Maple Leaf Park

3/31/14 Platinum Carbon ink, watercolor, Canson XL 140 lb. paper

Spring has definitely sprung! The blue sky and temperatures in the low 50s invited Greg and me to walk a few blocks north to the Maple Leaf Park, which opened last fall after much anticipation. I’ve sketched the lower playground area a few times, but hadn’t yet climbed the stairs to the upper level, which has a playfield, walking path and, on a clear day, a view of Mt. Rainier.

With so much to choose from, I dithered a bit about what to sketch. Then I spotted the public art – Confluent Boulders by Patrick Marold. The sculpture is made from two sliced-up boulders taken from the Cedar River and Tolt River watersheds, which both feed the Maple Leaf reservoir (which is now hidden beneath the park). I composed the sketch so that our neighborhood icon, the (now defunct) Maple Leaf water tower, would be behind the sculpture. I’ve sketched the water tower several times – all by itself from across the street, while standing practically under it, and from a distance partially obscured by a tree. I think I like it in today’s composition best with the sculpture in the foreground and looking out over our fresh park.

I have a feeling I’m going to be sketching at this park often!

Photo by Greg Mullin