Can’t Get Enough

 

4/13/23 Holy Names Academy, Capitol Hill

Did I say petal-peeping season was winding down? In fact, I didn’t get enough of the street I had just discovered on Capitol Hill, and I certainly couldn’t wait until next year. I went back the next day, this time with Ching, Natalie and Suzanne, who concurred that it was a sight to behold.

Petal-peeping cohorts

Once again, walking in the middle of the street whenever possible (where the view is best), I slowly took in the splendor on both sides before settling in for a sketch. At the south end of the long block, a small cherry tree marked the exit from fairyland, and behind it stood Holy Names Academy. All I knew of it was that it was a girls’ Catholic school; a quick Google search told me that it is Washington State’s oldest continually operating school, open since 1880.

Material notes: Since I’ve had a good run of sketching pink trees this season, I felt like I had nothing to lose. Before putting it away, I wanted one more try with the Pentel Milky Brush Pen, which I had rejected early in the season. Since the afternoon was cloudy when I headed out, I grabbed my gray Stillman & Birn Nova sketchbook as a toned base for the opaque pink marker. Mixed with my usual colored pencils, the Milky turned out better than I expected, and the toned page was the right way to bring out the opaque pink. Maybe I’ll pull it out again next year after all.