Tag: drawing

North Street Looking East, Healdsburg

This sketch of Healdsburg’s North Street was drawn from a vantage point near city hall looking east. I chose to stay in my car while drawing because I liked the angle and sometimes its nice to have good back support and a radio for company. Using a Moleskine and a Pigma Micron pen, I fleshed out the drawing and then added a little watercolor. Although I like Moleskine sketchbooks, I find that watercolor often beads up on the page, so I usually only add spot colors instead of washes.

In my drawing, the old, abandoned Purity Products building is on the left. The building was originally called Cerri Brothers Produce Warehouse and was used for packing fruit before sending it on its way along the railroad. Over the next few years, the railroad tracks will be upgraded to make way for the new passenger train called SMART that will run from Cloverdale all the way down to Larkspur, not far from the Golden Gate Bridge. From there passengers can take the bus or ferry to San Francisco.

Located at the far end of the street is the Les Mars Hotel which also houses the critically acclaimed restaurant, Cyrus.

Hotel Healdsburg


Healdsburg is a small town in northern California where I call home. It’s an artsy community in the heart of Sonoma County wine country and I love living here. When one of my good friends Monte visits from Arizona, he likes to call Healdsburg a sophisticated Mayberry (after the fictional town in North Carolina that was the setting for the American television sitcom, The Andy Griffith Show). I understand what he means, but it just feels like home to me. Similar to many 150 year old towns, we have a central square or plaza that defines and unifies the downtown area, and also provides an excellent venue for community events. Concerts, art festivals, and antique shows fill the summer months, keeping the tourist season alive. But it’s the wine industry that usually draws people to Healdsburg with restaurants coming in a close second. This sketchbook drawing of Hotel Healdsburg is one of our premiere hotels, located on the west side of the downtown plaza.

Jenner by the Sea

I went out early yesterday to meet with my drawing group, the Sonoma Sketchers, this time in Jenner. Jenner is a small town along California’s famous coastal Highway One. The town itself is so small that if I blinked, I would have missed it. But I certainly didn’t miss this view along the rocky coast line. Many other people pulled off the road to check out the view and as an extra bonus were treated to a pair of seals frolicking in the bay below. After drawing for an hour or so, I noticed that none of the other members of the group showed up. Ah well, I had a great time drawing and hanging out with the seals.

Dharma Sleeping in the “Whammy” Position

My wife and I have two dogs. Both are Australian shepherds, one named Bodhi and the other Dharma. Each have their own distinctive personality. Bodhi is a gorgeous blue merle color and is much more serious than Dharma. When Dharma is doing something she shouldn’t be doing, its easy to see the worry on Bodhi’s face. Dharma on the other hand is care free and appears to have no idea when she is breaking rules. She is cute as can be and is especially adorable when sleeping on her back. I call it the “whammy” pose. The sagging lip exposing her vampires tooth is an extra bonus.

London Heathrow Airport

While at the London Heathrow airport and waiting for my flight back to the States, I drew this staircase not to far away from where I was sitting. I could tell the focused state of mind I had developed while traveling in Greece was still present. My mind was crystal clear and I felt so relaxed. I wish this state of being could last forever but I know my cell phone will need to be turned back on, email will have to be answered, and my life will return to normal. On the other hand now that I have some perspective on my life, this is a good time to see the changes that need to be made in order to add more meaning and focus. Above all, it’s important for me to take the time to slow down, be apart of the world around me, and draw.

Akropolis from on top of the Hill of the Muses

When in Athens, it’s impossible to miss the giant mountain of rock called the Acropolis. It’s especially impressive in the areas of town where the Parthenon can be seen crowning the top. One of my favorite vantage points is on top of the Areopagos. When I first arrived in Athens, I climbed up the slippery rocks to the top of the hill and watched the full moon rise above the Parthenon. Unfortunately at the time, I was unable to see well enough in the dark to draw.

Toward the end of my stay, I found another great view while climbing down the Hill of the Muses. From there, I could see the Acropolis in all its splendor, dominating the city below.

The Prison of Socrates

On our last day in Athens, we have one prominent place left to visit, the Hill of the Muses. As we make our way around the Acropolis through zig-zagging streets, we pause for a moment to watch an organ grinder. An old man wearing a bowler hat pulls the crank while lighting up a cigarette, and an unfamiliar song begins to resonate outward. The organ itself is really the attraction, with fringe, jewelry, flowers and old black-and-white movie-star photos decorating its sides. A young boy runs around with hat in hand collecting money, replacing the traditional monkey.

With our day quickly passing, we continue our walk up the Hill of the Muses overlooking the city. Our first stop is the Prison of Socrates, where the philosopher was supposed to have been jailed before they forced him to drink deadly hemlock. He had been convicted of corrupting the youth of Athens with his philosophical teachings. This is also the site where, during the Second World War, all the Acropolis’ artifacts were hidden from the Nazis. I’m not that interested in drawing the site but my dad is insistent, so I pull out my gear and give it a shot. I’m not sure what I should include in the drawing. I know its historical significance, but the hill seems uninteresting and flat. I step back a bit to let the tree trunk cross the image and give the drawing depth. Now it starts taking on new life, and I’m glad my dad recommended drawing here.

The Hotel Adams, Athens

Our second floor room is old but clean, and has a partial view of the Acropolis, which is conveniently located a few blocks away. Setting down my backpack, I pull back the curtains revealing a shallow balcony complete with bistro table and two chairs. Fortunately, the rain that welcomed us to Athens has stopped, but its presence can still be seen as water drips from the balcony above. I slide open the door and step outside just as a motorcycle whizzes along the narrow street below, leaving behind a faint smell of exhaust. From this view, the Acropolis towers above the city, a fortress embedded in a mountain of rock.