Drawn the Road Again

Category: Built to Last

  • Kitschy kitchenettes

    Kitschy kitchenettes

    Just like the neighboring town of Manitou Springs, Colorado Springs is filled with midcentury neon signs and fabulous Googie lettering. This sign is one of my very favorites. It’s been altered a bit over the years, but the fact that a relic like this still exists in a town that’s changing and expanding at a…

  • Cue the Ennio Morricone

    Cue the Ennio Morricone

    There are lots of ways to get me to pull over and make an impromptu detour to a town I know nothing about. The best one I can think of? Name the place something that sounds like a Spaghetti Western. I’ll be there before you can yell “Draw!“

  • Get me to the church on time

    Get me to the church on time

    Of course, if you really want the feeling of sketching a cathedral…you could just go sketch a cathedral. I figure that’s just as valid a way to go about it. And considering that I scored an absolutely rock star parking space on a busy thoroughfare in the middle of San Francisco to do this sketch…

  • Spans and spires

    Spans and spires

    Cathedral Park is one of my favorite spots in Portland. It’s pretty far off the beaten path, so I don’t know how many non-locals make it out that way, but it’s well worth the effort to get there. The park is named for the effect created by the gothic arches under the span. The long…

  • Both sides, now

    Both sides, now

    Much as I love the excitement of sketching in an unfamiliar place, I also love exploring my own corner of the world. The best part, for me, is returning to the same place over and over again, and seeing it from a new angle— —or in a whole different light.

  • Colorful courtyard

    Colorful courtyard

    Today is one of those rare sunny fall days in my town—as sunny as it was the day I was in Albuquerque a couple of years ago. But in the Northwest, bright weather at this time of year means a wicked cold front—which has me missing the warmth of sun-baked adobe today.

  • Ideal, for real

    Ideal, for real

    I’m guessing you won’t be shocked when I tell you I’m not exactly the type of person who likes shopping malls. But a vintage midcentury shopping mall with fantastic neon signage…well, now that’s downright ideal.

  • Still life with skyline

    Still life with skyline

    Last week I was invited to come and sketch the view from one of Seattle’s famous houseboats (best perk of what I do: being invited to sketch interesting, hidden things!). Unlike the biannual houseboat tour, where there’s barely time to jot down a few chicken scratches on the spot before it’s time to move on…

  • Haunted fog

    Haunted fog

    Halloween in the Northwest is often a soggy affair. But while the autumn chill here is damp rather than crisp, there’s something deliciously spooky about a nighttime fog and towering evergreens. Wherever you are tonight, have a happy Halloween!

  • A room with a view

    A room with a view

    The Tailor and I haven’t done a whole lot of traveling this year, because we’ve spent most of our time since January searching for and finally buying our first home. After what has seemed like an eternity (though it has actually been a lightning-fast whirlwind!), we finally moved in a week ago. Now we’re surrounded…