The Oriental (Denver, CO)

Fun USK meetup off Tennyson near the Highlands. We were at the Angry Gnome bar/restaurant. I was sitting in a seat that looked out an old garage door and saw the Oriental Theater. The color contrast on this and the framing of the garage door is what interested me. Also enjoyed the company with this gang. 

 

Metal Chicken and Wagon (Wolcott, CO)

 

This was another sketch from my Memorial Day trip with my family. Where we were staying (the house on the right which is another blog post) also housed a winery. I had stopped drinking about six months earlier, so I didn't want to hang out at the winery while my family was tasting/imbibing. 

I started doing this sketch later in the day. My brothers were getting a private tasting. My mother walked back from the winery and decided to hang out with me. The altitude and wine had gotten to her, plus she and my dad had had a disagreement. 

I don't usually have an audience, but my mother was fascinated by my process - especially once I stared adding the water soluble graphite. 

Wolcott Farmhouse (Wolcott, CO)

 

Sketching is a great way to remember events. This was done right after my whole family had been Covid vaccinated. My parents, brothers and their families (except one of my sister-in-laws) all got together for a Memorial Day trip to the mountains. We rented this big airbnb place and spent a long weekend together, as a family, for the first time since the pandemic started. 

My nephew, the youngest of us all, was totally throwing frisbees all over this lawn all weekend. My eldest daughter had her drivers permit and wound up driving us most of the way out to Wolcott, a little town near Eagle. I did some scouting that weekend of the Colorado River (the 'Radie') which I wound up solo backpacking a couple weeks later.

I had just received a couple of fountain pens before the weekend (an early Narwhal and a PenBBS) that my Dad tuned for me that weekend - he wound up buying a Narwhal and becoming friends with the CEO of the company! 

Doing this sketch was one of the first times my extended family got to see me working on my craft. 

Aquaduct Hike (Tabernash, CO)

Backpacking training hike. Did 11 miles. This was about my halfway point where I stopped for a rest. Tried out a skinny A5 watercolor pad.

 

Practice Practice Practice (various)

sneaky art

5 minute sketch

Lego man (artistic liberty)

 

Argo Mine (Idaho Springs, CO)

Driving the I-70 corridor, you can see several old mines. This is the Argo Mine in Idaho Springs. 

I was coming home from a trip to my cabin and wasn't quite ready to return to 'real life.' This wasn't the first time I stopped to do a sketch before going home from a quiet weekend on my own.

There's a little rest stop in Idaho Springs which gives you a view of the mine. I've stopped at this rest stop several times since it has a bathroom and the fishing in the middle of town isn't bad. When there is traffic, this is a great spot if you have young kids or just need to stretch your legs. 

 

Casa Bonita (Denver, CO)

Wife had to get an endoscopy during Covid, so I had to wait nearby. Why not do an iconic structure.

 

Tombow - Not So Sure About These (Arvada, CO)

Tried some Tombow markers. As much as I love bold colors, these are not forgiving like watercolor.

 

BNSF (Denver, CO)

Looking to kill time one day and did this sitting in my truck (not sure I was legally supposed to be there since it's a private rail yard...). I was experimenting with a steering wheel desk that worked well. 

Definitely had a hard time with the tower. However, this was great practice to do a future piece I did with cranes. So many angles and so much detail. 

 

Hey this is a Farmhouse (Arvada, CO)

There's still a little farm country near Ralston Valley High School. Cold day, but got to use my steering wheel desk. 

My new steering wheel desk even fits in my Mini!