At the end of May, I attended Sketch Dubuque, a regional gathering of urban sketchers in Iowa. Having never been to Dubuque, my hubby and I packed our car and joined friends for a wonderful weekend of sketching and connection. Using a Sailor Fude pen, watercolors, and white Posca pen for highlights, I was in sketcher heaven!
We enjoyed dinner and then live music at Dolph’s (Gary Dolphin’s Iron Bar) in the historic Millwork District. I sketched the drummer Jimmy, as he was preparing for his set. He is looking at his phone. Later after his set, he was excited to take a photo of the sketch I had completed. I taped a piece of my Over 21 bracelet into the sketch.
Saturday morning found us at the Farmer’s Market, literally outside our window down on the sidewalk. We could see food trucks lining up, and early risers walking around. After a quick breakfast and checking in with friends, I eventually found an area with vendors, picnic tables, and plenty to sketch, including a brick building that was being torn down. Families came and sat and ate at the table I was sketching at. You can see some ladies in the lower left corner. I got a sticker from a tent and added that into the right corner.
After talking with a new friends from Madison, I meandered up the main street looking for more to sketch. I sat down near a stand with plants on it and curious girls who wanted to see what I was doing. I liked the view of the building our AirB and B was in (I purposely made it lean right), and the busy street scene. I worked fast and loosely.
In the afternoon, we went to Cable Car Square (not Canal Square on the sketch). This business area was at the foot of a bluff with a funicular that you could ride up and see the whole city of Dubuque. After riding to the top and looking around, I was ready to come down and get to business sketching. I chose a brick home, and sat in the driveway of another home to sketch it. I liked the rain gutter snaking down the side, and the cluster of signs and cones by the fence. Once again, I bent reality in this sketch, to make the building a little lopsided and quirky. I think it’s more fun this way!
Finally on Sunday, we had a morning sketchout at Eagle Point Park. I was dubious as to what I’d sketch, since it had started to rain on the way there, but after a park tour of the Frank Lloyd Wright-esque prairie architecture created by Alfred Caldwell, and a visit to the area with waterfalls and trickling water, I was hooked! I sat in quiet tranquil peace and sketched vegetation and running water, while birds chirped, and the rain eased up.
Before joining up with other sketchers at the end of the session, I sat at a picnic table with the parking lot above me up a small hill. Another family had brought a little camper hitched to the back of their car, and I loved the angle of it peeping over the hill. I did a quick sketch of it too:
If you ever get the chance to visit Dubuque, do it! It is a beautiful town with many things to see and do. My hubby entertained himself by going down to the river, looking at other buildings and displays, and enjoying the new view into this river town. I met many wonderful people, ate good food, and enjoyed sketching a new place. I would definitely go back!