Jocelyn Curry

Art & Joie de Vivre

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As a retired lettering artist and illustrator, I still create a lot of visuals and have fun doing it. My website is a place I can post and share them from my Shoreline, Washington studio in my home.

Alive and Well: Sketching Our Surroundings (at Swanson’s Cafe)

November 23, 2025

Did I need a deep plunge into a new blog site, right when such a time-consuming challenge really didn’t fit into my crowded calendar? The answer, no surprise, is “no” but at least I was able to navigate the mind-befuddling process of transferring the data from my old platform to this new, AI-enhanced version of good ol’ WordPress. My previous experience of working on good ol’ WordPress wasn’t stellar, so I’m hoping to improve my relationship with it asap. So far I have been able to upload my seasonally appropriate squash painting! But now, HOW do I get rid of “Hello World!” which was placed there by Good Ol. I’m not sure about this, but I think Good Ol’s default tips will stay on this, my First Post until I figure out how to discretely remove them without being told “This is not a good idea.” At least I got my squash up on this new site for your viewing pleasure! Happy Thanksgiving :-).

Over our nearly 15 years together, our threesome drawing group has met up at Seattle's Swanson Nursery Café numerous times when it has been "outing week" for us. With the lushly planted rockeries and soaring atrium plants above the koi ponds and merchandise fixtures here and there, a lot of sketching subjects are available while we sip coffee and share what's happening in our lives. Here are the sketches resulting from our recent visit:

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The back of a pottery display rack made a good subject for ink, ink washes and one added watercolor accent, all loosely applied.
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Painting a waterfall descending over basalt is a challenge. With simplified foliage, aqua water and minimal inklines, this sketch succeeds.
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My sketch shows a neighboring table that soon filled with brunch customers. The lofty atrium and gentle sound of water always provide a soothing atmosphere. I later wrote a note in the white space above the table and mailed it off.
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