Butterfly Garden

9/3/26 Woodland Park Zoo's Butterfly Garden

On the last week before the Butterfly Garden was to close for the season, the Woodland Park Zoo gave members the offer of free admission (usually $3). The only time I’d sketched live butterflies was 11 years ago at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. Remembering that butterflies had been difficult to sketch, I’d never been inside Woodland Park’s exhibit, but who am I to decline a free ticket? I was delightfully surprised to be wrong: Many of the butterflies quietly sat for minutes on end on flowers or, strangely, information placards. They were relatively easy to sketch compared to continually moving animals.

Species identification photos made it easy to label them as I sketched. Noticing how many butterflies were mostly black, I wished I had a black sketchbook with me. I managed to color the Atala and Eastern black swallowtail with a brush pen, but they would have been easier using colored pencils on black paper.

Palm cockatoo in the Conservation Aviary

The most challenging part? Trying to draw foreshortened butterfly wings in perspective!

After spending an enjoyable hour in the Butterfly Garden, I needed to hoof it through the zoo to give myself “credit” for fitness walking and not just sketching. I got almost all the way back around, resisting more sketches, until I got to the Conservation Aviary, which is full of exotic (and sadly endangered) birds. I caught a quick gesture of the palm cockatoo before heading for the exit. 

(See my Instagram post for a butterfly video.)

The Zoo is Full of Surprises

 

8/25/26 Silverback gorilla, Woodland Park Zoo

Visiting the zoo is always a crapshoot. Some days the animals are awake and active; others they are sleeping or just hiding from visitors. Woodland Park Zoo opens at 9 a.m. each day because the animals are supposedly more active in the morning, but I’ve had both good and bad luck at all times of day. You never know what you’ll get.

When Mary Jean, Roy and I visited last week, our sketchbooks were ready for whatever the animals gave us. I’ve been visiting the zoo for all the years I’ve been sketching, and on this day, the gorillas were the most visible and sketchable than any time I can remember! The silverback gave us the best show, loping around, leisurely chewing on twigs he was foraging and finally chillin’ with his snack very close to the viewing area. Several other adults and a few adolescent gorillas were also actively hanging out. They were all fascinating to watch and draw.

The Humboldt penguins are usually easy to see and sketch wherever they are in their large, open exhibit, but on this day several were within the viewing area that puts them closest to visitors. Molting and apparently uncomfortable, the birds vigorously scratched and preened their scrappy-looking feathers. After taking a dip, they would shake their tiny wings and rear ends, then dive in again. So much fun!

Humboldt penguins

A few weeks ago when I visited, Carson, the red panda, had been easily visible. This time, I could barely see him in the distance, so all I sketched in the Forest Trailhead exhibit was a tree kangaroo (probably the same one who was sitting on the same perch as last time).

Tree kangaroo and Humboldt penguins

Like all urban sketching, much of the fun and challenge is not knowing what you’ll get but enjoying whatever it is.

(See this Instagram post for a couple of videos I took of the silverback and a penguin.)

Activity in the Forest Trailhead

 

8/10/26 Red panda and tree kangaroo, Woodland Park Zoo

I hadn’t been back to Woodland Park Zoo’s new Forest Trailhead exhibit since it opened in May. That time, it had been difficult to see the animals beyond quick, distant glimpses. Last Monday was a good time to return: All the animals were more active, so as they moved around the exhibit, I could follow until they were in better positions to sketch. Carson, the red panda, gave me the best view when he flopped down on a branch to doze.

As usual, I got so excited and engrossed in sketching that I took almost no photos. This photo of one of the tree kangaroos was the only one I remembered to snap.

On my way back out, I stopped to see the Humboldt penguins. A mama gull and her youngster were trying to get in on the penguin feeding. The keeper who was giving a presentation said that mama gull had made a nest in the open-air penguin exhibit and was now raising her chicks there! Although the keepers avoid feeding them, the clever opportunists know when free room and board are a good deal.

Humboldt penguins and an opportunist.

Long-Awaited Forest Trailhead Exhibit Opens

 

4/29/26 A tree kangaroo and a kea in the Forest Trailhead exhibit

Members got a preview this week of Woodland Park Zoo’s long-anticipated Forest Trailhead exhibit. The spacious, well-designed environment is a much-improved home for Carson, the red panda (a zoo ambassador for his endangered brethren), tree kangaroos and a kea. In an equally spacious indoor area, nearly 20 species of fish, reptiles and amphibians live in tanks.

On the day I visited, I focused on the outdoor exhibit (I’ll get to the indoor part some rainy day), where I was happy to see and sketch all three of the furry and feathered residents. (I was so eager to sketch that I forgot to take photos! I’ll certainly do that on return visits.)

Carson, the red panda, a popular zoo ambassador

As I took a walk through the rest of the zoo, I came upon Skyanna, a North American porcupine, who is a much more active ambassador. Out of her exhibit and on the main thoroughfare with human companions, Skyanna was as tame and friendly as a house a cat! We all awww’d as she munched on treats and tore up a toilet paper tube for fun.

Skyanna, a North American porcupine

This is the time of year when I get my money’s worth from my zoo membership. I’ll be back soon!

Skyanna munching on a treat

In response to a question, Skyanna's human friend explains that porcupines don't need to run fast because they wear very sharp armor!

When I arrived at opening time, the stroller set filled a long line. I sketchwaited a few minutes so that I could just walk in without standing in line.

Cherry Blossom Pink Flamingo

 

4/9/26 Chilean flamingoes, Woodland Park Zoo

Since I park on that side of the zoo, I like to catch the
Humboldt penguins on my way out.

On yet another gorgeous day (we were treated to eight of them consecutively last week), I went fitness walking through Woodland Park Zoo. Silly me – I forgot that it was still spring break, which gave me déjà vu of my visit to the Smithsonian National Zoo. (I exaggerate; Seattle’s zoo will never be as crowded as DC’s panda exhibit was, although as I was walking out, the attendant told me that she had counted 6,000 visitors so far that day – a combination of spring break and several field trips.)

I usually avoid the Chilean flamingo exhibit because it smells so bad there. However, the cherry blossom pink crayons in my bag compelled me to use them (holding my breath). At least half the large population on exhibit were a pale grayish-brown instead of pink. The keeper who was washing out their feeding tanks informed us that the dull-colored ones were still young. When they matured, they would take on the brilliant pink hues that flamingoes are known for.

Detail showing the "licked" color wash and textured details added with water-soluble pencil. 
I used a Derwent Drawing pencil for shading.

Technical notes: On a whim, I colored the flamingo by using a waterbrush to “lick” the end of a Raspberry Red Caran d’Ache Neocolor II crayon and painting it like watercolor. Then while that was still wet, I used orange and red Museum Aquarelle pencils for some feather details. I don’t know why I don’t use those techniques together more often – I love the look of the smooth wash combined with texture. Now that the crayon holder I MacGyver’d gives me easy access to a “watercolor palette,” I have to remember to take advantage of it more often.

Have I mentioned lately how much I love Neocolor II crayons? That’s not new – I’ve loved them for many years. The difference now is that I’m able to use them on location, so my long-time crush has turned into a committed relationship. Although I wrote a thorough review several years ago, I might need to write a fresh love letter sometime soon.

Media Mishaps at the Zoo

3/2/26 Grizzly and brown bears, Woodland Park Zoo (Derwent Drawing pencil in Stillman & Birn Beta sketchbook)

This is the time of year when we are occasionally surprised by delightfully sunny and even warmish days. Although it was still cold in the morning, the afternoon was just right for one of my favorite fitness-walking locations: Woodland Park Zoo.

Starting in the opposite direction from my usual zoo route, I spent some time on the Living Northwest Trail. I’m often disappointed in this section because many animals like to stay hidden, but on this afternoon, I saw and/or sketched almost all the residents.

Despite being the most frustrating, my favorites to attempt to sketch were the young bear pair, Fern and Juniper (Fern is actually a grizzly, not a brown, I learned later). I watched for quite a while as they wrestled and played continuously, their heads often buried in each other’s long fur. Waiting patiently (more patiently than most visitors, who snapped videos and then moved on quickly, just like at art museums), I drew whatever feature or shape I could capture in a second or two. When the bears flipped over and revealed their heads, I quickly refined what I’d drawn before (top of post). Challenging but so much fun!

The lazily grazing and dozing mountain goats were no challenge at all by comparison.

Mountain goats (Caran d'Ache Museum Aquarelle and Derwent Inktense pencils in Hahnemuhle sketchbook)

Huckleberry, the sole male elk, and one of his mates were resting together by a tree – also easy. However, this is when my media mishaps began. I hadn’t sketched with Tombow Dual markers in a long time and had given most away during my downsizing. Somehow I found one in my hand recently, so I put it in my bag on a whim. (I used one at the Cocoa Legato open mic recently, too.)

Elk (Tombow Dual marker in Hahnemuhle sketchbook)

Sketching these elk reconfirmed what I don’t really care for about Tombows. Although I do enjoy being able to do quick and easy shading by washing the water-soluble ink (a favorite technique for many years), I don’t like the stiff lines that the hard tips on these markers make, especially when drawing animals and other organic subjects. I much prefer a fluid, “hairy” brush. Trying to recap the pen as I was thinking about this, the cap slipped out of my hand and disappeared between the boards in the trail walkway (and we all know that the most valuable part of a marker is its cap; without it, the pen is useless).

I ended my visit with a favorite exhibit, the Humboldt penguins of South America. Luckily for me, it was feeding time. The keeper carefully and fairly distributed fish to each penguin (calling some by name). Unlike most birds around food, the penguins crowded around the keeper but were very orderly, waiting their turn (imagine gulls or crows waiting their turn!).

Humboldt penguins (Pentel Sign brush pen, Pitt Artist Pen, Inktense pencil in Hahnemuhle sketchbook)

I knew my black Pentel brush pen was running dry, but I hoped that I could squeak through the sketch – barely. To make up for it, I pulled out a gray Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pen, and by poor coincidence, it was nearly dry, too!

All I can say is: Thank goodness for colored pencils!

Endangered

 

2/6/26 palm cockatoo, Woodland Park Zoo

On one of our couple days of “false spring” last week, I took my fitness walk around Woodland Park Zoo. I told myself I’d make one brisk circuit of the zoo grounds first without sketching, then go back to sketch, but I couldn’t resist stopping when I got to the Conservation Aviary. One of my favorite zoo exhibits, it’s home to several free-roaming and -flying birds that are all, very sadly, endangered. It’s possible to observe the birds fairly closely, and unlike tiny birds, these exotic beauties move relatively slowly, so they are more easily sketchable.

Great argus

Southern ground hornbill and Humboldt penguins

More penguins

After finishing my walk, I ended my visit at the Humboldt penguin exhibit, another favorite. They, too, are endangered, so my theme for the day ended up being endangered birds.

Stepping back from the exhibit, I decided to catch a few human gestures, too (below). The young boy who repeatedly squatted to see the swimming penguins was fun to try to capture! (I often practice squatting during yoga and nearly daily as part of my fitness routine, and I envied how easy he made squatting look! I guess it is when you’re 3!)

Watching the penguins

Paper notes: I knew that toothy Hahnemühle would be a bit too strong with super-soft Derwent Drawing pencils, but I tried it anyway. It wore down my pencils like sandpaper, and it was difficult to draw any fine details like eyes. Although I didn’t mind Stillman & Birn Beta’s milder tooth when I was making landscapes, I don’t care for Hahnemühle. I would have enjoyed smooth S&B Zeta much more, but I don’t like using wet media on that. I’d have to either decide which type of material to use that day and bring the appropriate sketchbook, or bring both sketchbooks everywhere, just in case. Arrggh! (More first world mixed-media problems.)

When I got to the quick human gestures at the end of my visit, I pulled out my current daily-carry Field Notes, which contains their typically smooth, all-purpose paper. That turned out to be quite lovely with a Drawing pencil, which went down as fast and smooth as a marker.

Bird Day at the Zoo

 

11/26/25 Chilean flamingoes, Woodland 
Park Zoo

Red-legged seriema

White-naped crane and red-crowned crane

Aside from the obvious reasons to visit, Woodland Park Zoo is a scenic place for fitness walking. To beat the chill, first I hoofed briskly around its 92 acres, taking circuitous trails to increase my steps. Eventually I slowed down to sketch a few residents. After beginning with a few flamingoes and cranes, I decided to stay with the bird theme that day.

The most exotic and beautiful bird I sketched was a Victoria crowned pigeon (below). With a headdress like a peacock’s tail, it strutted around in the Conservation Aviary, where many birds are free-ranging. Because I was still and quiet, it walked very close to me, looking for feed.

I can think of very little that I enjoy more than drawing animals from life – except maybe drawing animals from life on a warm day.

Victoria crowned pigeon

Exotic and free-ranging!

A Return to the Zoo

 

8/18/25 tapir and rhino, Woodland Park Zoo (I got all the parts of the rhino but none assembled!)

I woke with a start: It was already mid-August, and I hadn’t yet been to Woodland Park Zoo! (In fact, at the admission desk when I renewed my membership, I learned that I hadn’t re-upped since 2023; the last time I visited had been exactly two years ago on Aug. 18. What a weird coincidence!)

Like the pets I showed yesterday, which were all done from photos, my mission at the zoo was to get more brush pen practice, this time with live animals. In the past, I’ve really enjoyed making animal gestures using watercolor pencils or graphite. The brush pen, though, is an ideal tool for making expedient gestures, and I think I love it even more than pencils for this purpose. The variable line strokes are perfect for fur and feathers.

Siamang and orangutans

Although I have many childhood memories of Woodland Park Zoo, some of my fondest are as an adult – my first few years as an urban sketcher. That first summer of 2012, I visited the zoo quite regularly, and that’s how I discovered how much I enjoy drawing live animals. It was great practice for sketching moving subjects and good training for sketching in public. As years went on, and my sketchbook and I began exploring more widely, I stopped going to the zoo as frequently, but every time I go, I’m reminded of those enjoyable early times.

Steller's sea eagle and Humboldt penguins

Beyond the fun of sketching animals, the zoo is a great place to walk, with lots of beautiful trees and landscaping. It’s an ideal way to combine my fitness walking with sketching. The zoo is back on my radar now; I hope to make more use of my membership before the wet weather sets in.

After my zoo visit, my plan was to walk to Fresh Flours for a pastry and coffee while I made a sketch journal entry. Before leaving the zoo, I made one last sketch of a penguin in the sketch journal so that I'd have sort of a segue to the bakery recorded in the journal. Then tragedy struck: Fresh Flours was completely sold out of pastries!

Fresh Flours as Reward

7/15/24 Fresh Flours, Greenwood/Phinney Ridge neighborhood

If you’ve ever lived in the same house for several decades (36 years, actually), you know that “stuff” accumulates. It’s a lot of work to un-accumulate all that stuff, but I’m on it.

Fortuitously, just as I was gearing up for the task, the Maple Leaf neighborhood held it’s annual FREE Yard Sale event: Nothing could have a price, and anything was up for grabs if you put it out on the sidewalk in front of your house. Putting your address in an online map of participants helped people find you, especially if you had any specialty items that you wanted to note in your listing. I had never participated in the event before, either as a giver or a taker, but it motivated me to put some stuff in boxes.

I never had so much fun getting rid of our old junk, which, it turns out, other people want! Except for one drawer that I didn’t get to, I cleared out my kitchen of much excess that had ceased to spark joy years ago, if it ever did (how do all those plastic containers reproduce?). I had noted LPs, CDs and analog audio equipment in my listing, and several happy “shoppers” picked through our huge entertainment center filled with cases of music. I enjoyed meeting neighbors, and it felt rewarding to see others delight in things I no longer needed or wanted. (A young woman exclaimed that my Star Wars soundtrack album would thrill her husband, and it gave me great joy knowing that he would receive it.)

By day’s end, very little was left of the dozen or so boxes of stuff I brought out that day. I put what remained into my car and drove it over to Goodwill the next day, where the line of cars wrapped around the block (likely all from Maple Leaf).

Feeling so satisfied that I was actually smug, I went to nearby Fresh Flours to celebrate. It was an exhausting weekend, but it felt so good that I’m now motivated to keep putting things in boxes and moving them out.

A note about Fresh Flours: This bakery’s plentiful sidewalk tables are on busy Phinney Avenue within visual distance of the Woodland Park Zoo. Three times just while I was sketching, a neighbor would pass the café on their walk and see friends seated at the café, pull up a chair, and join the party. It was fun and heartwarming to see a community interact this way. 

The Burke Nearly to Ourselves

 

2/14/24 Mastodon replica, Burke Museum

2/14/24 Columbian Mammoth

The last time USk Seattle met at the Burke Museum was right before the pandemic hit, so it was high time for us to visit again. I started on the top floor where all the paleontology labs are and some of the museum’s best specimens, like the Columbian Mammoth. I’ve sketched it from the other side before, so this time I focused on the skull and those incredibly long tusks (at left).

Next I looked through one of the lab windows to sketch a grizzly bear skull (below). A former Woodland Park Zoo resident, the bear was being cleaned and preserved.

2/14/24 Grizzly bear skull

My last stop was the Mastodon replica. The first time I sketched it was from the staircase above. Spotting Janet in a corner, I went to the opposite side of the gallery so that I could capture her in the composition and show the scale of the enormous beast (top of post).

On most visits, the museum has been filled with young students on field trips. On this Wednesday afternoon, we sketchers had the place nearly to ourselves, which was an unusual treat. The Burke is back on our list as a winter-weather standby!

Sketchwaiting in Retail Lines and Other Opportunities

 

10/19/23 Costco customers

My first experience with getting to know the general consuming public was working at the Woodland Park Zoo concession stand. Hair stiff with sugar from the cotton candy machine and clothes smelling like popcorn grease were nothing compared to taking money from customers all day. At 16, I wasn’t mature enough to consider the day those parents might have been having with their screaming kids (though I often wanted to advise them, Why don’t you just let them run around in the park like they want to do instead of forcing them to look at animals?). All I could think about was the bad day I was having.

11/13/23 Costco self-checkout area

On one particularly bad day, I couldn’t force myself to smile anymore, and I nearly slammed the hotdog down on the counter as I grumbled her total to the customer. Speaking very quietly and gently so that the nearby supervisor wouldn’t hear, she said, “I know you’re having a bad day. But don’t take it out on the customers – they might be having a bad day, too.” With compassion instead of anger, her admonition stopped me in my tracks. Her comment changed my attitude that day and the rest of the summer.

Decades later in my 40s when I was making a career transition, I worked part time in a bead shop. For the most part, bead shop customers were relaxed, happy people who made jewelry for themselves as a hobby, so that retail experience was very different from zoo concessions. Still, it’s always the unpredictable public on the other side of the counter, whether the goods are beads or popcorn.

10/17/23 outside Macrina Bakery

One day I was explaining the store policy to a customer that products couldn’t be returned without a receipt. Her volume increasing rapidly, she argued with me as I continued repeating the policy. Finally she threw the offending product at me and stormed out. A bad day for both of us, for sure.

Several weeks later the customer returned. Approaching me directly at the counter, she apologized very sincerely for taking out on me the bad day she had been having then.

Though I’m relieved that I have never worked retail again, I believe that everyone should have the experience of working retail, if only for a few days. In a short time, it will teach you more about the general public than you ever wanted to learn. It will also teach you compassion for anyone who works retail, especially this time of year.

10/31/23 PCC display

11/28/23 Green Lake

11/29/23 patient in a sketchwaiting room

12/1/23 Maple Leaf neighborhood

12/2/23 Capitol Hill neighborhood