February 6, 2025

Café Time with a Blue Pocket Art Toolkit

A classic blue that shows timeless sophistication: for artists who prefer an understated confidence in the tools they carry.

By The Art Toolkit Team

A person writes in a sketchbook while holding a pen, with a set of watercolor paints and a brush placed on a wooden railing beside them.

We spent a drizzly Pacific Northwest morning at one of our favorite coffee shops in town, Velocity, tucked into a corner of the NW Maritime Center in Port Townsend. The clouds hung low, with soft light filtering through the misty air. Opening the doors to Velocity was like stepping into another world filled with the rich aroma of coffee and warm wood tones.

We perched at a counter to sketch and photograph with our friend Kellen. Looking through the tall glass windows, we could see the hustle and bustle of sailors coming and going from the water, dressed in foul weather gear.

A man sits at a wooden table in a café, intently writing in a notebook. Large windows in the background reveal a scenic view outside, including wooden benches and a body of water. The reflection of the cafés interior can be seen on the glass.
A person is seated at a wooden table, writing on a small notepad with a pen. Their shirt is light-colored, and various writing materials are scattered on the table. The scene is viewed through a glass window.
A black and white sign reading VELOCITY; in a bold, stylized font, mounted on a wall under a wooden canopy.
A person's hand holds a pen while painting in a small sketchbook. A watercolor palette with various colors is on the table, along with a black pencil case and a cup of coffee. The setting appears to be a cozy café or workspace.

As we photographed our new Blue Art Toolkits, we watched the ferry glide back and forth across the water and delighted in greeting friends who dropped by for warm drinks. We couldn’t think of a better way to start the day.

A man stands at a wooden railing overlooking a calm waterway, holding a pen and pointing towards the horizon. Gray clouds loom above, and a ferry can be seen in the distance. A pier is visible in the background.
A person in a brown jacket is placing a blue zippered pouch into a tan backpack while standing next to a wooden bench.

Special thanks to the crew at Velocity for sharing their beautiful space with us, and thank you Kellen for sharing your time and art!

Featured Supplies and Paint List

Kellen sketched presentation plans in his Hahnemühle Travel Booklet with a grey Helvetica Mechanical Pencil and Kakuno fountain pen with black ink, adding touches of watercolor with a water brush. Inspired by our newest kit color, Blue Pocket Palettes are available on our website and in our retail shop in two configurations: Pocket Palette Without Pans and Pocket Palette with Assorted Pans.

A blue zippered art kit containing drawing pens, a ruler, and a watercolor palette with various paint colors. The kit is placed on a wooden surface.
Featured supplies including a Blue Pocket Palette with Assorted Pans: (1) Large Mixing Pan, (2) Double Pans, (2) Standard Pans, and (8) Mini Pans.
A young man stands on a wooden pier, wearing a brown jacket and holding a notebook. He appears thoughtful as he gazes slightly to the side, with calm water and trees visible in the background.
A person wearing a brown jacket is holding a blue pencil case and writing in a notebook with a pen. They are on a wooden deck, with a blurred background of a structure.

Growing up in Port Townsend, Kellen has always enjoyed the company of artists and funky characters, which fuels his work towards affordable housing (with Olympic Housing Trust) and his artistic expression.

A close-up of a duck's body and pink webbed feet, set against a textured background with soft watercolor tones.
“Patient for Pizza” by Kellen Lynch, ink and watercolor 2024
A hand-painted illustration featuring a café sign reading "Chimacum Café" in bold, colorful letters. Above the sign, delicate flowers and leaves are depicted. In the background, a serene landscape shows a forest and flying birds against a cloudy sky.
“Best Damn Pie” by Kellen Lynch, ink and watercolor 2025

Kellen is a budding painter, a professional baker, and at one time dabbled in baked costumery, creating an iconic and edible outfit for the local Wearable Art Show. In baking, his favorite tool is the humble bench scraper, and in painting, he loves the versatility of the Aquash Water Brush for travel.

Kellen recently wrote and illustrated this 12-step zine on bread making. In it’s intended form, the singular page is printed and folded to form a miniature book. For fun, Kellen provided a modified version so we can enjoy it online. Read counter-clockwise starting in the bottom right corner.

These days, his artistic process emerges from channeling food and nostalgia, as well as a penchant for the strange and unexpected. Through his work, he is committed to pointing the community in a positive and inspired direction.

About Olympic Housing Trust

A circular logo featuring a stylized illustration of mountains, trees, and houses. The text "Olympic Housing Trust" is prominently displayed at the bottom in a bold font. The design uses a green and white color scheme, giving it a rustic and natural feel.
A notebook featuring the Olympic Housing Trust logo, a cap with the same logo, and a small watercolor palette on a wooden surface. Handwritten notes are partially visible in the background.

Olympic Housing Trust (OHT) stewards and builds permanently affordable housing, community spaces such as gardens, and other community assets on behalf of and for the good of the community it serves. As the only community land trust serving the north Olympic Peninsula, OHT is committed to keeping the door open for those who earn modest incomes, like artists, farmers, and tradespeople who help make the area a desirable and enjoyable place to live. Their critical housing work is enabled by local members and contributions towards the effort.

Thank you for joining us at the café to explore our new blue kit and palette! Learn about all of our new kit and palette colors on the Art Toolkit Blog.
An artist sites on a rock, dipping a paintbrush in a Pocket Palette.

Art Toolkit Newsletter

Sign up to hear about our latest supplies, tips and techniques for field art, and special offers.

Join now and we’ll send you our free Tools for Observation mini-series. Follow along with Maria as she shares supplies, tips on contour and gesture sketching, and inspiration for composition!