Category: Sonoma County

Books on Stage

Tonight Carolyn Cooke and Randall Babtkis read selections of their published work at the Books on Stage (Produced by Janet Vail) event here in Cloverdale. Carolyn’s novel, Daughters of the Revolution, was named one of the best books of 2011 by the San Francisco Chronicle and The New Yorker Magazine. Randall is a published poet, a performance art impresario, and director of a graduate writing program. After the reading, Carolyn and Randall shared their numerous insights on how they weave their writing and marriage together. After a round of questions from the audience, wine and cheese was served in the lobby. A great evening all around!

Goat Rock Beach Revisited

Headed out to Goat Rock Beach (again) to avoid the Sonoma County heat wave. Today reached 112° in Cloverdale. Beach was cool and very windy. Had to seek shelter behind some rocks to avoid the gusts from blowing my painting supplies all over the beach.

Goat Rock Beach

A near perfect day (weather wise) painting at Goat Rock Beach today. I’m still working on new techniques. The most important thing I learned is that I have a lot to learn.

 

 

 

Episcopal Church

Working in a new style today. Partially successful and partially not. But overall, I’m happy to have learned something new. This watercolor sketch is of an Episcopal Church on Broad Street here in Cloverdale.

Analy Hall, Santa Rosa Junior College

 

The Ready, Set, Sketch group met at Santa Rosa Junior College today under crystal blue skies dripping with sunshine. The biblical flood that has plagued us for the past couple of months appears to be over, a welcome change.

I sketched Analy Hall where the art department is located. It was here that I took etching class nine times and would to take it again if I could. So other than sketching, printmaking is my second artistic love.

Pick’s Drive In

Pick’s was originally opened in 1923 as a Reed & Bell Root Beer Refreshery and has been a local favorite in Cloverdale ever since. Serving much of the same menu it did when it opened, “Big Daddy” cheese burgers, french fries, grill cheese sandwiches, and milkshakes, the quality of the food as notably gone up since David Alioto (Healdsburger) purchased the restaurant last year. It’s great to see a classic independent eatery with great food and a friendly staff hold its own in this corporate 21st Century world.

I started this sketch standing across the street from the Drive In until the rain drove me indoors to finish.

Watercolor on Arches hot press paper and uni-ball Signo white ink pen.

The Cloverdale Citrus Fair in the Rain

Rain, rain, rain. That’s all we’ve seen in California so far this year. I’m not complaining though. I’d rather have too much than too little. Within reason, anyway.

Since the storm wasn’t supposed to let up for days, I chose not to let the moody weather keep me from sketching. Bundled up in a raincoat and hat, I stood without an umbrella across the street from the fair and pulled my sketch kit from a plastic bag. Small droplets of rain blurred, splashed, and dotted my sketch. But it wasn’t long before the rain picked up and I hid under the overhang of an empty building to allow the paint to dry.

Watercolors on Arches Hot Press paper.