I did this little sketch at the luncheon for the King George Art Show judge on Saturday. I couldn't resist the little red bistro set in the dappled shade of the big hickory trees. Can't you just feel that breeze?

I also just got my copy of The Art of Urban Sketching and I felt like someone had handed me a double-layer box of chocolates with no calories! I started devouring each page. This and all the other online sketching groups makes me feel like I'm part of something big/universal. Just about to a one, the artists talked about all the same things that I feel when I'm sketching--the way you lose yourself in the drawing, how therapeutic it is, how much fun it is to have people stop by to chat, and the way sketches can bring back so many more memories than just a photo does.

Yesterday I went to Belmont, the home of American artist Gari Melchers and sketched one of my favorite subjects there, the spring house. I spent about 3 hours working on this ink drawing. The scan made the left side blue for some reason, but you get the idea. It was a beautiful day and there were a lot of tourists who wanted to talk. I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

Went to the National Zoo in D.C. last weekend and remembered why I don't like zoos. All the animals looked so bored and sad. It breaks my heart. Plus, we didn't really get to see many animals because about 1/2 of the exhibits were under construction. My sketch makes these lions look like they are on blocks of ice but it was man made "stone"--I just didn't draw it very well.