Northlake Commons (and Green Disgruntlement)

 

5/7/26 Northlake Commons

Mary Jean recently introduced me to a newish business complex near the north end of Lake Union just off the Burke-Gilman Trail. Northlake Commons still looks largely unoccupied, but all the better to explore the huge public spaces. Best of all, the complex has been beautifully landscaped (approved by MJ, a retired landscape architect) to soften the hard edges of the surrounding modern architecture. If you stand at the top of a stairway, you’ll see peek-a-boo views of Lake Union and the downtown skyline. (I see a USk Seattle outing here in my future.)

First I wanted to continue experimenting with varying textures and colors of greenery by focusing on one of several weeping cedar trees at the foot of a stairway (top of post). It’s one of my favorite types of composition with organic foliage against hard, built environments.

I considered sketching the lake view from the top of that stairway, but I wanted to get closer. Across the street, I discovered that one of the peek-a-boos was a tiny pocket park with a bench and even a picnic table. Hidden from the sidewalk, it must be a well-kept secret: That afternoon, it was just me and a family of Canada geese.

Lake Union from a tiny pocket park

Color notes: I’m unhappy with my current selection of green water-soluble materials. For many years, I had used a go-to trio of Caran d’Ache Museum Aquarelles that went well together, but growing tired of it was what prompted my lengthy exploration of primary triads several years ago. I wanted to get out of that rut.

Eventually I drifted back to the tried-and-true, but then my more recent discovery of designer Germanier’s surprising color choices led to my “wacky” palette experiments. Although I’m hoping that inspiration will still guide me now, when it comes to foliage, I always feel the tension between wanting to be true to nature and wanting to push myself.

Lots of greens, none quite right

My current dissatisfaction with greens is mostly due to my love of Caran d’Ache Neocolor II water-soluble crayons. Despite its wide green range (all of which I own), I can’t seem to find a trio (light, medium, dark values) that go well together. In addition, I also like to have a dark, cool green to take care of all the Pacific Northwest conifers fringing any horizon, and Neo II doesn’t have one that’s just right for that, either. Hence, I ended up with a nearly-turquoise green on the sunny edges of the weeping cedar which I made attempts to dull with a mossy green that I don’t like, either.

Using only Neo IIs for foliage wasn’t going to cut it. Since I’m trying to avoid my Museum Aquarelle green rut (sadly, MA’s range of greens is inadequate), it’s time to pull out Derwent Inktense Pencils. Although I went through an infatuation with Inktense a few years back, it had faded. However, seeing Colin Woodward’s use of Inktense revived the spark. Stay tuned for my green overhaul.

A Little Color Before Shopping

 

7/14/25 Bryant neighborhood

When I’m short on time on a grocery day, but I want to sketch (like there’s ever a time when I don’t want to sketch?), I go to Metro Market. Before shopping, I walk just a few steps to a tiny pocket park next to the Burke-Gilman Trail. Tall trees keep the few benches and tables shady but let narrow streams of light in from the trail side. A few minutes with my Caran d’Ache Neocolor II crayons, and I’m ready to hit the food shelves.

Picnic Tables

 

9/7/23 Burke-Gilman Park

Driven by Metropolitan Market’s peaches, I find myself sketching at Burke-Gilman Park (which is just behind the store) this time of year. On both occasions last year, the days were sunny. Last week’s stop was on an overcast afternoon, which is always more challenging to sketch.

Without lovely light to focus on, I tried to find an interesting composition between the picnic tables and the slender trees behind them.

Two Entrances to the Burke-Gilman

 

9/6/22 Burke-Gilman Trail from Burke-Gilman Park

A few weeks ago I learned that the pocket park abutting the Burke-Gilman Trail is aptly called Burke-Gilman Park. Since it’s conveniently located just behind Metropolitan Market where I occasionally shop, I stopped for a sketch a few days ago. This time I turned toward the biking/running/walking trail, which was streaked with light. I tried to capture all the bits of backlighting on the trees and even blades of grass.

The 27-mile-long Burke-Gilman Trail occupies an abandoned railway corridor that starts in Kenmore, crosses Seattle and ends at Golden Gardens Park. That afternoon during a meeting at Third Place Commons (where I’ve sketched many times with Urban Sketchers and on my own), I learned that I could easily walk from there to the Burke-Gilman. Near the entrance to the trail, I found Lake Forest Park’s Northshore Fire Department’s Station 57. I didn’t have much time, so instead of looking for a sketch on the trail, I made a quick one of the station.

Northshore Fire Station 57

Although I have walked on bits and pieces of the trail, the only part I’ve sketched is the scenic stretch along the Lake Washington Ship Canal in Fremont. It was an unusual coincidence to sketch near the trail twice in one day.

No Peaches

8/15/22 Burke-Gilman Park

Metropolitan Market is where I go to get fantastic peaches every August. With Peach-o-Rama well under way, I eagerly hopped over there last week, only to learn that they were out (at least for a few days). Disappointed, I walked over to the park behind the parking lot, which I learned is called Burke-Gilman Park. Lovely backlit trees to sketch from a cool, shady spot: Not a bad consolation prize.

Color note: As you can see, I’ve resumed my summer primary triad (and the colors in my “normal” palette). It was fun and challenging to use Beya Rebaï’s colors, but I knew it wouldn’t last. It’s not that I don’t like the colors, but I kept feeling like I was borrowing someone else’s sketch kit. It made me realize how personal color selection is.

Two Rebai-inspired colors that I'm retaining for now.

I did, however, keep a couple of pencils in my bag for now: Apricot (041) and Genuine Cobalt Blue (662). A warm and a cool tint that were new to me, they have made me think differently about how I color white buildings, so they are worth hanging onto for now. If I don’t use them by the next time I clean out my bag, they will be jettisoned.

Fremont Dinosaurs

 

2/12/22 Topiary dinosaurs near the Fremont Cut

Saturday dawned with a cloudless sky that was forecast to remain all day. Thinking about where I wanted to sketch on that rare, sunny day, Fremont came to mind. The last time I had sketched in the Center of the Universe was during a cloudy June USk outing back in 2019. I was well overdue for a sketch visit.

Miraculously on a Saturday afternoon in that busy neighborhood, I found a parking spot not too far from the famous topiary dinosaurs. I had sketched them previously back in 2014 from the other side of Canal Street so that I could see both the mama and her baby. This time I stood in Google’s empty parking lot, where I could see most of the baby and its mama’s long neck and body. Walkers, runners and bike riders went by in a constant stream on the Burke-Gilman Trail alongside the Fremont Cut. I sensed that everyone was rejoicing a sunny weekend afternoon in February.

Although my weather app said it was 55 degrees, the harsh wind from the Lake Washington Ship Canal made it feel a lot colder to me. Still, it was wonderful to sketch under a clear blue sky that made me optimistic: Could spring be around the corner?