New chippie

The morning started out bright and warm-ish (50 degrees) so I decided to have a car sketching outing before the rain started. I headed out to the new chippie I wanted to sketch but on the way encountered something interesting, did a turn around and parked to sketch.

Ash Wednesday was just a week ago so it is Lent. I found it interesting that a couple sermons mentioned that during the pandemic, we’ve already given up a lot. In the past couple decades or more, my focus was more about doing rather than giving up something. Anyway, this was in front of the local Renton Catholic church.

Then on around the corner to my intended subject… Salty Blue Fish n’ Chips. They took the spot formerly occupied by a burger joint that was there for many years, though I never tried it. It takes optimism to open a new place during the pandemic. But they will be open in early March for take away only.

I’m a little ambivalent. Some of their fish is imported from New Zealand. That seems like rather a heavy carbon footprint?

Achievement Unlocked

The gaming reference seems appropriate as it almost seems like a quest and one gets lucky to obtain an appointment. The Kaiser system has been pretty good. My first and second appointments were done at the same time.

I received my second dose of the Pfizer vaccine this morning! And that despite warnings of 90% of the vaccine supply not being delivered to WA due to the winter storm earlier in the week.

I had the usual 15 minute wait after so I sketched those also waiting.

Virtual Hull

Once again I joined the Yorkshire Virtual sketches group. Because of the time difference of 8 hours, I looked around and sketched this yesterday. The Hull Streetlife Museum offers a viewing tool much like Google street view. I managed to navigate to a scene that interested me… the red store front, the street lamp and the delivery van.

Pretending I still lived in Headingley, Leeds, it would have taken me about 2 hours to reach Hull on the Northern Rail or Transpennine Express. With a half hour walk at both ends. Oooo, I like the sound of that second choice. Well, except for the lockdown. My exploration of the route on Google maps had the alert, “National lockdown: stay at home.” Which is why they’re doing virtual sketch outings.

Perseverance has landed

Another NASA and JPL success!! The Mars Rover, Perseverance, with it’s tiny helicopter Ingenuity, landed successfully on Mars at 1256 Pacific Time. I joined the live video about 1100, watching both NASA’s feed and the presentation by Museum of Flight.

Above is the first image sent from Perseverance!

I sketched from the screens prior to the landing.

Aviation Pioneer

In the corner

This is another “art in the time of quarantine” sketch. I turned on the little lights and thought it was a pleasant scene. I have another little bunny in a dress I made for her. And fairy lights in the twigs.

Snow

This is the most snow my area south of Seattle has gotten in years. It started last night and it’s been steady since, though not very heavy. Fortunately, we have no need to leave the house. As in other years, people are having fun on the hilly streets in Seattle….”Ski Queen Anne”!

Unlike other years, there is enough wind that it blew up drifts next to the house. This is seen through the front door. The bunny is not real but a concrete statue.

Happy New Year – Ox

Happy Lunar New Year. It’s the year of the Ox.

Oxen are the hard workers in the background, intelligent and reliable, but never demanding praise.

In Chinese culture, the Ox is a valued animal. Because of its role in agriculture, positive characteristics, such as being hardworking and honest, are attributed to it

According to one website: Personality and Characteristics
Born 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009

Oxen are honest and earnest. They are low key and never look for praise or to be the center of attention. This often hides their talent, but they’ll gain recognition through their hard work.

They believe that everyone should do what’s asked of them and stay within their bounds. Though they are kind, it’s difficult for them to understand persuasion using pathos. Rarely losing your temper, they think logically and make great leaders.

Page design

A week or so ago I joined Liz Steel’s Sketchbook Design course quite late. I’ve been watching the videos but not doing all the home work. These are two pages based on that course. I have continued access so I can go through the course again.

Pilot Coleman

This the week’s “Draw This” challenge from Sketchbook Skool. During this month of Black History, the drawing challenge will feature a notable Black person.

This is Bessie Coleman, who in 1922 became the first Black pilot. She had to go to France for flying lessons, though.

I have heard about her before from my experiences as a volunteer with the Museum of Flight in Seattle. The Museum is closed but I wish I could go see the women in flight exhibit to look for more about her.

I did search the Museum’s on-line archive. The only things that came up were letters, included from a man who asked her to marry him. The museum archive library has two books about her. And the museum shop has 2 children’s books.