A Blustery Olympic Sculpture Park

5/9/14 Platinum Carbon ink, watercolor, Canson XL 140 lb. paper

When the Friday ad hoc sketchers met at the Olympic Sculpture Park last August, I had noted in my sketchbook that it was sunny and 68 degrees – ideal sketching weather. When we met there again today? Not so much. In fact, the morning was looking so blustery and rain-imminent that I almost bagged it, but ultimately, I was glad I didn’t. We met an urban sketcher and her family who joined us all the way from California, and if a Californian could stand to sketch in this gusty, drizzly weather, I guess I (reluctantly) could, too.

My first sketch was of Richard Serra’s Wake (you can see a Seattle Times video of the piece being installed and an interview with Serra), which I chose as a subject mainly because I could stand where the Paccar Pavilion building would block most of the wind. (In the background is the Cell Therapeutics Inc. building.)

5/9/14 Platinum Carbon ink, watercolor, Canson XL 140 lb. paper

After that, I couldn’t take it anymore, so I headed straight back to the Pavilion – and it started sprinkling even as I dashed into the building. The Pavilion itself was our indoor fallback sketching location in case it rained, and I hadn’t been too excited about sketching inside the building itself, but I didn’t realize what a great view it offers from its walls of windows. Cozy and dry, I could still sketch Alexander Calder’s Eagle in the distance.

Kate, Natalie and I decided to stop for lunch and more sketching at Romio’s Pizza across the street. I got another chance to sketch that bright red Eagle – right over Kate’s shoulder.

5/9/14 Diamine Chocolate Brown ink, Sailor pen, Zig markers, Canson XL 140 lb. paper

Photo by Natalie Taylor