Make Believe Lutheran Church

8/22/19 Maple Leaf Lutheran Church

Just a mile or so north of the post office I use, the Maple Leaf Lutheran Church came to my attention by way of an Instagram follower, who noticed that I often sketch in the Maple Leaf neighborhood. She commented one day:

My husband and I were married a little over 28 years ago at the Maple Leaf Lutheran Church. When we met with the pastor there, we saw the funniest framed certificate on his wall. Apparently a big group of church members went to a Mariners game and the group was large enough for them to get their name on the big screen at the game and they got this certificate. But when the person at The Mariners was taking down the church info, they misunderstood. So on the big screen at the game and on the certificate, it says “Thank You Make Believe Lutheran Church”!

Although I’m generally not a fan of this type of architecture and would probably have passed it by otherwise, her story made it worth sketching.

Photographed 8/22/19

I suppose this sketch is as much about the foliage around the church as the church itself. Yes, that tree at left was really that color. I think it was a Japanese maple, which usually start turning early, but it was still startling to see. Even more startling was the regular maple (photo at right) on the same block. It’s still only August! Say it ain’t so!

Technical note: I’ve only just begun it, but I’m already happy that I switched from Stillman & Birn Zeta to Beta. I’ve always liked the texture, colors are more vibrant, and the sizing allows me to “paint” a partly cloudy sky with nothing more than my spritzer and watercolor pencils. Despite the years I’ve been using Beta for still lives at my desk as well as on location in a landscape format, I’ve never written a full review of it. After I’ve filled this volume as my daily-carry, I will.