South Lake Union Market Under the Spheres

 

9/27/25 South Lake Union

When we had planned the sketch outing to South Lake Union, we didn’t even know that the Saturday Market had moved from its previous Denny Park location (where USk met last year) to the center of Amazontown near the Amazon Spheres. It was a fun bonus to sketch some market people (and a dog).

Of course, it’s hard to ignore the Spheres themselves. I sketched them in my own sketchbook, but I also sketched them in the traveling sketchbook (below) that is circulating among USk chapters across the country (thanks to Kate Buike for coordinating USk Seattle’s and USk Tacoma’s participation). South Lake Union seemed like an appropriately iconic spot in Seattle to represent in the book.

My contribution to the traveling sketchbook.

Despite the day starting out with iffy weather, we still had a fantastic turnout and were rewarded with sunshine in time for our throwdown!

(I’m interrupting my Portland series with this post; back tomorrow with more from Portland.)

Portland, Part 2: Eastbank Esplanade with USk

 

9/20/25 Eastbank Esplanade with USk Portland

A highlight of my Portland visit was joining USk PDX at the Eastbank Esplanade for the group’s regular monthly sketch outing. On my visit last year, I missed the regular outing, but Vicky had kindly organized an ad hoc meetup just for me. This time, I got to meet more sketchers and enjoy the fantastic view from the Willamette River’s bank.

Reminding me of the Ship Canal in Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood, the Eastbank Esplanade is a popular path for walkers, runners and bike riders. I sketched a few buildings on the skyline, the Tillicum Crossing Bridge (distinctive in that cars are not allowed), and the USS Blueback submarine that is part of the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. With the short time remaining before the throwdown, I walked away from the busy path and spotted a sketcher beneath some trees that were just beginning to turn.

As I always say whenever I travel, the single biggest benefit of being part of the Urban Sketchers community is being able to meet up with other sketchers wherever I go!

Many thanks to co-admins Ali (left) and Amy (next to me) for organizing the fun outing!

Reunited with Vicky!

View of the Tillicum Crossing Bridge, USS Blueback and Portland skyline from Eastbank Esplanade

Portland, Part 1: Touring with Family

 

9/19/25 Portland Japanese Garden

As mentioned yesterday, I spent several days in Portland, Oregon, last week. The primary purpose of these (now annual) trips is to visit my brother and his wife. We were able to spend quite a bit of time together on this trip, which I appreciate more and more as I get older.

Since I wanted to put priority on simply enjoying the experiences with them, I didn’t sketch as much as I might have if I had been alone. Still, as fast as I am, I managed to get at least one sketch at each location that we visited together.

First up was the fabulous Portland Japanese Garden (which I last visited during a family reunion in 2017). While in Seattle I’m gearing up for leaf-peeping season, Portland still felt like summer (up to 10 degrees warmer than Seattle every day), and the garden’s lush foliage was still mostly green. I seem to sketch the koi whenever I visit, and this time I also sketched the moon bridge over the central pond (top of post).

Still mostly green

9/21/25 OMSI resident

Another favorite Portland stop is the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, which I spent more time sketching during a 2014 visit. This time, my only sketch was a live Madagascar gecko in the natural history and paleontology area (at left).

Potentially the most interesting and unique experience I shared with my family involved birds. Every autumn, a huge flock of migrating swifts roosts in Portland for a week or two before moving on. For many years the birds chose a certain elementary school with a tall chimney as their roost of choice. This year, however, the swifts moved to a different location – another school with a tall chimney, Abernethy Elementary.

The return of the swifts is a much-anticipated event that locals celebrate almost like the Japanese tradition of hanami during cherry blossom season. Families pack picnics and spread out on the school grounds before dusk, eagerly awaiting the birds. Then right before sundown, the swirling spectacle begins as the thousands of tiny birds dive into the chimney for the night.

We arrived shortly before sundown and found a place in the grass. Just when the swifts were expected, though, a large murder of crows passed through the neighborhood on their way to their own roost. A few dozen swift scouts showed up, and some dove into the chimney as expected, but the rest of the flock never came. We speculated that the scouts spooked by crows sent out a memo that the flock needed a different roost that night.

Although we were disappointed not to see the spectacle we came for, I still enjoyed being there on a lovely, warm evening, participating in and sketching the crowd’s festive atmosphere (below).

9/21/25 Waiting for the swifts

Rewards Aplenty in Portland

 

9/13/25 My new laptop

I made a short visit to Portland last week, and I have lots of sketches to share from that delightful trip. The week leading up to my departure, however, was taken up with a long-dreaded, onerous task: Making the transition from my old laptop to a brand new one. Typically, this task is time-consuming and tedious but relatively easy to manage. The difference this time was that the new machine runs Windows 11, which added a whole new level of onerous, sometimes aggravating tedium.

By the time I left for Portland, I was in celebration mode for conquering most of the Microsoft beast (still one task to go). Before I launch into all my Portland sketches, I’m starting here with a celebration croissant. By pure happenstance, the hotel where I always stay in Portland is within walking distance of the bakery that purportedly makes the best croissants “this side of Paris” (one reviewer said): Ken’s Artisan Bakery. After trying two, I must concur that the croissants are at least as good as Rosellini’s in Seattle, which are the best I’ve eaten outside of France.

9/19/25 Ken's Artisan Bakery

Always one for further pastry research, I needed to also sample Nuvrei, another acclaimed bakery not too far from my hotel. This one came recommended by my nephew-in-law. The chocolate croissant there was excellent but still not quite as good as Ken’s.

9/21/25 Chocolate croissant from Nuvrei

Some readers may recall my personal Portland donut tour last year. Since the city is not necessarily known for French pastries as it is for donuts, I didn’t feel compelled to sample and review all the best croissants (though if I had found one more bakery nearby, I would have been tempted to call three enough for a proper comparison). I did, however, go back to Blue Star, the winner of last year’s donut tour, as a fitting final reward for courageously wrangling my operating system.

9/22/25 Apple fritter from Blue Star Donuts

Again and Again

9/17/25

Memory

 

9/17/25 (Reference image from Unsplash)

Patio

7/6/25

 We’ve enjoyed many sunny afternoons on the quiet patio at Aegis this summer. Although nicely shaded, the warmth and serenity make all of us a bit drowsy, both residents and visitors. Sometimes I sketch because I see an interesting play of light and shadow or a naturally occurring still life. Sometimes I sketch because it keeps me awake.  

7/11/25

8/16/25

9/3/25

9/15/25

9/10/25

The Rhythm of Commuters

 

5/15/25

As you’ve seen in previous posts, I like to save up a collection of fellow commuter sketches to put together in a single post rather than show them along with whatever I sketched at the destination. Commuters form a bridge between where I was and where I will be. They collectively create their own story separate from the purpose of my travel. 

5/21/25

7/22/25

When viewed together, they have almost a rhythm: faces, hands, feet; observations of clothing and grooming; observations about fellow passengers I’d rather not be sitting near. There’s also the visible passage of time in my sketch journals: Four Uglybooks colors since May – my own personal seasons.

8/21/25

8/21/25

9/11/25

9/6/25

Always Summer

 

9/16/25 Always Summer ice cream shop

Always Summer – that sounds like the name for a very inviting place, especially once the Big Dark settles in. The small Lake Forest Park ice cream shop was just right for Roy’s birthday celebration.

When I arrived, he was already busily sketching the free S’mores pastry he had been given by the owner. A new dessert that hadn’t yet been added to the menu, it was a chocolate-drizzled Graham cracker with toasted marshmallows all on top of what tasted like Nutella. We were more than happy to taste-test it (it was a bit too sweet for me, but still fun to sketch)!

I had an affogato with (somewhat redundant) coffee ice cream, which I scarfed down while sketching the café counter. With sunny yellow walls and decorations (the ceiling is covered with rows and rows of yellow ice cream scoopers), jazz playing softly, it’s a cheerful place that we’re definitely going to return to this winter when we need a place where it’s always summer.

Suki and Adik

 

8/26/25 (both reference photos by MJ Gilman)

These gift portraits of Suki and Adik gave me an opportunity to practice the looser, faster pet portraiture process I’ve been trying. I especially like the way Adik came out – almost like sumi-e, except I used markers instead of ink.

8/26/25 

Efficient Walking

 

8/1/25 Green Lake

8/5/25 Green Lake (experiment with a primary triad)

My mission this summer was to incorporate as much of my fitness walking as possible into my other routines and activities so that I could reduce the amount of time I spent purely on self-care. Doing nothing but walking around my ‘hood for an hour a day is a significant time commitment, even when I enjoy it, and even if I can squeeze in a sketch. But with a little planning, I figured out ways to put more walking into whatever else I was doing. For example, if I parked a half-mile away from a destination, that’s a full mile round trip. Timewise, it’s still the same as walking around my ‘hood aimlessly, but somehow it feels more productive. Bonus: I saw more neighborhoods.

The downside was that since those walks had firm destinations and sometimes time constraints, I didn’t sketch as much while doing those walks; hence, most of the sketches shown here were on my usual home turf.

8/5/25 Green Lake

8/5/25 Green Lake

8/16/25 Maple Leaf

8/19/25 Maple Leaf

9/8/25 Green Lake

9/15/25 Maple Leaf (As I was sketching these brilliant birches, I witnessed a rear-ending at the same intersection where I sketched on Aug. 16, sitting on the same bench outside Cloud City. The victim pulled over and assumed the driver behind him would pull over, too -- but the latter drove off. The victim examined his bumper; the damage didn't look too bad from where I sat.)

Birthday Party for Wedgwood Top Pot

 

9/12/25 Top Pot Doughnuts, Wedgwood neighborhood

Although I certainly have no problem indulging in donuts in any neighborhood, I consider the Top Pot Doughnuts in Wedgwood to be my “home” donut shop. When I first began sketching in 2011, one of the first cafes I felt brave enough to sketch people in was that Top Pot. Its interior is wall-to-wall, ceiling-to-floor bookshelves, giving it a comfy, library-like feeling. I also love the wide windows facing the street, which gives patrons a beautiful side- or backlighting. USk Seattle even had a small gathering there. (I have often thought that it could be my “third place” if only it were a bit cozier; my only complaint there is that it’s often chilly.)

When I heard that the Wedgwood store was celebrating its 20^th anniversary, you can bet I put that special occasion on my calendar! In addition to helping myself to free Pot Holes and coffee, I got to meet one of the chain’s co-founders, Mark Klebeck. It was fun to see all the families and neighbors stopping by for the festivities.

The Wedgwood store’s iconic twin palms and giant rooftop doughnut are so much fun to sketch that it’s obviously my favorite spot to observe National Donut Day. For this special occasion, I picked out some of my favorites from past years, below.

6/1/18

6/2/16

6/2/17

6/2/23

6/5/20

Party time!