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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (March 20, 2015)
FRIDAYEXTRA ! The Daily Astorian Friday, March 20, 2014 Weekend Edition JOSHUA BESSEX — The Daily Astorian Seen through a cracked window, Anna Lee Larimore paints a still-life scene of a horse at Vintage Hardware. NO MEETINGS. NO AGENDAS. NO RULES. This group just draws T hey sit spread out in chairs throughout the space as comfortably as if they were in a living room. Some have easels, some prop sketchbooks on their knees, but all are intently studying a subject they have FKRVHQ LQ WKH YDVW DQWLTXH¿OOHG FDY- ernous Vintage Hardware store. Between chests of drawers, signs, tables and sundry other items, 11 art- ists have gathered to simply draw or paint. “No meetings, no agendas, no rules,” laughs Christi Payne, one of founding members of a loose-knit group called Draw — A group for drawing. Since its inception in 2006, the number of participants has more than doubled, surprising her that the idea of gathering a few people togeth- er to draw has taken on a life of its own. “This is an inclusive group,” Payne says. One doesn’t have to be an artist. “If you want to draw, you can draw.” The group meets every other Thurs- day at predetermined places, such as the Liberty Theater, Coffee Girl, Shively Park, Pioneer Cemetery, etc. On March 12, Becky Johnson, co-owner of Vintage Hardware, wel- comes the drawing group that fell in love with the store’s former space in the Astor Hotel. Many of the artists DUHKHUFXVWRPHUVDQGWKH\¿QGEHDXW\ in the new location where the displays change often. “We have a very vibrant business,” Johnson says, adding that 98 percent of the inventory is local and people appreciate the artistry and repurposing items to make them useful. “We are honored and thrilled that JOSHUA BESSEX — The Daily Astorian Noel Thomas ponders his painting of Anna Lee Larimore during a drawing session at Vintage Hardware March 12. ‘You just kind of hone your craft — like a fisherman finding a hot spot.’ everything in the design,” Fitch says. “You can use artistic license — leave things out.” — Penny Treat Marga Stanley Marga Stanley is drawn to a strange creature built from found objects, cre- ated by Sue Darms, another group member. Stanley says she chose this subject because she likes Sue and likes fun stuff. “And all my work is whimsi- cal,” she adds. “This is a wonderful place to draw. They’re so nice to let us draw here, to offer us this.” artist they come here. Their renderings are beautiful and delightful,” she says. THE ARTISTS AT WORK Bill Fitch Bill Fitch, one of the founding members, sits studying a bright red “Antiques” sign on the wall in Vintage Hardware. Propped on his knee, is a sketchbook. But looking at the pad, RQH QRWLFHV KH OHIW RXW WKH ¿UVW FRX- ple of letters in the sign, but included many objects on the shelves below as he sketches with water-soluble graph- ite. Like a photographer choosing a composition, he frames his drawing as he likes. ³, ¿QG LW¶V EHWWHU WR QRW LQFOXGH See DRAW, Page 3C TAX SEASON SPECIAL Now thru April 15th 15% Off ON ALL FURNITURE Appliance & Home Furnishings Hours: MON-FRI: 8-6PM SAT: 9-5PM SUN: 10-4PM 503-861-0929 529 SE MARLIN AVENUE , WARRENTON, OR “We Service What We Sell”