Red nose giraffes

This sculptures are in front of a dentist office. The giraffes raise awareness of Red Nose Day.  I was very enthusiastic about sketching it until I realized that I left my watercolor set at home so I had to sketch it with pen only. I got use to finish a sketch with color on location, it took me a while to create that habit.  If I don't finish it on location,  I don't feel like to doing it once at home, the momentum or enthusiasm is gone and it feels more like an duty. I reluctantly finished this one. The lessons here are: make a donation by buying a red nose to help kids and check out you have all the art supplies you need before you leave.

Baha'i Temple with the Urban Sketchers of Chicago

I met with the Urban Sketchers Chicago gang today at this wonderful architectural building. The Baha'i House of Worship is open to the public and invites anyone of any religion to worship God, Baha'i belief in the fundamental oneness of religion. The columns are engraved with the symbols of religions. The crescent moon with the five-pointed star of Islam, the cross of Christianity, the six-pointed star of Judaism and the hooked cross (and variations) of Hinduism, Buddhism, and American Indian Religions. I have to thank to whoever chose this location as our meeting place this month, not only because this temple and its gardens are peaceful and beautiful but because I never thought a concept like this would exist. Fascinating.

Cherish Yesterday, Dream Tomorrow, LiveToday

I lost a friend few days ago. Her name was Marilyn. We met as part of an aqua class group. She was the first one who invited me to hang out with the group.  We went to bars, shopped together, we were room mates on a trip to San Francisco. She always brought me little souvenirs from her trips, which told me she was thinking of me. Sweet woman with a big heart, always happy and with a loud and genuine laugh. But what do these sketches have to do with this post? Both sketches were made within this group of friends. In the one above, she was still alive and reminds me of us hanging out at bars and the sketch below was made within this group also, at that time, she was gone. I'll miss my pal. Rest in Peace.

Donuts fight.

Don't you like uniqueness? It's always nice to still find owned family business, specially in this world so dominated by corporate. This business has been opened since 1966 and I believe it is still the original building because of the architecture style. The product they sell is the best in town and it's opened 24 hours. They were feature on a Chicago television show! My husband and I have come here very late a couple of times, close to midnight, to enjoy a cup of coffee and donuts. They offer seasonal flavors which are very popular when in season. We support the neighborhood. We don't want them out of business. We want them here for another 50 years....so the police officers do. It's a fight we must keep against Corporate-land.