For decades I’ve taken art classes at the Art League in Alexandria, Virginia. Drawing, watercolor, oil, color theory, composition, I took whatever sounded interesting and fit my schedule which happened one or twice every couple years. Running my freelance graphic design business and raising three kids, the youngest who has serious health problems, hasn’t left me much time for myself. Carving out one evening a week to forget all my stress and my to-do list has been my form of self-care, even if it was only for a 6 week class or even a weekend workshop. I always leave those classes buoyed and happier from the creativity.
I haven’t had time to take a class since the pandemic when I pivoted from full-time freelance graphic designer to part-time and added my stationery and art business plus my watercolor matchbook business. When I pick up the paint brush, I am painting with a client in mind, either a real client who has commissioned me to commemorate their favorite restaurant as a matchbook or a house portrait commission, or a future client who I think will like a specific subject and style.
Last month a friend recommended me to a local stationery store, the lovely Penny Post in Old Town Alexandria, to lead an urban sketching event to promote Traveler’s. I was horrified. I am a pretty good painter but drawing is not my forté, not by a long shot. And the few times I’d sketched on vacation, my drawings looked very basic and novice.
The request from Penny Post coincided with the start of the Old Town weekend pop-up market at the bottom of King Street, Saturdays and Sundays, from May through October. I share a spot with other artists and am there two days a month, from about 10am-4pm. Some days are slow so I dug out my travel art kit from a watercolor class some 20 years ago and gave it a try.
My very basic travel sketch kit which consists of a lid to fill with water and rinse my brush, watercolor pigments (from tube) in an old plastic paperclip container, and a few brushes, pencil and eraser, waterproof pen (I use Micron), and a white paint pen for accents (I use Uniball Signo)
My view from my tent at the King & Union pop-up market doesn’t change so I’ve had the chance to paint the same views multiple times. I started looking up King Street to Mia’s and worked on really seeing the architectural details.
Pen and watercolor on Fabriano Artistico cold pressed watercolor block
The next time I was there, I looked toward the waterfront and worked on composition and perspective.
Pen and watercolor on Fabriano Artistico cold pressed watercolor block
A few weeks later, we went on vacation to the Outer Banks in North Carolina where my in-laws had rented a beautiful beach house with an absolutely gorgeous view.
Watercolor on Arches paper (I buy large sheets of Arches cold press paper, rip them down and stitch them together to make a book)
The lovely, local shop that carries my stationery and prints, Made in ALX, has asked me to have some of my recent sketches reproduced to sell in the store but I’ve declined. I am really enjoying the freedom that comes from having zero intent on selling what I’m painting, giving myself the space to play and experiment.
By the way, I did agree to lead the urban sketching event and had a wonderful time. See how that went in my next post.