Portland through the eyes of local urban sketchers

To get in the mindset of drawing Portland this summer, we are asking local artists to share their experience. We begin this series of posts with Bill Sharp, a painter and urban sketcher with an affinity for industrial landscapes. Bill got his BFA in painting and printmaking from the University of Delaware and moved to Portland in 1981.

"Having grown up in the suburban sprawl of the east coast, I love living and drawing in a small metropolis. Portland has the feel of a city but is small enough to be able to get to know it intimately. With great public transportation, bike friendliness and the individual characteristics of the different neighborhoods, it's custom made for sketchcrawling.

I'm particularly interested in industrial scenes, that don't necessarily appeal to everyone, and I like to set off spontaneously, so often end up on solo sketching sessions. Some of my favorite places to go include the NW industrial zones near or along the rivers.

Sitting on the loading dock of an abandoned warehouse with my sketchbook is my idea of a relaxing Sunday morning."

You can see more of Bill's art on flickr and on his blog Pocket Sketchbook Meditations.