I met a couple members of the Hampton Roads Urban Sketchers in the parking lot of The Blue Diner, in Newport News, Virginia. The diner’s claim to (historic) fame is that it is one of the last remaining diners built in a factory. (?) Apparently, also, it was moved from Woodstock to Newport News in 1963.
I know my husband’s family has many fond memories of eating there decades ago, with their grandparents. (They lived just behind it, in historic Hilton Village.) In July of 2015, the city decided to demolish the diner, but then plans were brought forward to renovate the kitchen, and that renovation was supposed to take place in 2017. There were lights on inside the building while we were there, but the place definitely feels deserted, and looks run down… the no trespassing and no parking signs completed the feeling. It’s really a piece of Hilton Village, a place I love, and I hope it does get renovated and opened again soon. If it does, you’ll find me there!
I’m the worst at seeing what to leave out, and it shows here.
The sign was incredible and I wanted to include it even if it was in a different place on the page. If they ever do reopen, I hope they fix the sign but don’t change it.
I used EEM paints, for the most part, with one Daniel Smith exception, in my Moleskine watercolor journal. (not my favorite paper, although the book is very well made… don’t get one.) I also had a chance to use my Etchr Slate Mini art travel bag. It works like an easel for field sketching, as well as holding the supplies. If you haven’t taken a look, do check them out! It isn’t a cheap bag, but is a really nice tool.
(We went to Indulge Bakery in Hilton Village for lunch… the cake wasn’t lunch. Exactly. But yummy, after the chicken salad croissant, which was also yummy. I haven’t finished this page, but thought I’d better include it now anyway.)
ThreeSixFiveArt 