Little group, big fun

It was just three of us at Waimea Valley on this rainy Sunday but it was still really enjoyable. We got to leisurely stroll the grounds of the park, mostly alone as the crowd of tourist made a b-line to the waterfall.

Christine, who has been there too many times to count gave us a guided tour on the best spots to paint. There are so many great areas of inspiration from nature. It seemed like every turn was picture perfect.

It was Bill’s first time visiting Waimea Valley. It was too crowded for his liking when we finally arrived at the waterfall. But the walk there was full of foliage and beauty even in the rain.

I was originally intending to paint the lily pond near the entrance but later we decided to paint at the waterfall because there was some protection from the rain and a nice place to sit.

Christine sketched on her phone while I struggled with capturing the waterfall with damp watercolor paper from the rain. Thankfully, we turned the morning into a teachable moment where Bill showed me how much darker I need to take my colors to show the depth of the waterfall. I’m still very timid in my art. But I am learning!

Even though it was just the three of us on this sub-Urban Sketching Sunday, I loved the feeling of being totally immersed in my art. That experience is priceless.

Sweet Sketching at Sweet Land Farm

Got a little worried driving to Waialua this morning with all the rain we’ve been having. But when we got there…

Abolutely gorgeous. Green grass. A little drizzle. Beautiful red barns. And the most adorable goats! 

For all the new sketchers, you picked a good one. Sweet Land Farm is a picturesque best kept secret in Waialua. I hope everyone had a nice time sketching in the country and immersed themselves into this adorable family farm.

If you missed it, please enjoy browsing our photos. 

Don’t miss our next event!

In partnership with AIA, our next event is April 24th at the historic YWCA in downtown Honolulu. AIA will be celebrating architecture month with events throughout April and we are honored to be invited to celebrate with them on the 24th. We’ll post more details in a few weeks.

Ready, Set, GOAT!

OMG. I’m so excited about our next sketching event. I hope you will make the drive to Central Oahu because I assure you, this is a GOAT one!

I recently visited Sweet Land Farm and I fell in love. First of all, the property is beautiful. Open pasture with red barns. Adorable plantation-style housing which are recycled from Schofield Barracks. And best of all, hundreds of the most adorable goats!

Please note, that we are moving our sketching time to 9am, with group sharing at 11:00 so that you’ll have extra time to walk around. Please bring your own chair. As we will be on private property, please be respectful to the farm and people around you. Wear a mask and remember to social distance.

About Sweet Land Farm

Sweet Land Farm is a certified goat dairy in beautiful Waialua. The property is 86 acres of old pineapple fields in Waialua on O’ahu. They currently have 160 lactating goats that are milked twice daily. The goats will give on average 3/4 to 1 gallon of milk per day.

Currently, Sweet Land Farm is opened to the public every Saturday 9am to noon. They have a little farm store that sells farmstead goat cheese, homemade caramel, soaps, lotions, goat-loving t-shirts, and other goat-inspired products. I encourage to check out their products. Support local!

Directions from Honolulu

Best way to locate Sweet Land Farm is to use google maps on your cellphone. Address is 65-1031 Kaukonahua Rd, Waialua, HI 96791. https://goo.gl/maps/86LUqgrmS8RkxawV9

Travel north on H-1. Take H-2 to Wahiawa. Stay on Wilikina Drive, until it turns into 803. Travel on 803. After you pass Hawaiian Earth Products on your left, take the next left. There should be a sign that says “Goat Cheese for Sale.” Travel until the fork in the road. Turn left. There is plenty of grassy parking near the structures.

If you plan to attend, please email us at uskoahu@gmail.com by Friday, March 19th with your name and phone number. We will retain the list for contact tracing purposes. Also, please read this previous post regarding Guidelines for Urban Sketchers Chapter Gatherings.

I hope you will join us for a fun day of sketching on the farm. This is going to be a good one!

Looking Back at 2020

One thing is for sure. No one will forget 2020. We survived COVID-19, lockdowns, furloughs, unemployment, the 2020 election, and more. Through it all, Urban Sketchers was the bright spot in my long year. I hope it was for you too.

Thank you to everyone who sketched with us every month. A special thank you to those who joined us for virtual sketching during both lockdowns. Your dedication to urban sketching is commendable.

As we say aloha to 2020, we gladly welcome 2021 with optimism and hope.

Best wishes and happy 2021,

Terri, Bill, and Christine