Sketchy in Seattle

I’m here in Seattle with my college buddies. We’ve been friends for 30+ years and have done our share of adventuring together. I got them to join me on this one by offering up a burlesque contortionist for our collective drawing pleasure, but I know they’d have come no matter what was on the docket. We’re here for Dr Sketchy’s Anti-Art School. It’s a very cool thing that happens in cities around the world. They bring in burlesque dancers and varied performers to sit for life drawing sessions in seedy bars and nearly forgotten theatre spaces. There’s always beer and often a brief Burletta performed mid session. It’s a very cool thing. We used to go when the indomitable Shary Contrary hosted it in Vancouver. Those sessions ended with covid. Hopefully they’ll resume one day. But Seattle is still going strong, so we rented an airbnb in Belltown right by the Jewelbox Theatre and hopped in the car. It’s aptly named, the Jewelbox; a tiny box of a room with classic wood folding theatre seats on the sloped floor, heavy velvet drapes and fading sage and gold wallpaper. It’s tucked into the Rendezvous bar, which also holds a tiny speakeasy in its basement. One stop shop. We had a great dinner at Wasabi Sushi Izakaya across the street. If you find yourself there try the wasabi sliders. You will be happy.

There’s a lot of things arts and culture all around us, but truth be told we’ll probably just hit Pike Place Market and do some shopping and dining around Belltown. Sur la Table of course is on my list, and of course we need to hit The Purple Store. My buddy is having a special tux made for himself; white with a big purple hand painted whoosh up one side! You can bet I’ll be sketching him in it once its all done. But we’re armed with a sample of the fabric from the designer and are now on the hunt for sox and bow ties. If we can’t find them at a giant store that sells nothing but purple things… let’s just say I’m anticipating success.

And of course a wee time lapse of our evening of sketching…

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