The DC Sketches - November 2017 #5 Navy Memorial

What a DAY!! Went to brunch at Teaism downtown on 8th St, and when I was done I made a hard right out the door, headed for the National Gallery of Art. I only got as far as the Navy Memorial, which was empty of people and bathed in sunshine. It was quiet enough to hear the music of the water flowing over the cascade, and the fountains were sparkling in the sun. I didn’t get any farther for the next hour, just sat, sketched and enjoyed. Someone had left a floral tribute next to the sea bag of the Lone Sailor’s, one of my favorite public bronzes. 

The DC Sketches - November 2017 #4 Calder Room at the NGA

My first stop of the day was the newly remodeled and reopened Calder Gallery in Tower #2 of the National Gallery of Art. So nice, so inspiring. I was just afraid to tuck my pencil away and get out my pen, for fear the (very lovely and nice) guards would call me on it. Had to wait til I got home to use the illicit ink and watercolor. Spent the better part of my morning in the new galleries in the NGA - Rothko, Frankenthaler, Close, Thiebault, Warhol, Pollock - the moderns, my favorites!!!!

The DC Sketches - November 2017 #3 Henry, the Rotunda Elephant

While Genna had to go back to work in Chicago on Monday, I had the first of two wonderful Days on the Mall. Stop #2, drawing #2, in the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. I finished this one first because I was a rebel and snuck my contraband pen out after I’d finished with my sketch in officially sanctioned/approved pencil and completed the line drawing in ink on site. A no no. I added the evil, banned from all museums, watercolor after I got home. I love Henry, and he looks fresh and clean again, but I think I liked the old diorama he used to stand in better. Not happy with the “high tech” setting they’ve got him in now.

The DC Sketches - November 2017 #2 - Monument Sunset

Gracie and I went to the out-of town preview performance of Tina Fey's "Mean Girls" at the National Theater in downtown DC. Buzzing along on 14th St. in our Uber, crossing the Mall, I happened to glance over at one of the most beautiful sunset skies I've ever seen - stripes of red and yellow against cobalt blue, with the Monument in silhouette against them. I nearly had an attack trying to get a photo to sketch from, and it was pretty much a fail. Gracie thought I was nuts, but I got enough to sketch this from photo and memory. 

The Washington DC Sketches - November 2017 #1 - Gent House

I traveled again to Arlington, this time to spend Thanksgiving with the kids. I took all my sketching stuff, especially my "tiny kit", the one that fits in my purse. I figured to get a lot of use out of it. Surprise surprise, the joke was on me. None of the museums allow sketching with wet media - pencils only (or some pen, if you rebel and sneak one out so the guards can't see you.) Anyway, this sketch is the first one I did on the trip, sitting outside my daughter's house on the corner of the front yard.  A little chilly, but bright and sunny. I especially love their happy new yellow door.