UW Arboretum Sunday May 2nd 1-3pm - First Sketch Date of 2021

 We will meet for our first of the year sketching meet up at 1pm in front of the visitors center.  There will be lots of visitors there to see the blooming trees, etc but there is plenty of space to sketch safely. If it is raining or rain is likely we will meet the following Saturday at the same time and place. Look forward to seeing you all again and any new folks who want to join us are always welcome.

Sketching at Holy Wisdom Monastery and the International Crane Foundation

Holy Wisdom Monastery in Middleton is  a wonderful place for plein air painting.  (Just remember to spray for ticks!) I did this pastel sketch yesterday sitting by the pond.  There were some Buffleheads and Wood Ducks on the pond and 2 Barred Owls were very nearby calling to each other.  This is a hardbound sketchbook so if you use charcoal or pastel with fixative it won't smear when you close the book.  Wirebound sketchbooks are more likely to smear. The paper has some tooth to it and holds pastel fairly well. 

While I was sketching I met an amateur photographer who is on the staff at the International Crane Foundation near Baraboo.  He said they will re-open May 1st and that they have had extensive renovations.  It is also a good place for sketching or plein air painting and they have given me permission in the past to paint there.  He said they were limiting the number of visitors due to Covid so if planning a visit he recommended registering for it on their website:  https://www.savingcranes.org/

 

Pastel on tan toned Stillman & Birn sketchbook

 

Spring Time Sketching and Farewell to Group Administrator

This week we learned that Ruth Manning will be leaving us soon for a move to New York.  Ruth has been an administrator for several years and has had a great impact on the group, keeping it going and bringing in new members.  Ruth is a terrific fiber artist as well as a superb example of what urban sketching can be.  She will be very much missed but has promised to keep in touch on our Facebook page and we look forward to seeing her sketches from her new home.  

Thanks for everything, Ruth and I hope you can find another community of sketchers in your new home town. We will miss you very much!!

 Soon I will be posting dates for sketching meetups here and on Facebook.  I will always do a new blog post for anyone who wants to get an email of new posts.  Just sign in on Follow by Email in the left hand column of this post.  I'll also do posting on Facebook and our meetings will be on that calendar, too. Look forward to seeing you soon.  Please do post any of your sketches here or on Facebook as we love to see what our members are sketching.  Hopefully the weather will be consistently warm so we can meet together again safely outdoors.  Take care,  Pat