Urban sketching--at Harley-Davidson

Saturday morning at the Harley store is a contemporary cultural event not to be missed:  Black leather jackets, a half-acre of chrome, a light-jazz trio setting up by the coffee counter.  And the sight of some 100 gleaming motorcycles on a showroom floor is, to say the least, overwhelming --at least for this artist.   Where to begin?

In the showroom at Harley-Davidson  --  a  watercolor by R.J. Lane

I found a quiet corner near the parts department and focused on a mountain of fiber-glass and steel, all rigged out for an interstate tour.  I set up my stool and table.  I soaked the paper with a background wash.  While it dried, I slithered through avlabyrinth of motorcycles and sequined touring T's to the coffee pump.  Leaning on the counter, sprawled on the sofas, kicking tires (figuratively--who'd want to be responsible for tipping over a dozen shining Harleys?) were a score of afficianados.  None seemed like the cast of a Brando-Marvin movie.  Conversations were quiet.  Beards, if any, were trimmed.  I felt as old as I am, and as out of date.

The watercolor went well enough, for plein air.  Until I was too far along with the colors to correct it, I hadn't noticed my perspective was way out of whack on the luggage box.  Not to worry, another sketcher told me:  Nobody will notice, and if they do, they won't care.

Well, I care!  But I left the sketch with one of the salespeople, and she seemed to be pleased with it.  They'll have it framed, she said, and put it on the wall.  No glass, I responded.  Not on a watercolor!  No glass, she promised.

There were 10 of us at this monthly outing of Tacoma Urban Sketchers.  Afterwards, a couple of us went a half-mile north to the Pick-Quick Drive-In for polish dogs.  Dining out in the plein February air!