The right place at the wrong time
Posted: January 6, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized 90 CommentsMy sketch story today has a moral to it: don’t paint on beer delivery day in Pointe Claire.
I chose this parking lot scene because there was some great light on the snow-covered cars in a lot facing the back entrance of a popular bar in Pointe Claire Village. A spotlight, really, on the cars, in front of a jumble of nondescript buildings. Just the kind of thing I love to paint.
About ten minutes into my drawing, a giant beer delivery truck pulled up and blocked the scene. It blocked it so perfectly it was comical. I thought I could wait it out, so I started drawing the car on the right (at the wrong size, I think, because the beer truck blocked the other cars that I was measuring against). And then I waited some more while the guys opened the truck, took out the lift to carry the kegs, loaded up the lift, went inside the bar, came out of the bar, had a smoke, and chatted.
When I thought they might be leaving, they further blocked by view by placing palettes of kegs in front of the only thing I could see, which was the car that I had already drawn (at the wrong size). And when I thought they couldn’t delay any longer because they had already brought in the full kegs and bottles, they started the process of removing the empties. I guess I had no idea how long this whole thing would take.
Here’s the sketch that I finished up quickly when the truck finally left. By the time I got around to painting it, the sharp light had changed completely and I was pretty frozen.
That’s the bad news about my sketching adventure today.
But the good news for today is that my painting “The Town” has been accepted in the American Watercolour Society’s 150th International Exhibition at the Salmagundi Club in New York City. Even if I have to cancel classes, I hope to be able to make it to New York to see the show, which is on from April 3-22, 2017.
Shari Blaukopf's Sketchbook 
Congratulations on this recognition of the excellence of your work, Shari! I wish the Anacortes gang could join you in New York to see the show!! Best wishes, Carolyn
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Hi Carolyn. I wish you all could join me too. Hope you are all well and still enjoying your weekly get togethers. Say hi to everyone for me please!
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Congratulations on your acceptance into the Watercolor exhibition!!
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Many thanks Daphne!
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What a fun post. Thanks Shari.
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Thanks Elaine!
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Congratulations on the acceptance Shari! Wonderful news and well deserved. But I think the delivery guys were trying to send you a message that you should have been in the bar celebrating rather than outside painting! Best, Tony
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Thanks for making me laugh Tony. I hadn’t thought of that, but you’re right, they probably were trying to tell me something. Even if it was 9:30 in the morning and the bar was closed.
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Congratulations! Also, any advice on painting snow on trees etc.. i keep trying to leave whites but not happy with the results. Thanks Shari!
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Thanks Maggie. One tip for painting snow on trees is to join up the snow shapes into a biggish mass of white. Also look at the shape of the snow. It is rounded at the top and flatter on the bottom where it sits on the pine needles.
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How exciting Shari! Good for you!
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Thanks Orit!
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Congrats Shari! xx
***Karimobile 514 9944433
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Thanks Karim!
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Congratulations, Shari, well deserved!
I also admire your tenacity in getting outside to sketch in all kinds of weather. I’m really enjoying your posts.
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Many thanks Luise.
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Regardless, it’s a great painting Shari and I did get a chuckle out of your story. You don’t want to mess with Canadians and their beer supply, right? Congratulations on the acceptance of your work- it’s well-earned! Happy new year! ~Tom
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Tom, you know Canadians well, I can see. Yes, please do not mess with the beer!
Happy new year to you too. Hope you are well!!
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That truck thing is always happening! A big scream (🙀Nooooo!) and then an explanation or just a nice request and they will usually move. Actually, I can’t think of a time when they didn’t. A bit easier when you’re outside and not enclosed in a sound-proof car, of course!
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Hi Cornelia, Usually if someone is parking a car I can ask them to move, but you don’t want to mess with the beer guys. They were parking on a narrow street and they needed to be close to the bar, and that’s fine. I just didn’t expect them to be there for so long!!
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Love the paintings! Love your stories almost as much. You were able to pull off a winter adventure story and successful painting all in one day….sweet success.
Congratulations on your painting headed to New York for exhibition in April. It is a beauty!
Thanks for posting, adventure stories and gorgeous art.
Bernadette
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I haven’t had a good sketching story in a long time. Glad you liked it. And thanks for the kind words too Bernadette.
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Shari, wonderful story of the beer trucks and your tenacity! Congratulations on the Watercolor Exhibition at the Salmagundi Club, a great tribute to an amazing artist. Got to get you to Florida!
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Thanks so much Laurie. Florida sounds great to me now. It was -18C when I woke up this morning!
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Congratulations, Shari, on the AWS selection.
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Many thanks Robert!
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Congratulations on being accepted into the watercolor exhibit! Sounds very exciting! I love “The Town” and hope you can attend so you can see it in the show.
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It is very exciting for me Susan. This is a show I’ve wanted to participate in for many years, so it was quite a thrill to receive this news.
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Laughed out loud at your dilemma ! Delighted at your well deserved honor!
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Glad I made you laugh Dee. Thanks for writing.
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Sorry about your sketching mis-adventures, but congratulations on the exhibit! That was one of my favorites from your year past!
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Thanks Jean. I was so happy it was one from Rockport!
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did you have a beer to celebrate? 😀 Congratulations to you! NY in April should be beautiful weather.
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I’m not much of a beer drinker, especially in Montreal in the winter, but later in the day I sure did have a glass of wine to celebrate. Thanks Lois!
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I actually think it’s good the car is the “wrong size” because it keeps the car from being the focus of importance. I really like how it turned out. Beautiful!
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I hadn’t thought of it like that Kevin, but you’re right. It may have been a bit overpowering at the right size. Thanks for writing.
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Ha ha.🙂 Brrrrrrr. Congratulations!
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Thanks Julana.
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“in the American Watercolour Society’s 150th International Exhibition at the Salmagundi Club in New York City”. . . WOW!! THAT IS TRULY AWESOME!! I’m so thrilled for you, Shari. You’ve earned it.
Love the story about the beer truck, and frankly, the painting is amazing, in spite of your obstructions. . . 😀
(Hot damn. . . AWS 150th International Exhibition at the SALAMAGUNDI CLUB IN NYC. . . HOT DAMN, GIRL!)
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You’re very funny CheapkLady. Thanks for making me laugh.
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CONGRATULATIONS, Shari !! Your painting deserves to be in that Show / very prestigious & well earned many paintings over
As for this one, you should’ve joined them inside for afew rounds and by then they’d have moved their truck for the icicle Artist 👨🎤
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Thanks Soni. Everyone keeps telling me that but I think the bar was closed. It was only 9:30 in the morning!
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Congratulations, your work is great and deserve it,
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Many thanks Birte!
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Just want to add my dittos, amen and hurrays to all the well-expressed comments! You make Canada look great!
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I ditto your dittos!
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Thanks Suzanne!
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Thanks Gayle!
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Hilarious story! Congrats on AWS acceptance! What size was the painting?
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Thanks Ellen. This is a quarter sheet of watercolour paper (15″ x 11″).
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Congratulations. You did an excellent car park sketch in the circumstances.
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Many thanks Doug.
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Great to see the photograph of the scene and how much more lively and interesting your painting is. Patience was rewarded! It is another truly beautiful piece of work.
Congratulations on being accepted into the Salmagundi Club exhibition. A much deserved honour.
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Thanks Trevor. It really is an honour for me, and I really do have to find a way to get there for the show even though the timing couldn’t be worse. My students will be having their end of year vernissage at that time as well as going off on various internships. But I will find a way to get there because I can’t miss this.
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Congratulations 👍👍 well deserved. It’s a fabulous painting. The bad news painting is not too bad either 😀 in other words it’s great.
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Ros, you are very funny. I am not unhappy with the other painting, just would have been better if I had more time to see what I was painting.
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Ah Shari, you could turn out a masterpiece with a blindfold on 😀
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Tenacity and humour: great qualities for an artist. Congratulations,
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Many thanks Anne!
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Congratulations on your acceptance!! That is awesome!! 😆😀
And brilliant way of seeing positivity in a day filled with disruptions! 😊
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Thanks so much Kristen.
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Congratulations, that is wonderful news Shari . I do love both paintings and goes to show you patience prevails .
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Great to hear from you Diane. And I’m looking forward to seeing more of your sketches on FB. Thanks for the congrats.
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congratulations. I love the view with the kegs, too.
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Thanks Stacey!
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Wonderful news about acceptance in AWS and powerful piece. Congratulations!
Sent from my iPad
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Thanks Garry!
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Wonderful news! We’ll take such news any old day!! Congrats!
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We will take this news any day. Many thanks Helen!
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😅 Shari, please paint on delivery day, Groundhog Day, and any day that presents you with challenges or obstacles!
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Very funny Suzanne. Thanks.
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Everything has been said but I have to add my congratulations. And I love the painting-Don’t know if it was worth it for you with frozen hands but it is for me. You not only teach painting but you teach that being patient pays off.
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Being patient gives you very cold toes. Mine took all day to warm up after that adventure.
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What is a vernissage? Thanks. And ,Shari, I enjoy your replies and that you take the time to do so many.
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Congratulations on your acceptance into the exhibition! I’m a bit sorry the kegs didn’t make it into the final sketch… Maybe next time?
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Congrats on your acceptance. I almost always get into the city to see the AWS show, especially when I know people who are in it. Your story about the beer delivery truck made me smile. That happens often and then I think it seems to take a lot longer than you thought it would. I was thinking about you earlier. I am in Maine and there is a view from one of the windows here in my sister’s house that would be the perfect view to paint if it had snow on it. Luckily it is snowing now…so I’m hopeful for a good “Sherry snow scene” for tomorrow. 🙂
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Shari,
Very interesting post. And congratulations on being accepted into the AWS exhibition. That’s quite an honor. I think you’re as good a watercolorist as there is so to me it’s a no brainer.
It’s been very cold here in Northern California so I can imagine how happy you are that the days are getting longer and Spring is on the way.
Tim
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Yeah, I am so excited for you! I love all your work, but I can see why this one made it ‘big time’. Keep painting…you inspire so many!!!
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Many thanks for your good wishes Billie.
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“My sketch story today has a moral to it: don’t paint on beer delivery day in Pointe Claire.”
Or you could specialize in sketching beer trucks. That’s a crossover art book if ever there was one.
Congrats on the exhibition invite. You really do inspire a lot of us to try bigger things.
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Bravo Shari! I’m so pleased for you.
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Congratuoations! Any special reason for choosing that painting in particular?
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Hola Shari, Te deseo que tengas un buen año 2017.
Pintar tiene estos inconvenientes. Empiezas a pintar algo y la situación cambia, porque el sujeto de ha ido, o porque el tiempo ha cambiado. Creo que a todos nos ha pasado esto con frecuencia. Pero tu habilidad en pintar, suple estos inconvenientes y… en este caso, con paciencia, lo has resuelto perfectamente. Bravo!!
Y con respecto a que han escogido una pintura tuya para la exposición Internacional nº 150 en el Club Salpicón de NY, te felicito.
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Congratulations Shari!
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I hope it will be fine tomorrow.
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Thanks!
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Congratulations Shari… well deserved! Wonder sketch , I enjoyed reading about it.
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Congrats!! I like the way you captured your chosen scene, no matter how hectic the behind the scenes (or front of the scenes, technically) were for a while. The textures and the contrast in the painted product look great! 🙂
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Hey Shari, I’m a long time online student and have a comment and question about the gouache blogs from a few weeks ago. Loved your work, but I have been flummoxed for about a year trying to get good gouache results in landscape painting. (I’ve painted with Daniel Smith Watercolor on all sorts of paper for at least 12 years and have been pleased with the vibrancy of the pigments.) Gouache has been a struggle and I just realized part of the problem…student grade gouache vs WN designer’s or Holbein. I did your skies class a log time ago and was frustrated by how dull the colors are in the finished paintings. Lately I’ve done some Mike Hernandez landscape classes and the same thing happens…dull colors…mud…layering not successful. I can’t sent you a photo here, but am wondering how good your Royal Talens set is. I’d rather spend more and really learn the colors than keep struggling with cheap product. Comment PLEASE! Sara in Seattle.
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Hi Sara, Good question. So far I’m enjoying the Royal Talens gouache. This new set is split primaries plus a white and black. No earth tones at all, so few opportunities to make grey. Here is one thing I learned in my recent experiments with gouache: I always start with the darker colours and try to wait until later in the painting to add white. That keeps the colours bright, and keeps them from getting chalky. Did you see these posts: https://shariblaukopf.com/2023/03/05/no-grass-to-mow/
And https://shariblaukopf.com/2023/03/03/friday-homework/
I need both of these I painted the darks first and then added the lighter colours.
Here is my mixing chart from the Royal Talens set: https://shariblaukopf.com/2023/03/16/gouache-day/
You can see how bright the colours are before you add white.
I forget what Mike Hernandez uses but I watched one of his classes too and his colours are so bright.
I have not used student-grade gouache but before this I used mostly Winsor & Newton which I liked a lot.
Another thing I try to do is use lots of paint on my brush. If I dilute the paint it gets muddier.
Does that help?
Shari
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