September 9, 2025

Adventure Sketching and the Wooden Boat Festival

Art Toolkit Founder Maria Coryell-Martin and Outreach Coordinator Cole Morreale flocked to the Boatyard Stage to lead an Adventure Sketching presentation for Port Townsend’s annual festival.

By Maria Coryell-Martin

Boats docked at a marina, with several people walking along the pier. Lush greenery and yellow flowers in the foreground complement the scene.

As always, it was a pleasure to participate with the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival!

Throughout the festival, there’s a lovely buzz of activity in town as thousands of visitors explore our little town. The harbor is filled with boats of all kinds, with dinghies lining the small town docks and tied up on beaches.

A bustling harbor filled with various sailboats and yachts at dock. Masts rise prominently against a cloudy sky, while some boats appear to be preparing to depart or return. Flags flutter in the breeze.
The Point Hudson Marina, where dozens of wooden boats of all kinds are moored for the weekend.
Hands writing in a notebook on a table, with a second hand holding a small pouch. Various stickers are visible on the table.
A hand holds an open compact set of watercolors, showcasing various vibrant colors. Nearby, materials for painting include a water brush and a small guide indicating it belongs to the Art Toolkit for events. A cloth pouch is also visible on the table.

The festival itself is filled with boats, vendors, music, and presentation venues and I’m honored to be a part of it.

A weathered cleat with a twisted rope rests on a wooden dock, with blurred boats docked in the background and a calm water surface reflecting the scene.
A bustling outdoor market scene featuring crowds of people walking among various vendor stalls with colorful canopies. Some attendees are shopping while others socialize, surrounded by greenery and a coastal atmosphere.
A detailed harbor map layout showing various docks and vessels listed with names such as D Crow, Alie Rose, and Seven Bells. Each vessel has corresponding numbers indicating their locations. The layout is organized with clear labels and a directional orientation.
A map showing boat names and locations was posted on a dockside railing.
A collection of watercolor artworks displayed on a wooden table. The pieces include accordion-folded sketches, illustrated journals, and small folded cards, featuring scenes of nature, figures, and outdoor activities.
A smiling woman holds a marker and gestures enthusiastically while standing next to an easel with a blank sheet. She is wearing a blue t-shirt promoting the Wooden Boat Festival and is speaking into a microphone.

In a whirlwind 45 minutes, I hosted Adventure Sketching, sharing my favorite tools for observation with a crowd of festival-goers—at one point we counted more than 100 visitors! Outreach Coordinator Cole Morreale kindly modeled as an eagle for our gesture sketches and we had a good laugh over it. Thank you to everyone who joined me!

A crowd sits under a large white tent at a marina, listening to a speaker at a festival or event. A sign reading "BOATYARD STAGE" is prominently displayed near the entrance. Boats and a blue crane are visible in the background.
A person holds a small notepad open and uses a blue pen to write or draw, with blurred figures in the background.

As the largest wooden boat festival in North America, this event draws people and vessels from around the world to celebrate craftsmanship and adventure.

A diverse group of people seated under a tent, attentively listening to a speaker. Some are taking notes, while others smile and engage in conversation. Various hats and casual attire are visible among the audience members.
A person sitting down is using a paintbrush to add color to a sketchbook, surrounded by others holding art supplies. A bag with a decorative design is on their lap.

We practiced gesture, contour, and thumbnail sketches to quickly capture a sense of place and to encourage creative flow and inquiry. We also were happy to provide Art Toolkit Explore Palettes and brushes to try out.

A hand holding a watercolor palette with various vibrant colors and a paintbrush, alongside a blank sheet of paper and a small canvas bag. The hand is partially covered by a light blue garment.
A close-up view of hands holding a sketchbook and various art supplies, with people in casual attire blurred in the background.
Two women are energetically engaging an audience during an event. One woman holds a microphone and is dancing, while the other raises her arm in excitement. In the background, spectators can be seen enjoying the performance.
A watercolor sketch of a person with arms outstretched, wearing a blue shirt and gray pants. Art supplies, including a black marker and blue cloth, are scattered nearby.
A person with long hair is holding a notebook and a pen, taking notes at an outdoor event. They wear a navy blue sweater, and a blue wristband is visible on their arm. In the background, a crowd is gathered, with some individuals wearing jackets and a white helmet nearby.
A person with a camera is focused on painting a watercolor illustration of a dog on a small canvas. The background shows hints of a bustling environment.
A watercolor painting on an easel features a serene landscape with a sailboat on the water, a sandy beach, and greenery in the background. A palette with various paint colors is attached to the side.
A close-up of a sketchbook held by a person, with a blurred background showing another individual drawing at a table. The sketchbook features colorful drawings and sketches.
A diverse group of people sitting in a tent, smiling and engaged, with some taking notes. The audience consists of men and women of various ages, all looking towards the front, creating a lively atmosphere.

The next day my family and I continued the festival theme with small boat shenanigans, rowing and paddling our small wooden boats about 1.5 miles along the waterfront to the Northwest Maritime Center.

A person in a wooden kayak paddles through calm, misty waters, surrounded by fog and faint silhouettes of boats in the background.

We watched a talk by my father (hi, dad!) on Wooden Boats and Icebergs: the 1789 Christmas Eve Collision and looked on as boats departed the marina Sunday afternoon, each personally thanked by an announcer with a chorus of singers.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the presentation—it was lovely to meet so many new people! Learn about upcoming Art Toolkit events here.
An artist sites on a rock, dipping a paintbrush in a Pocket Palette.

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