March 16, 2013

Last Day in London

The sketch above is of our hotel. Nice place. Huge! But the large-ness of it did not diminish its cuteness. Our room overlooked the courtyard and on this day, the very grey sky.

Took a bus trip and a walk in the rain to get to The Orangery for afternoon tea. Which was WONDERFUL. We couldn't figure out how they packed so much flavor into those tiny tiny sandwiches.



 Good tea, too.


 Beautiful interior.


Here's The Doctor. He travelled with our travelling companions Brian and Max, who took pictures of him everywhere we went, so we figured he needed to be in my sketchbook, too.

We said goodbye to our friends that night, who then travelled on to York and Edinburgh. We flew back to Memphis the next day. Back home to buttermilk biscuits.


March 15, 2013

London Day 5 - Light Sketching Day

Light as in not very much, not as in, you know, light.

Toby and I spent half the day at Harrod's. I love going to fancy department stores in other countries - it's like a contemporary museum where you can touch everything! It's also like a museum because I knew I wouldn't be leaving there with anything.

Our favorite part was the Writing Room - full of fountain pens and leather bound journals. I touched everything in that room.


Why yes, I did do a little sketching in the bathroom. The bathroom was absolutely gorgeous, these art nouveau tiles were really amazing, I added the color later, and no (Richard) I did not touch anything in this room.

Went to dinner at Le Bouchee with most of the group, but Toby's cough had started at this point so he missed it. Too bad, it was a really delicious meal.



March 14, 2013

London #4

Went to Covent Gardens - it was a neat little place with all the shops and the cafes and the street performers. We sat in a lovely spot and listened to some musicians and ate lunch under some nice big blankets. I had my 2nd or 3rd or 4th bowl of potato and leek soup.


I did not draw in every curved line of the ceiling - just fill it in with your imagination.



That night Toby and I went on a date, but ended up sitting in giant chairs that we couldn't scoot up next to each other, and sitting under the speaker, so I just ended up sketching as usual. I really amused myself with this one, though.

(click images for more detail)

March 13, 2013

London Day 3

The coffee shop downstairs at the hotel. I got Toby a full English breakfast. To go.

The guy at this shop is super nice, and I met other nice people there during the week.


I had a museum day all to myself, so I took the bus to Trafalgar Square - to the National Gallery!


These kids were SO CUTE. They were all splayed out on the floor of the gallery, drawing the art.





This sketch is not to scale! The column in the center is really quite tall - I sketched it first, then everything else around it. It was very warm that day, so the square was hopping. People everywhere - so much to see and hear.


Since I knew exactly where I was going on the way back, I sat on the top of the double decker bus and saw ALL OF LONDON! Or all of it between Trafalgar Square and the hotel.

That night Shannon and I went to an art opening for Ann-Marie James, who had done an artist residency in Memphis with Lantana, when Shannon and I were on the board. We introduced ourselves to her and she seemed confused, but happy to see us. It was a great show, and packed! Not bad for a Tuesday night.


Later we went to dinner at St. George's Tavern. Had great fish and chips, and I finally got to use my red watercolor pen to paint the ceiling!


I demanded that Brian continue to look at his phone while I sketched him. "Don't look up!"

(click images for more detail)

March 12, 2013

London Part 2

I knew I'd be sketching over the course of the day, so I wanted to loosen up at breakfast - just a quick little sketch. I also noticed this bottle of something called "HP Sauce" - not sure what it is. Harry Potter sauce?


Got a little ambitious with my first tour sketch - just Buckingham Palace, that's all.

The tour was awesome - our own personal tour guide and van. We saw everything!

Our second stop was Westminster Abbey, below, then St. Paul's below that. Also the Tower of London.









We all went to dinner at Grumbles (after naps, of course). To accommodate the seven of us, they put us in a tiny wood-paneled room by ourselves. Cutest place ever! I had fish pie.

March 11, 2013

We Went to London! Part 1

JUST got back from London Saturday night. It was a fantastic trip, and I have it all documented in a sketchbook! I took a Stillman & Birn Beta Series book and wow, that paper is something else - so heavy! It was a great choice, and at 52 pages it was just enough for a week-long trip.

Started sketching before we even took off from the Memphis airport - that's my luggage on the left (I pack light).  On the plane I learned what high altitude does to those ink-filled water-brush pens. It makes it want to all come out at once!



Obligatory plane sketch, while a bit bleary-eyed.

Below that is later that night, after a lovely lunch at a Spanish restaurant called Goya, and after a big fat nap. We had a really wonderful dinner at Top Centre Curry - these are the papadum condiments. Best papadum I've ever had!

(click images for more detail)



March 05, 2013

New Orleans #4

View from our hotel room on the last day.

March 04, 2013

New Orleans #3

This is also from Jackson Square. The top one was some quick sketching of some craziness going on with that devil guy and a woman telling him a weird story while sharing her beer with everybody.

Later Toby and I sat in Jackson Square and people-watched as I made a more relaxed sketch.


March 03, 2013

New Orleans #2

I've started this new thing of using different colors of pens for different pages, just like I do when I take notes for work.

This is the Louisiana State Museum in Jackson Square. I parked myself for a few minutes while having some alone time.

March 02, 2013

New Orleans #1

We've been doing some traveling! Went to New Orleans with almost all of my in-laws to celebrate an aunt's birthday. Boy did we have fun! This was from the first of many meals - this one at Mr. B's.



March 01, 2013

A-1 Key Shop

Poplar Ave, Memphis, TN - best in town

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