Porto, Portugal 2018

It was an early morning in Portugal when I sat on a narrow stone stoep across from this small café just as it was coming alive for the day. A woman swept and washed the cobbled street around me and graciously brought me a chair to sit on while I sketched. Three young (and handsome) trashmen smiled at me as they entered the café. An older woman, with a weather-hardened face, appeared with her soft-spoken husband. She was definitely in charge of the café and perhaps the street too. When the trashmen returned they laughed out loud upon seeing I had included their cart in my drawing. I lingered awhile, not wanting to forget any detail of the Porto story that unfolded in front of me.

This is the first sketch I enjoyed while sitting along a wall waiting for the workshops to begin. Many sketchers all around me from all over the globe. A friendly woman from Seville approached me and without a common language we bonded over our love of sketching. We continue to be Facebook friends!

The heat of the day, and my serious sore throat, didn't diminish the beautiful experience of sketching within the James Richards workshop. I will be forever grateful for this engaging teacher who not only gave me insights into his work but also the huge value of how to conduct a sketching workshop.

And, this lovely afternoon is embedded in my memory... a sidewalk café, a cool glass of wine, my sketchbook and the hoards of tourists passing through my scene. The architecture around me has endured all of this chaos —just waiting in stillness for me to capture it.