A quick sketch of the exterior of the South Shore Plaza in Braintree, Massachusetts. It was a rainy and windy day and this sketch is from the comfort of the car even though I had to twist my neck to see this view. Pilot Falcon fountain pen with Noodler’s ink and Pelikan watercolors in a Stillman and Birn sketchbook.
Another afternoon trip to Cape Cod before we head over to our friends house for dinner tonight. Lisa wanted to go for a walk and do a little shopping downtown Falmouth, Massachusetts. I decided that I would enjoy relaxing and sketching in a little French boulangerie on Main Street called Maison Villatte. This pen and ink drawing is from a small table looking towards the windows and street beyond. Lamy Safari fountain pen with Noodler’s black ink in a Stillman and Birn sketchbook.
Friday night with friends at our favorite local sushi restaurant. Sushi Joy is located in a strip mall in Plymouth, Massachusetts and they have wonderful sushi, Japanese and Chinese food. Everyone that works there are very nice and we know the bartenders very well. Pilot Falcon fountain pen with Noodler’s black ink and Holbein watercolors in a Beta series Stillman and Birn sketchbook.
A quick sketch of the sunset tonight over Providence, Rhode Island. I took this photo from the highway as I was heading to the airport for a pick-up. not a great photo or sketch, but it did capture the feeling. Faber-Castell Pitt pens with Pelikan watercolors in a Stillman and Birn sketchbook.
A quick sketch tonight of our fire wood in a red tub next to the burning fire. Faber-Castell Pitt pens with Holbein watercolors in a Stillman and Birn sketchbook.
One more watercolor sketch of the bouquet of white flowers that I gave to Lisa. Alstroemeria, mums and roses all in their finest winter whites. Pelikan watercolors in a new Stillman and Birn sketchbook.
On the coldest day of the year, I bought an all white bouquet of flowers for Lisa to warm up the house and to think of spring. The Alstroemeria are a beautiful white flower with streaked with purple. The leaves are alternately arranged and resupinate, twisted on the petioles so that the undersides face up. The leaves are variable in shape and the blades have smooth edges. The flowers are solitary or borne in umbels. The flower has six tepals each up to 5 centimeters long. They come in many shades of red, orange, purple, green, and white, flecked and striped and streaked with darker colors. There are six curving stamens. Pelikan watercolors on the last page of a Stillman and Birn Beta sketchbook.
Plymouth’s lobster pot Christmas tree has to qualify as one of the most New England things ever. This tree is on the town wharf and is decorated with lobster buoys, lights and is topped with a lobster and American flag. Lamy Safari with black Noodler’s ink and Holbein watercolors in a Stillman and Birn sketchbook.
A beautiful drive today on to Cape Cod. It is a perfect winter day, 40 degrees and plenty of sunshine. This fence and beach grass are on the path from the parking area to the beach across the dune. The colors were wonderful in the low angle late day sun. I decided to sketch in pen and ink in that the wispy grasses are very difficult to capture quickly in watercolor. Faber Castell Pitt pens in a Stillman and Birn sketchbook.
Ned Point Light is a historic lighthouse on Ned’s Point Road in Mattapoisett, Massachusetts. The light was built in 1838 at a cost of $4,500. The stone from which was built was all found nearby. There are 32 granite steps which lead to the lantern that are cantilevered without the use of mortar. The original stone keeper’s house was loaded on a barge The light was deactivated from 1951 to 1963 after the land was sold to the town of Mattapoisett for use as a park. The lighthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. This was sketched from a photo taken by my niece Mallory of the sunrise on New Year’s morning. Faber-Castell Pitt pens with watercolor in a Stillman and Birn sketchbook.
A SKETCHBOOK ODYSSEY 