Preservation Park Fountain

The organization I work for held a 3-day institute for 150 teachers at Oakland’s Preservation Park this week. This fountain is in the center of the square block collection of restored victorian homes that are now used for meeting space and offices. It’s a lovely setting and the weather was perfect for lunches outdoors in the gazebo, around the fountain, on the lawn or on benches.

Being surrounded by 150 teachers, I felt such awe and admiration. I know how difficult it is to be a Bay Area teacher these days and how high the turnover is among young teachers. Yet here they were, on the last days of their summer vacation, spending three days learning new approaches to adolescent literacy when they could be at the beach.

Since I was working while I was there, I couldn’t sit down with my sketchbook so I took some photos instead. This was drawn directly in ink and then painted in watercolor from one of the photos. I wanted to add the palm tree that was behind the fountain, but decided for once to go with “less is more”… though at the last minute I did add the building.