Traveling to Tacoma...

...for a gathering in August of urban sketchers--and the 4th Annual West Coast Urban Sketchers Sketch Crawl!    The local sketchers lead by Francis Buckmaster did a fantastic job of organizing the event, and it was a really fun weekend--no workshops, just everyone getting together to sketch the beautiful mix of old and new in downtown Tacoma.

Waiting at LAX for my plane is of course, always a sketching opportunity...playing here with shadow and light...





The plane and the bus from the airport into town...more sketching...

Our first gathering on Friday night with nearly 150 sketchers, with some quick portraits...

Tacoma on Saturday morning was warm and brightly sunny, it felt like LA weather to me!  The sketch crawl centered around the beautiful Bridge of Glass and the work of Tacoma Artist Dale Chihuly.  The view here includes the "Crystal Towers", and the new Washington State History Museum echoing the arches of the old Union Station building...

 More sketching from the Bridge of Glass--the tilting glass cone that tops the "Hot Shop" of the Museum of Glass...












A view inside the fascinating Hot Shop, with a team of master glass artists working--and theater seating above for visitors...we all sweat together here!

And a view of the train looking down from the Bridge...

Sunday morning wrapped up the sketch crawl, and it was great to see Gabi Campanario arrive with his family, and we made a dash over to the historic Theater District.  There were lots of interesting buildings here, but this wedge-shaped gem really caught our eye...I discovered it was originally built as the Hotel Bostwick in 1889, now has Tully's Coffee on the ground floor...

Way too soon, it was time to head to the airport to fly back to Los Angeles...and finally I got a sketch-able little glimpse of Mt. Rainier!  I can hardly wait until next year's West Coast Urban Sketchers Sketch Crawl...in Vancouver!

Exploring Los Angeles Neighborhoods

...my favorite subject is the city where I was born, Los Angeles.  It is sprawling, ever-changing, so there's always opportunity to discover new neighborhoods or re-discover old ones...I have been drawing Los Angeles by neighborhoods...here are some sketches of Echo Park...

I remember when the lake had lotuses...which seemed to suddenly and mysteriously disappear.  Last year it was still a favorite spot for families to gather.  It has now been drained, and is undergoing reconstruction. Hope to see the paddle boats and the lotuses return some day!








Echo Park is an interesting neighborhood of vintage clothing, antiques, music, botanicas, many ethnic cafes--some views along Sunset Blvd...

Exotic Los Angeles Buildings

...is a subject I've only begun to explore!  As a Los Angeles native, I love the "anything goes" attitude that extends even to architecture...from very modern to numerous "revival" styles...and of course the truly exotic buildings...

Drawing downtown...two views of Gehry's Disney Concert Hall..I will tackle this fabulous building again!

I love the shapes and colors in Meier's Getty Center...

...and the slightly eccentric Japanese Gallery at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art by Bruce Goff...

The Hollyhock House was Frank Lloyd Wright's first building in Los Angeles, commissioned by Aline Barnsdall and built in 1921--now part of Barnsdall Park--is often referred to as "Mayan Revival".  He called it "California Romanza"...

...and the Self-Realization Fellowship with its lotus finials on  Sunset Blvd...

The spires of the Holy Transfiguration Russian Orthodox Church rise above a derelict super market...from Sunset Blvd.

More of old Los Angeles...

Angel's Flight in downtown Los Angeles is called "the shortest railway in the world"...

first built in 1901...closed for a number

of years, and then rebuilt and reopened in 1996 in a new location...safety concerns have closed it periodically, unfortunate, since it's such a treasure...

 ...old and new...the view from Bunker Hill (top of Angel's Flight) with the billboard for "Green Lantern"

Two views of the Grand Central Market in downtown Los Angeles...

Another favorite building in Los Angeles...Charles Lummis built his home "El Alisal" between 1889 and 1910 from arroyo rocks and telephone poles purchased from the Santa Fe Railroad.  A lovely and peaceful spot.

...across the Arroyo from the Lummis Home is the Heritage Square Museum, a collection of turn of the century Los Angeles buildings that were saved from demolition and moved here.  Some of the buildings are still in the process of restoration, like this church.






Stepping into the beautiful waiting room of Los Angeles' downtown train station is to be transported back to 1939, the year it opened.  The travertine and terra cotta tiles, elegant furniture and art deco fixtures have been refurbished since I was last there years ago.

                          

Down the street from the train station is Philippes, a real Los Angeles institution!

Philippe The Original opened in 1908, and claims to have created the "French Dipped Sandwich". Fairly quiet in the early afternoon...at noon it's packed! The clientele is wonderfully varied...watch out for the hot mustard!

Old Los Angeles

...is not an oxymoron!  As a native, I love rediscovering the places that are really Los Angeles history...so, starting with Olvera Street, the oldest street in Los Angeles, and the original center of El Pueblo de Los Angeles...

 Olverita's...

...and across Cesar Chavez Ave. is the old Terminal Annex building...

Pasadena

I've had a studio in old town Pasadena, California for many years...here are sketches around the neighborhood...

Views from my studio fire escape...

The Green Hotel...

 

 ...and views of old town...

A bit further east, and heading into nearby San Marino...