shiver me timbers! the swashbuckler’s ball

November 24, 2013November 24, 20132 Comments

Last weekend I put on a big hat and dressed up as a pirate, as you do. It was in Portland and I was going to the annual Swashbuckler’s Ball, a big party for pirates at the Melody Ballroom. And boy, were there some pirates! I was amazed at the incredible costumes, the level of dedication all the pirates went to was most impressive. My own costume (despite my amazing hat) was of the more subtle variety – but being a pirate is fun!

Of course, I sketched. I first sketched the Portland pirates last year at Dr. Sketchy’s. Also sketching was fellow pirate sketcher Kalina Wilson; her work is incredibly good. I personally was struggling a bit – drawing pirates who keep moving about is pretty tricky. I felt oddly self-conscious of sketching people armed to the teeth with swords and cutlasses (only joking), so I kept it quick, and here are my results. I did enjoy sketching the view from the back of the ballroom (see below), though I did the lettering and shading afterwards. In fact apart from the painted backgrounds, I didn’t get my paints out at all, just stuck to the penwork. The music was great, (Chervona, Abney Park, and another band whose name I have forgotten but who appear in the sketch above) and got a lot of pirates dancing. Even I danced, which may surprise you. Whenever I was struggling to sketch, I would wander off and dance. Below is an attempt at sketching dancing pirates. I did manage a couple of quick individual pirate sketches, to which I added my own observations on the type of pirates I thought they might be. Lots of pirates reminded me of other people – there was one guy who was the spit of Richard Attenborough, a very jolly face, while another reminded me a bit of Ivan Vanko in Iron Man 2 (I think Mickey Rourke would make a really good dastardly pirate). There were pirates of all ages and styles, and one or two Jack Sparrows. The pirate I drew in the green sketch below (who is probably a lovely gentle pirate) actually reminded me of the sort of villainous pirate you’d get in old BBC kids shows from the 80s. I really wish I had had the courage to ask a pirate to pose for a sketch, just for a couple of minutes, but I am a lily-livered land-lubber, so that didn’t happen. I stayed until all the music was done, and then walked home, dressed as a pirate, back to my hotel. I certainly enjoyed being a pirate for an evening, and will surely do this again (but next time I’ll sketch on an old yellowing rolled-up maritime map, yarrr). I’ll build up my swashbuckling look. And my pirate lingo too, say “be” instead of “am”, learn all the insults, get a parrot etc.

Incidentally…you can order a print (or even a mug) of my Swashbuckler’s Ball sketch from the Society6 website at http://society6.com/PeteScully/Swashbucklers-Ball-Portland-2013_Print.

To find out more about the Swashbuckler’s Ball (and hey, see you there next time!), visit their website at: http://www.swashbucklersball.com/ YARRRR!!!!

wealth of nations

November 2, 20134 Comments

A couple of weeks ago, I went downtown on a Saturday evening (nursing an injured leg, having pulled my groin playing football) and saw a local band called Wealth of Nations playing in the E Street Plaza. An excuse for some night-time sketching, and to listen to some good music. I had sketched the singer David Hafter before at the Farmer’s Market a couple of years ago, he has a great voice. I had happened across the band earlier in October while passing Armadillo Music and recognised his voice as I was passing by, so popped in to listen and to sketch (see below; the whole band were playing but the drummer was hidden).

frankie and the fabletones

June 21, 2013Leave a comment

On Wednesday after work, which was nice and mild and not at all hot (I wish it would stay like this!), I went to Central Park in Davis for the Wednesday Farmer’s Market / Picnic in the Park. I was off to see Man of Steel that evening (very good movie; should perhaps have been called ‘Man of Who’s-Going-To-Clear-Up-All-This-Mess’). Before then however I wanted to see the local band Frankie & the Fabletones, who were performing their 100th gig. They played a selection of popular oldies (I really liked their version of “Leader of the Pack”) and even had a guest spot from the Mayor of Davis Joe Krovoza, who sang an Al Green song, “Take Me to the River”. One of the group’s lead singers is well-known and much-loved local artist Heidi Bekebrede (if you’ve spent any time in Davis you will have seen her ceramic work), who was also celebrating her birthday the next day. I sketched near the front, where little kids were dancing (not in the picture), along with the lady I sketched with the castanets. I didn’t have space to sketch the whole band, but there were at least a couple more members (some other time!). My wife and son came along for a while; he liked the music, drew a couple of race tracks in his sketchbook and then went off to the bouncy houses. This whole sketch took under an hour start to finish. I forgot my little water jar (again) but thankfully my wife had a little purse-mirror thing & some water, I didn’t want to use the waterbrush again. I always feel I have to sketch quickly when watching bands, as you never know how long they will actually be on (or in a certain position) but thankfully they did let us know. And I LOVE sketching to live music, it really helps the rhythm.

all you need is music, sweet music

May 13, 20121 Comment

On Wednesday, after all the various rehearsals, it was time for the Dance Dance Davis flashmob. It was hot low 90s weather, Picnic in the Park was in full swing, alongside the Farmer’s Market, and Jenny Lynn and her Real gone Daddies were providing upbeat 1950s rockabilly music. I stood to draw them (above) as the crowd of people on the green in front of them grew bigger and bigger… at 6:15pm, Jenny asked if everyone was ready to Dance Dance Davis, and then started their “Bang Bang” song, as a couple of hundred people fell onto their backs and started doing an upside down bike ride dance, before launching into the main routine itself. Over the space of about three minutes I tried to capture the crowd below; not easy!! It was quite the spectacle, and even though I think many of the non-dancers were expecting it, it was fun watching the surprise on the faces of those who were not.

Here are a couple of good videos of the event:

I See Davis: “Surprise for Davis” (see if you can spot me sketching)

Davis Enterprise: “Dance Dance Davis Flash Mob”

Well done to Shelly Gilbride and Public Dance Acts for realizing this event! It was fun to sketch.

putah creek crawdads

October 14, 2011October 14, 2011Leave a comment

I’m taking advantage of the amazing October weather, and last Saturday after a nice breakfast downtown with my family (I gorged myself on cinnamon roll french toast, oh yeah) I went to the Farmer’s Market for some sketching. I don’t get there to sketch very often so it was a good opportunity. There was a band playing very old-style songs, they were called the Putah Creek Crawdads and it was lovely music to listen to while sketching. Some of the songs, old folk songs, I hadn’t heard since I was a kid (when they were sung by old Irish singers my mum used to listen to). I drew them from behind, facing the market itself, as it seemed to be an interesting angle (and I had somewhere to sit in the shade). I showed them afterwards, and though I didn’t have space to fit all of the musicians in (there were six) I think they quite liked it. They’re next playing at Ludy’s Main St BBQ in Woodland on Friday October 21, so if you’re in Woodland, check them out.

Putah Creek Crawdads

thank goodness for speed sketching

May 18, 2011May 18, 20115 Comments

Last week was the annual UC Davis “Thank Goodness For Staff” lunch event. It is always scheduled on a windy/sunny day in early May, so that it can coincide with my allergies being at their worst. Mine, and everyone else’s. I took my sketchbook with me this year, as my colleague Erica was going to perform another of her excellent self-penned songs (she’s an amazing singer). It was an exercise in speed-sketching; there were only about three minutes from start to finish to capture her, and subsequently it doesn’t look that much like her, but we learn by trying. I also tried to sketch the UC Davis chancellor, Linda Katehi, addressing staff and thanking goodness for them. Again, doesn’t look like her but you get the idea. she was actually on the stage, but I drew a close up, over the picture of the stage that I was drawing when the other performers were playing.

I sketched some others which were even briefer (didn’t bother scanning), and then two dancers took the stage in colourful Latin American costume. Cuban dancing, it was and they started to move about at a whirlwind pace. My wife said, you won’t be able to draw these. Challenge accepted – and I’m pleased with the result, because this is pretty much exactly as it looked to me, colourful, fast-paced and a lot of fun! anda again, only aboutthree minutes to do the whole thing. Must do more drawings like that…

saturday’s alright for sketching

May 16, 20114 Comments

The sketchers of Davis (and nearby areas) got together again last Saturday for the sixth ‘Let’s Draw Davis’ sketchcrawl. About thirteen of us gathered and spent part of the day sketching around the Davis Farmer’s Market, and Davis Central Park. It was the same day as the Tour de Cluck, hence the sketch of the woman with that chicken thing on her head. I sketched some of the other sketchers; above are Marlene, Jenna, Victor and Alison (though it really looks nothing like her; I haven’t quite mastered that angle yet!). I need to sketch people for practise, and have been practising lately. I also a local singer David Hafter, whose version of Leaving on a Jet Plane was really brilliant. There he is below, with the guitar.

Also singing in the park, above right, were the cast of Tommy, currently playing at UC Davis. They performed six of the rock opera hits, and were largely brilliant (the two singing above certainly were, though I did a bad job of the uniformed man’s face). I don’t know why they sang Pinball Wizard in such Mockney accents though, as Roger Daltrey never did. Still, you should go and see them, it looks like being a very exciting show.

And here is Allan, who I have sketched before on recent sketchcrawls, sketching cherries at the Farmer’s Market. Below, how it all looks on the page, for those who might be interested …

More to come!

a thousand things i wanna say to you

April 20, 2011Leave a comment

Valencia Street is full of art and artists, drink and drinkers, food and eaters, and interesting folk. Strolling down on the way to Mission Comics and Art I was striuck by these great message posts up and down the street, places where people can post their flyers without getting all over the telegraph poles. Each was decorated with a different colourful headpiece. A little further down, some Mexican musicians were taking a break to tune up their instruments, so they got sketched as well.

Mission Comics and Art on 20th is a great store, one I had not been to before but whom I follow on Facebook. I had a good nose around there, and loved the gallery of Mission comic images at the back. I wanted to get one of Joey Alison Sayers’s zines; I love her stuff, it is hilarious (see her site here) but have had bad luck finding her zines (and I gave the first one I bought years ago to my nephew). When I met her at her stall at SF ZineFest last September, I had already spent most of my money on other (less interesting) zines so only bought one then. I was pleased then to find another one at Mission Comics, “Just So You Know”, which was a lot of fun to read on the train home.

And then into Mission Street itself. It’s a little bit rougher here, but it’s funny, because it reminds me of London a bit, Kilburn High Road or somewhere. Not the Latin-American feel – you can’t get good proper Mission burritos in London, for sure – more the rough edges. Definitely not the palm trees. I sketched the old Mission theatre, and then a corner shop. I wasn’t finished sketching for the day, but it was time to go and meet up with the other sketchcrawlers at Dolores Park… (to be continued)

sketching rita

January 20, 20112 Comments

So here are the sketches I did at last week’s Friday ArtAbout, during Rita Hosking’s performance at Armadillo in Davis. I was amazed at her music, it reminded me how much I love country/folk music. She is a singer-songwriter from northern California, who lives in Davis. She plays all over, though, and in fact toured the UK last summer. After a very busy week, I found it really relaxing listening to her and her band, Cousin Jack, while sketching (and as you know I’m trying to practise sketching musicians, as I’ve always found it tricky). People were coming up to watch me sketch as well, and because some of the younger audience couldn’t see what I was sketching, I sat on the floor. From that angle I was able to sketch looking up at the fiddler, Andy (see below).

Check out Rita’s website and Facebook page. Her music’s great!

By the way, my prints are still on display at Armadillo Music for the next few weeks, so pop down and have a look at them.

you read me like an open book

January 17, 2011January 17, 201117 Comments

Friday was fun!

I exhibited some of my sketchbooks and prints at Armadillo Music in Davis as part of the 2nd Friday ArtAbout event. Having just come back from London, and being in the middle of a massive amount of work, I didn’t have much time to prepare for it but decided that what I really wanted was to show people the sketchbooks, and have a few Davis-centric sketches blown up into prints. As always with me, deciding which to show took forever, but I settled on a few select images, and chose Moleskines #4, #5 and #7 (the current one), along with the Davis accordion moleskine, the fire hydrants sketchbook and the ‘How To Save the World’ sketchbook as well.

The event was highlighted by an hour of live music from the incredible Rita Hosking and her band. Rita is a Davis-based country-folk singer-songwriter, who recently won best country album at the independent music awards, and it wasn’t hard to see why – her music was utterly beautiful, reminded me of why I like country music, and after what had been an incredibly busy and stressful week, standing there sketching and listening to that music made me feel totally relaxed. I’m honoured to have been on the same bill.

My artist reception was straight afterwards. A lot of people came for that, a surprising amount, many of whom I knew, plus some who had seen me on Urban Sketchers, plus some who were passing by. I had leaflets ready talking about ‘Let’s Draw Davis’ (sketchcrawl on Saturday!!) and Urban Sketchers, plus many of my new Moo cards (some of them are of Pele). I talked, and talked, in fact donkeys in Davis no longer have hind legs, I talked so much. I hope some of it made sense. It was great though, to enthuse about urban sketching and micron pens and what not. I enjoyed showing kids my waterbrush and letting people watch me sketch. I met some great people, and hopefully got a few people interested in drawing Davis (again, sketchcrawl on Saturday folks!).

Many thanks to Melanie at Downtown Davis Art About and to Josh and co at Armadillo Music for arranging this event. And to my wonderful wife Angela for your support (and for taking these photos), and my son Luke for saying “daddy! that’s what you drawed!” every time we pass a fire hydrant. And thanks to everyone who came along, I really appreciate it. Cheers!