Julie Ferrario's Fine Art Journal: World Wide Sketch Crawl #15

LOS GATOS, CALIFORNIA

I decided to try something new. On Saturday, August 25th I joined in a

What is this?

It is a day devoted to sketching in new places. Through seeing it posted on the web with a community of artists, I thought I might want to join in somehow, but on my own level. I suggested to Amy at CMP that this could be something other listeners might want to join in on.

So...it was a slow start for me. Finally the day was clear for me to be free (didn't know my schedule due to soccer confusion), however I was going to have to go it alone. What a procrastination bug I had...my dh had to almost boot me out the door because I was dawdling around feeling uncomfortable for some inane reason or another.

I finally get going, with enough supplies to paint a town! I convinced myself that I needed to stop by Longs Drug Store because I needed a pair of sunglasses (yet another silly dawdling ploy). While I was there, I just picked up a few needed items. See below in my car trunk the TP! Aye-yie-yie!

(Oh yes I decided to document the day no matter what happened!)

You take this bridge over the freeway to get to Forbes Mill, my first stop. I forgot it is decorated with children's art murals. Fun to see and notice on my sketchcrawl day!

This sign should have clued me into the traffic I was about to see on such a beautiful, sunny Saturday morning. As you can see on my sketch page below, many people were enjoying the day in the best kinds of ways.

STOP #1: FORBES MILL
Here I am with (I took pictures of myself too) my new sketchbook planner. There wasn't a great place to sit with a view I wanted to sketch, so I sat on a curb in the shade in the parking lot.

Needless to say...when I got up....yee-ouch!

Here is what I completed in about 40 minutes. I decided to make 3 stops in the time I had, so I needed to keep moving on. This is an 8.5" x 11" sheet of watercolor paper.

(you can click on the photos here to see a larger version)

Later the next day I added the watercolors at home. I just didn't have enough time while sketching. I just had the best time and felt totally comfortable. Something I hadn't expected at all. These spots I found were historical, beautiful, and I easily found things I wanted to sketch.

Do you think in 1854 there were people stopping to sit down and make a cell phone call, or jogging with their children in a stroller, not to mention the bike riders speeding by.

I can imagine an elderly woman trying to get some much needed fresh air and exercise.

I can imagine families walking and talking together.

I can imagine dogs.

STOP # 2: LOS GATOS HIGH SCHOOL