Cafe Characters

Walk into a local cafe and you may find Cat Wilson sketching people. Why? Practice.
Working with people has been her passion for many years. She watches and listens with a spiritual ear. Drawing is her joy.
Enjoy some of her sketches. Keep in mind that these are created in short spurts of time. (Look for the time hidden in many of them.)

Cafe Characters

Imagine watching Cat sketching nearby patrons. When she is done, she asks their name, introduces herself and hands the sketch to them to keep!  She explains her desire to practice drawing and that she felt privileged to draw them today.
How would you feel if you were one of these people? Some people smiled, took the picture and walked away. Sometimes Cat ran out the door and handed it to them. Some people got loose before she could catch them, which means she has a few pictures in the portfolio.  She photographs them prior to handing the picture off.

Tools for Sketching

Cat pulls out her tools – sketchpad, pens, iPad, and orders a cup of coffee.  When she finds cafe characters that she senses something in, she begins. To watch her you would think she is in a trance. Guess what?  She is entranced.
 

Focus

Cat says that she feels that sketching in a cafe has increased her focus. She looks carefully, working to develop her sense of perspective and see what is there;  an interesting task because the people she watches keep moving.
In this sketch a lovely Asian woman was her focus, but left prior to the completion of the picture.

Commitment and Courage

One of Cat’s personal guidelines is to use ink and commit to finishing what she starts. This takes courage, because it means no matter how uncertain she is of her skill she is determined to work through the fear and saying: “I can do it. Stick with it.”

 
An entertaining note is that Cat has caught some habits in action. One in this picture is a man passionately talking while his female companion is texting. You’d have to have been there, but maybe not?
 
Texting

It’s particularly fun to notice how many people are in cafes, tapping on their devices.  Cellphones, computers, tablets. All company with a cup of Jo. They are oblivious to how they sit. It’s almost like they are the only one there. Hmmm.
 

Made His Day!

One man in particular was so very, very pleased! He said he was a retired Professor of Environment Health and chatted about what he was reading.   A week later the man with his back in the sketch came up to Cat and told her that it was a nice thing she did by giving the man the picture, and that she made his day! This keeps her going!

Act of Kindness

Sketches – all for the purpose of developing one’s skill in drawing.  Along the way, people get an unexpected gift, some call an “act of kindness” in their day.
This is a good lesson in knowing that when you practice something that brings you joy, that the feeling might pass on to another. Imagine if more people did what brings them joy.

Self Portrait

We  hope you enjoyed this sampling of some of Cat Wilson’s sketches. Let us know and you might see more. If you are in Portland, Oregon, watch for her drawing cafe characters. You never know… you might be next!