The Wedgwood Rock

4/4/16 ink, colored pencils

Driving home a slightly different way from usual, I came across an unexpected sight in the Wedgwood neighborhood: a huge rock in front of a house. With trees growing all around it, the rock looked like it belonged in a forest, not an urban neighborhood. I came to a screeching halt (fortunately, mine was the only car on this quiet, residential street) and turned around to park on the wrong side of the street to get a good sketching view. Though much smaller, the 19.5-foot-tall rock resembles the shape of Cannon Beach’s Haystack, which I have sketched so many times.

Technically the Wedgwood Rock is called a “glacial erratic.” According to Wikipedia: “Deposited more than 14,000 years ago by the Vashon Glacier, it was a landmark for Native Americans in what was once a dense forest.” The article goes on to say, “Although surrounded by houses, the rock remained a destination for picnickers, university students, climbers, and eventually hippies. In reaction to the latter and their perceived drug use, the Seattle City Council passed an ordinance in 1970 making it a crime to climb the rock, punishable by a fine up to $100.”

The blue marks you see at the bottom of the rock and on one of the trees are graffiti tags.