Chele’s Kitchen

9/1/12 Lamy fountain pen, Hand Book sketchbook

Chele’s Kitchen, whose only desires are “world peace and tasty pie,” had kids dancing and toes tapping at the Bainbridge Island Farmer’s Market. Of the six band members, I only had time to sketch Chele on fiddle and Tom on banjo, but they were still “cookin’ up tunes” as the afternoon sun finally warmed up the market.

9/1/12 Lamy fountain pen, water-soluble ink

Chilly Clown

9/1/12 Lamy fountain pen, Noodler's ink, watercolor, Hand Book sketchbook

The Bainbridge Island Farmer’s Market had been open only a half-hour or so, and the cold morning haze felt a lot more like Fall than Summer on Labor Day weekend. This young clown sat shivering on a stool, waiting to make balloon animals for children. His mom eventually came and put a jacket over his shoulders.

To and From the Market

9/1/12 Akashiya Thin Line marker

Although I wished I had worn shoes and socks instead of flip-flops as we boarded the southbound No. 66 bus to the ferry terminal, the day promised to warm up. I like to choose the first seat behind the bench seats, where my “victims” usually face the front, and I can sketch the backs of their heads unnoticed.

 

The view from the ferry on the way home from Bainbridge Island was a little more scenic: Mt. Rainier peeking out across Puget Sound as another ferry passed us in the opposite direction.



9/1/12 Kuretake Brush Writers, Hand Book sketchbook

P. K. Dwyer

8/31/12 fountain pen, waterproof ink, Kuretake Brush Writers, Stillman & Birn sketchbook

Blues singer and guitar/harmonica player P. K. Dwyer began his concert at Phinney Farmer’s Market by introducing himself as a busker. Some of his songs were about his experiences as a busker and living in New York subway stations. As far as I could tell, all the tunes he performed were original. Some lyrics:

 

“Here’s the keys to my car, you’re gonna drive me away.”

 

“Got the blues so bad I might move to France.”

 

“Wind is howlin’, shoulda stayed in bed.”

 

In addition to his music, he offered free stickers and CDs for sale.

Bartering for a Sketch

8/31/12 Lamy fountain pen, Kuretake Brush Writer

“Do you like poetry?”

 

I was on my out of the Phinney Farmer’s Market when the young man near the exit posed the question. I looked around for books he might be selling, but I saw only his large yellow dog gnawing a chew toy at his feet.

 

“Are you giving a reading. . .?” I asked.

 

“Reciting,” he corrected me, tapping the side of his head. “They’re all up here.”

 

I needed to get home, but who could resist? “I’ll listen if you let me sketch you.”

 

“Deal,” he said, and began reciting his first poem.

 

When I finished the sketch, he asked to see it, and then asked, “Do you sketch all the time, or just poets?”

Who could resist, indeed.

Clallam County

8/30/12 Lamy fountain pen, Noodler's waterproof ink, Kuretake Brush Writers

Clallam County, a group that bills itself as “Seattle’s Slowest Rising Folk Group,” gave a lively bluegrass performance at the Lake City Farmer’s Market – original songs, a sardonic Allison Kraus ballad and even a Beatles tune thrown in. Since I was standing, I didn’t want to block their audience’s view, so I stood slightly to the side, which gave me a helluva foreshortened angle on a banjo and guitars that kicked my sketchin’ butt. But on a warm and sunny afternoon – the scent of fresh tamales, bright flowers at every turn, and corn at last! – who could complain?

Squeezing Out the Last Bit of Summer

8/30/12 Lamy fountain pen, Noodler's waterproof ink, watercolor

I’ve always been an Autumn person: I was born in November, I love the rich, warm palette of trees turning, and I like wearing sweaters more than T-shirts. But this year, my first as a sketcher, summer is ending with a decidedly bittersweet note. As I see the first maples with tiny hints of orange and yellow on their top leaves, I can’t say I’m looking forward to the wet, cold days ahead, when sketching outdoors will be miserable, if it happens at all. I’m sure I’ll find indoor scenes to sketch, but it’s still a long time between summers. I’m squeezing every last bit out of this one.

 

At the Lake City Farmer’s Market, these two guys jammed on a guitar and two harmonicas between them – one of many summer moments I’m going to remember.