Underwood/Pridmore House, built 1940...restored 2012

The Underwood Home in Lubbock, Texas was designed in 1940 by Hal O. Yoakum, a Dallas Architect.  It had been vacant and neglected for many years until Tim and Melissa Pridmore purchased and restored it in 2012.  I am fortunate to be have been selected to design and implement the landscape enhancements and restoration.  Congratulations to the Pridmores for preserving one of the iconic and historic homes in Lubbock!  (sketched on location in pen and ink/watercolor)

Drive-by sketching?

I've probably driven by Covenant Hospital 1000 times in my life, but this morning I had a few minutes to kill between meetings so I decided park into an adjacent parking lot and sketch it!  My goal was to capture the essence of an architecturally complicated hospital complex and to do it quickly.  I needed to decide what the iconic view of the hospital was, compose and simplify the sketch and then execute the sketch.  Beginning to end...55 minutes.  I'm not sure how successfully I accomplished my goal, but I sure had fun!  I'm trying to get better at seizing opportunities to hone my skills when they come along...

A formal introduction.....

 Well...I guess it is my turn to formally introduce myself.  My name is Tim Oliver and I am one of the seven current contributing correspondents for Urban Sketchers-Texas.  I am a native Texan, born and currently living on the plains of West Texas in Lubbock.  I am a graduate of Texas Tech University, a licensed landscape architect and own a design/build practice here in Lubbock.  I have an exceptionally beautiful and patient wife as well as three wonderfully above average children!  My wife is the love of my life as well as my biggest fan and supporter.  My oldest son currently serves in the US Navy, my daughter is employed in an architecture firm in Houston and my youngest boy is a senior in High School, headed to Tech next fall. 

I've always loved to draw and sketch but really discovered my passion a few years ago when I attended a "Sketching on Location" workshop by landscape architect and illustrator Richard Scott in Pasadena, California.  It was there that I became familiar with the incredible worldwide group of location sketchers known as Urban Sketchers.  I am extremely pleased to be a part of USK-Texas and hope to faithfully fufill the manifesto of Urban Sketchers by showing you Lubbock and West Texas "one sketch at a time!"

Sketching The Buddy Holly Center

No visit to Lubbock is complete without a stop at the Buddy Holly Center in the historic Depot Entertainment District.  Housed in the old Ft. Worth and Denver South Plains Rail depot building, the Center features a permanent exhibition dedicated to the life and music of Buddy Holly.  It showcases unique memorabilia donated by the family, friends and fans of Lubbock’s favorite son. The Center also houses the Texas Musicians Hall of Fame and the Lubbock Fine Arts Gallery.  Visitors from far and wide love to pose for a quick photograph next to the the iconic metal sculpture of Buddy's trademark horn-rimmed glasses.  

I sketched this on location in pen and ink with watercolor added later in the studio.

Pioneer Hotel-Downtown Lubbock, Texas...a grand ole gal coming back to life!

The landmark Pioneer Hotel, which opened as The Lubbock Hotel, was built in two stages.  The building stood six stories when it first opened in 1929. The remaining five stories were added in the early 1930s.

The 83-year-old maiden - who still casts a large shadow in downtown Lubbock - has proven again that age-old adage they don't build them like the used to.

Inside this 11-story structure, where tons of structural steel meet even more concrete, construction workers toil away - framing dozens of luxury condominiums while working to preserve and restore the Pioneer's memory-filled ballroom, lobby and historical mortar artwork.  On the third floor, work crews have been busy restoring the original ballroom that will contain both a banquet area and service facility.

Restoration efforts are also taking place on the ground lobby floor area, where an original staircase leading to the ballroom will be given a makeover and where new retail space will be opened.  "There are just some incredible views since we opened this up with nice ceiling heights and solid concrete between the floors," said Mike McDougal of McDougal Properties about the $10 million-plus project.

McDougal eventually intends to construct three - three-bedroom units; 20 - two bedroom units; and four - one-bedroom units ranging in size from 900 square feet up an eye-popping penthouse measuring 2,800 square feet.

Lubbock Area Veterans War Memorial

The Lubbock Area Veterans War Memorial was dedicated in 2003.  It is the largest veterans war memorial in the United States outside of Washington, DC.   It was built by a dedicated group of volunteers and it's construction cost of over a million and a half dollars was raised through the sale of engraved bricks and private donations.  My dad and uncle's bricks are in the panel to the far right....

The sketch was done on location with pen and ink with watercolor.

Cool saturday morning in the Depot District

 Enjoyed a nice morning sketch down in Lubbock's Depot District.  This area south of downtown Lubbock has developed in recent years into a vibrant "night-spot".  Named because of it's proximity to the old train depot(now the Buddy Holly Center), the area encompasses several city blocks of former industrial/agricultural retail stores, offices, warehouses and machine shops.  People are now attracted to the district for it's retaurants, clubs, theaters and art galleries.  After a hopping friday night of football weekend(Texas Tech vs. Texas A&M) revelry, the only "happening" place this morning is Brown's Barbershop!  Brown's is a long time fixture on Buddy Holly Avenue and Richard Brown stubbornly refuses to join the mass retail exodus to southwest Lubbock.  Three chairs...no appointments!  Just grab a copy of Field and Stream, enjoy some barbershop talk and wait your turn!

On location pen and ink w/watercolor wash

Let's go sketching!

Let's go to the fair!

"Horses and wagons line the dirt roads of Lubbock - a fledgling city incorporated only five years ago but already boasting a population of approximately 2,000. Farmers gather around the town square, comparing prize pumpkins and sheaves of grain, discussing farming methods and the prospects offered by the wide open spaces in fertile West Texas. Their wives and children mingle nearby, making new friends, swapping home remedies and recipes, playing games - generally in awe of the sights and sounds of "the big city."
That was the scene unfolding nearly a century ago. The Panhandle South Plains Fair was drawing city and country folk together and helping Lubbock earn the nickname "Hub of the Plains" - an improvement over "the city that shouldn't be," as Lubbock was originally called, because of its isolated location and lack of major cross country highway links. The Fair and the city have grown almost simultaneously since those humble beginnings. Today, the Panhandle-South Plains Fair is known as "The Granddaddy of West Texas Fairs," and ranks second only to Dallas's State Fair of Texas in attendance and continuous history.
The first Fair was held in the fall of 1914. There were no fairs held during the World War II years of 1942-45. The annual extravaganza of today bears little resemblance to the first Fair, but one tradition remains firmly intact: the goal of the Fair, which is to strengthen community ties within our region and promote growth and prosperity throughout Lubbock and its surrounding communities.
From:  http://www.southplainsfair.com/pages/about/history.php

Introducing....Lubbock, Texas!

Lubbock, my home town, is located in northwest Texas...350 miles west of Dallas/Ft. Worth...120 mile south of Amarillo.  Our poulation is about 225,000.  We are the home of Texas Tech University, birthplace of Buddy Holly and right smack in the middle of the largest cotton producing region in the world!  We are known for big skies, beautiful sunsets, cold winters, hot summers and spring sandstorms.  Autumns are great!  This is a pen and ink/watercolor sketch of our skyline...If you're ever in the neighborhood, stop by!  I'll buy you cup of coffee.