Quick Sketching

...people doing everyday things...

...having lunch on the weekend 

at the Getty Center, or at Gordon Biersch in Burbank...

...at Mo's in Burbank, where I went for a "calming restorative"--coffee and breakfast, actually, after visiting my accountant.  Jay stands at right chatting about the ups and downs of the entertainment business with a regular, and Kyle mans the front desk.  It's quiet before the lunchtime rush from the nearby studios.  Jay catches me in the act of sketching, and he very kindly comped my breakfast!

Men working in the parking lot at Costco, while shoppers come and go and I sit sketching while waiting for new tires...

 The 39th Worldwide Sketchcrawl coincided with the Downtown Burbank Art Festival, so the Los Angeles group met there on an overcast, gray morning...some local musicians in a great jazz band in front of a shopping center...










...and the great character model, John Tucker poses as a cowboy in front of the "Bank of the West" for anyone who wants to sketch him, as part of CTN (Creative Talent Network) which teamed up with the Art Festival

...and quick sketches with lunch of my fellow shoppers and some sellers at one of my favorite Los Angeles places, the downtown Grand Central Market...

Spring

...and people are out enjoying the weather, and I'm out sketching!  Not like Southern Californians are stuck indoors in the winter, but there is something about the newness of spring...

at the L.A. Arboretum...

 Enjoying all those blooming pink trees...

on a street in Montrose...

...and at Descanso Gardens in La Canada, where this flowering cherry holds court
on the main lawn...

Spring Break brings the hikers and rock climbers to Joshua Tree National Park...

A few from The Drawing Club...

Just time for a few studies from Sunday sessions at 

The Drawing Club in recent months--looking forward to visiting more often very soon!

Elizabeth was very regal 

in her Renaissance gown...

and John caught the soul of a 1930's dustbowl character from Thomas Hart Benton...

People...

Some quick sketches from December and January...

waiting at the bank...

 a shopping break in Pasadena...






















A sketch from La Canada's animated post-Rose Parade display of its award-winning float (it doesn't hurt that there are a few rocket scientists living in La Canada...)

For the recent Worldwide Sketchcrawl, the Los Angeles group met downtown...lunch at the Grand Central Market, and sketching the ice skaters in Pershing Square before the ice rink goes down for the season...

and some very quick sketches at the LA Convention Center, during the Gift Show, LA Art Show and a meeting of Thoracic Surgeons...

Queen of Hearts...

On a recent night at The Drawing Club, Daniella became The Queen of Hearts...

Atomic Holiday LIftoff

...was a great show I saw recently...

Cirque du Soleil Comic Act Designer

and clown coordinator Stefan Haves once again
put on a delightful show here in Los Angeles,
this time at Club Fais Do-Do.  "Atomic Holiday
Liftoff" was a cabaret performance featuring
jugglers, aerialists, clowns, a sword swallower,
contortionist and fabulous tap dancer with a
live band and singers, and dancing "Mayans"
in a send-up of "end of the world" frenzy...
fun trying to keep up with the performers
and sketching madly in low light!

Sundays at The Drawing Club...

Monthly Sunday sessions at 

The Drawing Club 

are a chance to draw or paint at a more leisurely pace...and play with different media.  Often the themes are inspired by favorite artists...

At a recent session

Marissa Gomez channels

Frida Kahlo...

 Peggy Moore in an "Old Hollywood" theme...

Sara Streeter is a Degas Ballerina in soul and body...

 David Moon in a Lucien Freud-inspired theme...

Sketching around town...

Labor Day and Labor Day picnics 

mark the end of summer...

a picnic group at Griffith Park...

An afternoon at the Getty Center in early fall at the fountain...

Lunch at Gordon Biersch 

in Burbank, a view into the bar...

An October visit to Ventura for the Seaside Highland Games...always fun to watch the big guys in kilts throwing heavy objects!

In November, I caught up with the Space Shuttle Endeavor at the California Science Center...so inspiring to finally see it in all its weathered glory!

 Sketching on a Sunday afternoon in
La Canada....

...and an evening spent at the Genius Bar at the Apple Store in Glendale...fun for the whole family!