Sketching South Pasadena

In anticipation of teaching a workshop series in South Pasadena, I've done lots of sketching...and really enjoying the process of getting to know this lovely town.  In some ways South Pasadena seems frozen in time...in fact it's often been a film and TV location because of the old-fashioned small town atmosphere--so different from most of the rest of Southern California!


The heart of the town seems to be the library, and the magnificent Moreton Bay Fig tree in the library park.  Lots of weekend community events congregate there...

I love the process of preparing for a workshop--I start with essential techniques and ways of working--contour drawing and feeling the form with line.  All the textures of this beautiful tree are a perfect subject with a variety of tools...

sketching in broad strokes with a carpenter's pencil...

...line and tone--adding tones with watercolor quickly establishes a feeling of depth...
a family picnics near the fig tree as I sketch, and one of the little girls comes over to see what I'm doing, and offers to pose for me doing her ballet steps!

At frequent intervals, the Gold Line metro train breezes straight through town--I love the energy it seems to bring!

Another South Pasadena landmark...Buster's Coffee...painted here on a crazy-hot day in September...

 ...a view of the water tower from library park...

...I happened on to a classic car show one Sunday on Mission Street...and fortunate to get in some sketches before they drove away...this owner of this little turquoise jewel of a Thunderbird went into the bar next door, and the old Ford roadster drove up in front of me...

...and some South Pasadena people...sketched from Buster's across from the train station...