The Ladies Go A-Sketching

Aikya Param, Patricia Robinson and Dale Wolfe

Patricia Robinson, Dale Wolfe and I -- all three students of Sketchbook Skool -- met to sketch together at John Muir House in Martinez.  The property is a small National Park. That seemed very appropriate since Muir is called the Father of our National Parks. It is off the road right in the midst of downtown Martinez. On arrival, I drove right past it and had to turn around and retrace my route.

Patricia and I visited for a while and then went inside the house to explore every room up to and including the attic and bell tower.  Bells were rung to call family members and workers back from the fields. There is no bell in the tower now but it does provide a great view of the surrounding area.  The parlor and office are probably the most impressive rooms.  I loved the large iron stove in the kitchen.



Needlepoint of Muir House

There is an elevated train track not far from the house and a very long freight train rumbled by on the railroad trestle while we were sketching. Helen, one of Muir's daughters was a train enthusiast and decorated her bedroom with images of trains. Muir's younger sister was an artist and I delighted in her paintings form nature on display in the house.  Patricia found a self-portrait done by Muir himself.

We loved spending time with others who enjoyed sketching as much as we did. Of course, curiosity demanded that we check out each other's traveling paint kits and sketchbooks.  We told about the teachers we had especially liked and the students who had also contributed so much to our learning by sharing their knowledge.

Absorbed in rapt attention, we spent over three hours in front of Muir House, an elaborate Victorian in the Italianate style.  Patricia and Dale completed several lively sketches. Awed by the entirety of the structure, they opted for sketches of details first and then both did a sketch of the entire house.  I started with the whole house, trying to assess the relationship and size of its parts and sketched so painstakingly that I had only made a good start.  Dale and I stopped as the evening breeze picked up in earnest.  Patricia had left us earlier since her daughter needed to use her car to do an important errand.

I'll have to return to work on my sketch some more. The silliest thing I did at home in the morning when starting out was to be so excited to meet two Sketchbook Skool students that I left the little bag with all my pens and waterbrushes home.  Thanks goodness I was able to borrow a pen and pencil from Patricia!

Our next idea for sketching together is the Lindsay Wildlife Museum.