Sketchbooks, Snow and Steamy-Windows: Endcliffe Park Cafe SketchCrawl

We had a SketchCrawl day last weekend, but we woke up to thick snow. We were supposed to be drawing in a local park in the morning, then capturing a performance by the Sheffield Oratorio Chorus in the afternoon. 

The concert was cancelled, which was quite ironic, since we were due to draw them last winter and were snowed off then too. I decided to give the park a go anyway. Even if nobody else turned up, the walk through the beautiful snow and the cosy park cafe at the end seemed reason enough, so I donned long-johns, multiple layers, walking boots, gaiters, silly hat etc and headed out.

The 6 inch deep snow made it quite a trek. I would have loved to draw the trees, all picked out in white, but it was really very chilly so, like everybody else that morning, I took refuge in the cafe. It was pretty chaotic in there: quite lively, quite well stuffed and very noisy.

Only 3 other sketchers made it. Colleen had headed off alone into the snow by the time I arrived (making me think of poor Captain Oates...). I huddled with Martin and Heather in one corner. John joined us after a bit, though without a sketchbook, so he didn't count. 

Drawing people in cafes is always quite a challenge; much more tricky than trains. People move, to chat, eat and drink (how very selfish of them). At least I had a nice big table to lay out my sketching bits, with no danger of losing my pencils in crevices...

When I had finished these sketches, I rewarded myself with a nice lunch and a mochachino (John got lunch too, though he didn't do any work, so I'm not sure he deserved any). Unlike some of my sketcher friends, I gobbled it up while it was hot and didn't wait to draw it: 

Then, reluctantly, we pulled our hats back on and started the walk back up the hill.