Reflections: Drawing at the Duwamish River People’s Park and Shoreline Habit

• Date: Friday, September 25, 2026
• Time: 12PM – 3PM
• Instructor: Kyler
• Where: 8700 Dallas Ave S, Seattle, WA 98108 (Duwamish River People’s Park and Shoreline Habit)
• FREE

Water turns solid objects into shifting shapes. Boats stretch and break apart, masts become wavering lines, dark hulls dissolve into light, and every ripple rearranges the composition.

In this outdoor drawing workshop, students will use reflections as a way to simplify a complicated scene. Rather than trying to draw every boat, rope, building, and dock, we’ll look for connected shapes, repeated directions, interruptions, and patterns moving between the objects and the water.

Kyler will begin with a short demonstration, followed by several quick studies and a longer independent drawing. Students will practice choosing a manageable section of the view, establishing its largest shapes and values, and allowing moving water to produce unexpected marks and distortions.

Open to all levels.

Materials

Students can bring what they like but we recommend the following:

• A sketchbook or several sheets of drawing paper on a firm board
• Graphite pencils, charcoal, ink, colored pencils, watercolor pencils, or another portable drawing medium
• Eraser and sharpener
• Binder clips if using loose paper
• A portable stool or something comfortable to sit on if needed
• Paper towels / blue shop towels
• Spray bottle
• Water
• Weather-appropriate clothing
• Sun or rain protection

Wet materials should be limited to compact, contained supplies that can be used safely around the docks. Easels are unnecessary and may be awkward in narrow or busy areas.