Hello, from the Sketchy Traveler newsletter. A mostly bi-weekly newsletter on drawing and life design. Excited to have you join us! If you are enjoying this newsletter consider becoming a patron to help keep this newsletter financially sustainable.

This last week in Oregon, we found ourselves on the edge of the heat dome over the southwestern United States and enjoyed 70-degree weather. I took this fluke of global warming as a chance to go drawing at one of my favorite gardens in the local area (Hendricks Park Rhododendron Garden). This got me thinking about the gardens I would like to draw this season, and I thought I would share some tips on finding your perfect drawing spot this spring and summer.

Public Parks

Local parks are a great place to start. While parks are often not as manicured as a garden, they can provide some great landscape drawing opportunities such as practicing atmospheric perspective. In the United States, Olmsted parks are particularly beautiful. Frederick Law Olmsted launched the family firm with his design for New York City’s Central Park in 1858 and over the next 100 years Olmsted and his sons designed hundreds of parks around the United States. As a result, no matter where you live in the United States you can often find an Olmsted park near you. The Olmsteds drew inspiration from English landscape gardens with sweeping lawns interrupted by bushes, trees and follies that draw you through the garden.

In the Pacific Northwest, some Olmsted parks include:

• Volunteer Park, Seattle, Washington

• International Rose Garden, Portland, Oregon

• Seward Park, Seattle, Washington

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Public Campuses

Public campuses (universities, capitals, etc.) are also a great place to go drawing. Like parks, they often have sweeping vistas interspersed with buildings and interesting structures to draw. One reason for the look of public campuses is that the Olmsted firm also designed many public campuses around the United States. Public campuses are also great places to draw as they often host demonstration gardens, particularly if they have a horticulture or landscape design program attached to them.

In the Pacific Northwest, some great public campuses include:

• University of Washington, Seattle campus

• Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon

• Washington State Capitol Campus, Olympia, Washington

Opportunities This Week

Lunchtime Sketching Social

Wednesdays, 12pm-1pm

Open drawing time with minimal instruction to sketch, share techniques and meet other artists in Corvallis. A subject and some basic materials are provided. You are welcome to bring your own materials and subjects to draw too.

 Register: https://tinyurl.com/loganbingle

The End is Only the Beginning

Wow, you read all the way to the end of the newsletter. This is the end of the newsletter, but only the beginning of your journey. Here are some potential next steps:

• Become a newsletter patron and help keep this newsletter financially sustainable

• Register for a 1:1 coaching session or come to the open drawing time

• Purchase a print or commission me to do a drawing for you