This week in The Pearl – August 28, 2025


Busy week, but not a lot of art, still found time for a sketch or two though, as one must. It is easier when I am traveling. Some days we just hang out at home, cook, read etc. so the scenery doesn’t change a lot. The big highlight of the week was on Saturday. Lisa…

TheTravelsketcher’s Tuesday Tip – August 26, 2025


If your sketches are looking flat the dark areas are probably too light; the dark areas give depth and interest, don’t be afraid of them. I am revisiting the issue of getting the dark areas right. In other posts I have revealed that for most of my art life I was afraid of getting the…

This week in The Pearl – August 22, 2025


This week? Food, Urban Sketching, a birthday, chatting with friends from France – all good. Last Friday after posting our blogs we headed to the Yamhill Valley for lunch and a wine tasting. First stop, Dundee Bistro for lunch. We first went to the Dundee Bistro about 15 years ago, before we knew that Alexis…

This week in The Pearl – August 8, 2025


Our week was a bit slower paced, with just enough activity to make it interesting, as well as a lot of cooking. Last Friday we had salad for lunch, always a favorite, we usually construct our own, here is mine. There are a few foods that sound good to me, that should work, yet when…

This week in The Pearl – August 1, 2025


One year a go today we moved into our apartment in Avignon. Tricia has posted many times about Avignon, here is my post from our first week there – it is hard to believe all that has changed. It was a good week here in The Pearl and beyond. Though I have been an Urban…