five years, but he sounded like an adult with many more years of experience. One by one, the other family members sat in the grass and let Calun play solo.

 

I forgot all about my stress and frustration getting there and looking for parking. Sketching a cello concert in the grass will do that.