A Weekend in Washington DC
My husband and I went to DC last weekend to visit our son in their new home near Eastern Market in the East Capitol Hill section. We went to the Market early each morning for food and on Sunday I went 30 minutes before the group so I could quickly sketch the Eastern facade (built in 1873). I stood and then sat on the sidewalk across the street and just finished when they arrived. Then we realized that the image used for the market on T-shirts and by local artists is the North facade. One of the artists in front of the Market told me, "I'd never do that complicated Eastern facade." My sketch of the north facade is coming.
On Saturday we went to the Library of Congress Book Festival on the Mall to hear Mo Willems, the author/illustrator of the pigeon series of children's books. Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus is a real favorite in our apartment with our grandchildren and he was wonderful - even passing out paper and pencils to all of the children in the audience and then teaching them how to draw the pigeon! We walked home up the Mall toward the Capitol, but I didn't have time to sketch the rotunda. This sketch was done from a photo taken as we walked by.
Comments
Sounds like a very neat journey and it is so great that you take the time to make a memory of it. And wow, the detail!!! Wonderful.
Posted by: TeriC | October 7, 2006 1:56 PM
Very nice...we are going in a month...cant wait
Posted by: margaret hunt | October 7, 2006 4:21 PM
AWESOME, Shirley!! Such neat neat lines -- great color added! And yet there is a 'relaxed' feel to the sketch that is so comfortable and so appealing!
Posted by: lin | October 7, 2006 5:40 PM
Oh SHirley, your renditions of the buildings are awesome and bring back great memories of visits to D.C. when our son was living there. And how fun it must have been at the library.
Posted by: Kay Cox | October 7, 2006 6:56 PM
Beautiful drawings, all the details!
Posted by: Renate | October 8, 2006 3:17 AM
Sounds like a lovely visit. I really enjoyed your drawings!
Posted by: Sioux | October 8, 2006 10:19 AM
Ahhhh. These are so beautiful and such a pleasure to view. The funny little bird is a nice addition--I'm guessing that's a reference to the children's book you mention. You add a lightness and fluidity to what could be very staid buildings.
Posted by: Jana Bouc | October 8, 2006 12:17 PM
Just dropping in to see what you've been up to. I love the architectural sketches - the arches with lanterns in particular. Thanks for including the reference photo - it's always neat to see what an artist chooses to keep, discard and embellish.
Posted by: melissa w | October 9, 2006 7:47 PM