Every other Thursday; Auditioning for Queen Anne Hill

We’ve been constant visitors to Seattle for years having close friends living in Washington's Emerald City.  For three decades we’ve traveled north to play in places named Wallingford, Ballard, Green Lake, Magnolia and Queen Anne.  We’ve gotten to know their neighborhoods almost as well as we know Portland’s.  Our kids grew up together literally from birth and for all intents and purposes, are cousins.  Seattle has essentially been our third home away from home alongside Portland and Bend.

Now I’ve decided to peddle some of my work on Queen Anne Avenue.  Why not?  We love this street.  Shops, brew pubs, restaurants – it’s urban perfection and a great place for art.  Actually I think I was looking for an excuse just to paint Seattle.  The city’s hills, water, skyline and distant snowcapped mountains create unmatched scenes.   And there’s great history here.  

 

My latest work is actually part one of two. I had this idea which will be further explained next week.  I’m starting with Queen Anne Avenue as it ascends its namesake hill.  To locals this portion is called the Counterbalance.  It’s a historic reference to early street car technology.  Essentially to insure safer travel up and down the steep hill, a cable was hooked from a street car to a sixteen-ton weight positioned under the street (at the opposite end of the hill).   The theory:  The weight would “counterbalance” the street car as it went up and down the hill making it easier to pull up and brake going down. Sounds like a contraption right out of the Flintstones, but makes for great history.  Read more here:  Counterbalance History

 

To my devoted nine followers…. you’ll have to tune in next Thursday to see the complete project.  I know, I know, it won’t be every “other” Thursday but who can wait right?