Sunday in Market Square

The Group

Our group got a chilly start on a November Sunday in downtown Houston. Market Square was surprisingly lively with downtown residents walking their dogs, families on the stroll and the usual downtown characters. Market Square and the area around it are the home of some of the oldest Houston buildings, which are good subjects for sketching.

Peter immediately went around the corner to draw the Old Magnolia Brewing Company Building which you see in the header. The Houston Ice and Brewing Company was built about 1910 and once occupied about ten acres on both sides of Buffalo Bayou. Floods devastated the buildings in the twenties and thirties. Bart Truxillo came along in recent years and restored the building and the Dixon building next door which you see in Peter's sketch. What a lovely old building!

Richard and I focused on another old building right on Market Square. The Kennedy Building or La Carafe dates from 1847. It leans in my sketch because in real life the building leans.

Richard

If the name Henke-Pillot rings a bell, it should. Henke & Pillot were one of the original grocery chains in Houston. This building was once a grocery store.

Chris

Young Luke also tried his hand at drawing this building.

Luke

Luke's grandfather, Tim, also tried this sketch in ink and wash.

Tim

Around the corner on the other side of the square, several sketchers focused on. the block occupied by Warrens.

Mary

Mary went for full color in water-soluble marker. The buildings are pretty colorful to start with so it was a good choice.

Judith

Judith took a step back and got a little more of the whole street scene including the guy enjoying his morning coffee.

Lucia went to the other end of the block and included the unique benches that anchor the park and the square.

Lucia

Michelle chose to do a collage:  the clock tower on the corner, a bit of Warren's, a bit of La Carafe. Nice page composition and well done.

Michelle

Another group of sketchers focused on what was going on in the park itself.

Jeff

Jeff caught sketchers Karla and Luke drawing near the Christmas tree on the lawn.

Francisco

Francisco's sketch captures the contrast between the very natural oak tree and the very geometric artificial Christmas tree.

Karla

Karla also captured a sketcher on the lawn in front of the Christmas tree. Nice details on the shadows.

Peter

Peter walked around the corner for one more sketch of a historic building. This time it was the old Cotton Exchange Building. I like the shadow effect of the tree in front.

And I decided to look UP. The sky was a brilliant blue and the Market Square condo tower made a nice contrast against the sky and the unusual cloud pattern.

Chris

We had a throwdown and then we went over to Bravery Food Hall for some lunch.

throwdown

We  will be experimenting with sketching days other than Saturday from time to time. Check in with us on FB where you are welcome to join us by answering a couple of questions OR

follow us on Instagram. And feel free to join our next sketchout.