This is one from 3rd St, downtown. I stood across the street, there were some workmen around blocking off part of the street to do some work. I have drawn this building before, it’s some Thai restaurant I think (I’ve never been inside) but historically it was the Bank of Yolo building, at 301 G Street. It’s from 1910, so would have been included in the centenary sketchcrawl I did a few years ago (sketching buildings from 1917 or earlier). I just like the shadows against the walls that those leafless trees cast in January. Right now, it’s February, and a big storm, an atmospheric river maybe, has been rolling through Davis since last night. Well, it started earlier this week, but today is the biggest stormiest part, and there will be a lot more wind tonight. I’ve been indoors most of the time since about Wednesday anyway, give or take a quick excursion out for fresh air, because I’ve been sick with a horrible cold. I’m feeling a lot better now, but I was in bed for a few days there. January seemed to last forever this year, and February is proving to be busy too, and I’ve not even had a chance to start it yet. My sketching productivity is up this year so far though, been filling up those sketchbook pages like its all gonna dry up. I always worry that it might, or that I might hit a wall and just not be motivated to sketch for a while. I’ve had those moments, but I can never really stop drawing. I’m definitely not taking on any commissions or side projects right now, I’m too busy with normal work. I’m organizing sketchcrawls; we had a good one at the end of January and I’m working in dates for the next couple at least. Still, I increasingly find myself going back into a shell in the urban sketching world, I don’t really interact globally as much as I used to. I don’t post to any online groups any more, just my own space. It’s such a big urban sketching world now, there are so many people, groups, communities, I tend to just gravitate to the sketchers I have known for years. I don’t teach workshops or classes, or even take part in big meetups any more, and I find myself getting very shy. My last USk symposium was Amsterdam 2019, that was fun (despite the heat), but it’s been a while. I missed out on Auckland 2023 (being in April), and I will miss out on Buenos Aires 2024 too (it’s in October, I can’t be away then). I should go to another sketching event, maybe. I will. I always get a lot out of them, usually meet and sketch with people that end up inspiring me massively. I don’t know, instead of worrying about being part of the urban sketching world any more I usually just go into my own sketchbook and sketch, and that’s what I tell everyone isn’t it? Forget worrying, just draw? Ignore the noise, just keep on sketching.