We spent most of this week in Newberg cat sitting for Alexis & Joe while they went north for a wedding in Seattle and a few days on San Juan Island. We went out for a couple of meals, but didn’t cook until yesterday when we were back home.

This week was not conducive for “serious art” – whatever that is. I saw an Instagram post about the importance of daily sketching, no matter how quick and I agree 100%. Sketching keeps our eye-hand coordination sharp, but it is also, for many of us, a form of meditation.

When I started sketching and painting many years ago I always had to have something to look at, but over time, after hundreds of sketches and paintings, you begin to have catalogue of images in your imagination to literally draw from. Here are a few pages from my journal and one from a small sketchbook I most always have with me.

The lamppost and tree actually qualify as an Urban Sketch, proving they do not have to be complicated.

This week’s sketching encouragement is not so much about capturing the moment, but taking a moment to do a quick sketch of something each day. I use my fountain pen but a pencil would work just as well. Time should not be an issue, all of these each took less than five minutes, and we all could use at least five minutes of diversion per day. Remember this is not about producing a masterpiece, it is about slapping some lines on a page. As always I would love to see how it goes for you.

Thank you for following, it means a lot. Tricia posted more about our balloon adventure, with more great photos, check it out.