A sketch a week, keeps the doctor oblique!

OK so I’ll admit I just googled words that rhyme with week and oblique is the best I could find. As a verb meaning neither at right angles or parallel to a line, a definition that seems fairly appropriate. Alternatively in describing something that is not direct in addressing the point – yep, that. I find most of my thinking is oblique.

Definitions of oblique aside the point of the title of this blog was a sketch a week. This is my new challenge to do at least one sketch a week, as a more exciting way of conveying some of the more mundane parts of my weekly routine. This week I’m putting up three sketches.

Sketch number 1 -  11^th May

The Easter Cross at Sandpoint Methodist Church. The cross is at the front of the church all year but the flowers and swags of cloth are an Easter addition. Contrary to popular belief just because I am doing something with my hands doesn’t mean I can’t listen so I have decided that on occasion I will sketch during the service. This week was Mothers Day in the US. Instead of the Pastor speaking we had a few words from four women in the church. I always enjoy hearing from other people in the congregation and these four were inspiring and it was good to hear from them.

 Sketch number 2 – 15^th May

Edgar. Edgar is the name of the flow cytometer I usually use, we have two the same so they have names, Edgar and Lou, but I usually work on Edgar. I have to change samples every couple of minutes so there is not much point trying to be productive, although I’m actually running flow whilst I type this! On Thursday I decided to sketch whilst I was working, which has the added advantage that I can watch the machine whilst doing something semi-productive. Today I am enjoying touch typing whilst I keep an eye on the machine and listen to the Belgariad (David Eddings). I’d say that’s productive. So now you can imagine where I am sitting at 9pm in the evening. I suspect there will be more  Edgar sketches to come, I spend a lot of time here.

Sketch number 3 -  17^th May

The Metropolitan Market in Sandpoint, from the Burke Gilman. This is my local supermarket, about 1 mile from my house along the Burke Gilman Trail. It is essentially the US version of a Waitrose. It is 1) expensive 2) generally good quality 3) has lots of organic veg and good quality meat. Slightly different from Waitrose it also sells a few products from around the world or predominantly the UK. I can buy a curly wurly chocolate bar for the princely sum of 1 dollar (currently 72p) or I can purchase Daddy’s sauce for $4.50. In theory I don’t shop here much, in practice I pop in frequently at the end of a walk or whilst walking home. This sketch was done on Saturday Morning with an apple fritter and caramel macchiato to hand.

Later on Saturday my landlady and I want to the University district street fair. This happens once a year. The U-district is about 3 miles from the house. The street fair included the local farmers market that happens each week. The rest of the fair (stretching along ‘The Ave’ for a dozen blocks) included lots of jewellery stalls, lots of food stalls and a smattering of art stalls. There were also representatives from the University of Washington, local hospitals, et cetera. We spent a happy sunny few hours looking around and trying samples of honey and fudge. I bought some fudge – cherry, chocolate, and pistachio. I also bought a few bits of interesting jewellery including a ring that used to be a silver spoon, and a couple of pairs of earrings that used to be tropical trees! A good way to spend a Saturday afternoon.