Since it's warming up some, I was able to sit on my back porch and catch this view this afternoon. The sketch is for today's "Virtual Sketch-crawl" with a group I'm part of..."Urban Sketchers Midwest". I guess this would technically be a "Suburban Sketch". smile emoticon

SKETCHBOOK: "Surprise in Boulder!"

Yesterday, I arrived home after a wonderful trip to Boulder, Colorado to surprise my eldest daughter, Jenni.  She was having her first reception for an exhibit of her photographs.  I schemed with her boyfriend, Brad, to pull off the surprise, and it worked out perfectly!

Above is a sketch I did while in one of Jen & Brad's favorite coffee shops in Boulder.  Jenni spent a lot of time studying for her nursing degree.  Brad was writing on his first novel, and I was happily sketching away.  This pic of Jenni and I was in the coffee shop before we got all serious and busy.

Below is the view I had inside of "Lucile's" Louisiana style breakfast cafe.  I had a prime spot right by the front door, to greet Jenni and surprise her, while Brad coordinated the "stealth operation".  My drawing is WAY off, with the window panes...but that's the way it goes when drawing with an ink pen.

Here are a couple of pics of the reception later that evening. I am so proud of Jen for continuing to enjoy the world of photography like her Mom did.

And thanks, Brad, for making the surprise possible!  I had some quality time visiting with him while Jenni studied.

Below are a couple of sketches I did while at another of their study spots..."Laughing Goat".  I think the guy I sketched using his laptop was the owner.  I did a close-up sketch of the ceramic goat head sculpture that is sitting on the bar above the stools.  Those stools appeared to be made from curved barrel planks.  I used warm gray markers, so I could be more "inconspicuous" with my 3"x7" sketchbook.

After lunch, we moved over to the campus of the University of Colorado, for more "studying/writing/sketching" time. This weird plant was on the stairwell in the main library, and caught my eye.

This view is on the third floor looking at an open atrium where study tables were below the big windows.

It was a terrific trip...even got some snow while there to make the views all "magical".  Fortunately, the "magic melted" on my 9-hour drive home.