The New Houston Farmer's Market

Michael Jap

The new Houston Farmer's Market doesn't quite have the funky vibe of the old Canino's, that's for sure. But as new vendors arrive and the spaces get rented, there is still a lot to see and buy at the market. And the crowds seem to be picking up too. Michael Jap captured the distinctive front of the market in this sketch in gouache.

The group

Ten sketchers showed up to draw this time. We dispersed to all the corners of the market and got right to work. Sketching in a public place is a funny thing. It can be intimidating for new sketchers, but something I heard James Richards say on the Sneaky Art podcast struck me. "If someone walks up to you don't shoo them away.... be open to a conversation, ...but more often than not they're going to look over your shoulder and they're going to see that building you're drawing and look up....and they're going to see things they never saw before..." Francisco definitely made a new friend with the sketch you can see in our header. Even a food truck makes a good subject.

We're getting bolder as a group about drawing people.

Chris

The young flower vender was selling what she referred to as "violets" in a stand just brimming with green plants and other flowers. She was doing a lively business. I liked that she stood still for long periods. And she liked my drawing enough to take my picture. Another friend made.

Alana came along with her mom and decided to sketch the sketcher.

Alana

Carlos always installs himself on a stool in a convenient spot and sticks to that spot. This spot was out of the way, but the action was constantly changing. (and his spot got a nice cross-breeze on a hot day) Here are the workers trotting back and forth with hand trucks loaded with produce boxes.

Carlos

Robert

Robert got the crowd bustling along behind the mango vendor.

Rona

The posture of Rona's subject suggests a caption: "Decisions, decisions".

Judith

Judith's vendor is selling pineapples, nopales, coconuts, mangos and some nice cold  Topo Chico to wash it all down.

Francisco

Francisco's second drawing is a snapshot of the point-of-purchase. Gracias!

Lisa

Lisa drew the stall of another of the plant vendors using watercolor pencils.

Lucia

Lucia's subject was lost in thought. She kept the colors simple and the ink line as well.

Liz

Liz chose the outside of one of the new buildings for a study in colored pencil.

Chris

My first drawing was in the very back building of the market, where the vendor has tables set up very much like the old Canino's. I couldn't resist all the brightly colored peppers.

Carlos

Carlos painted one entire booth using spots of color to suggest the produce and simplifying the background. This makes the two figures pop out.

The throwdown

Of course we had a throwdown before everyone left with a discussion of materials and tools and sketchbooks. And a few of us went on to lunch. Michael drew his lunch...well part of it.

All in all a successful sketchout and a good day.

Michael

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