Urban Sketcher Cathy Raingarden in Her Own Words

In July 2022, urban sketcher Cathy Raingarden visited Babette for brunch at their new digs in the old Lanesplitter Pizza location: 2033 San Pablo Avenue in Berkeley.

“I love to sketch my food and try to capture the color and texture of the dishes as well as the human interest and ambience of the dining area. There are so many layers of interest in a food sketch: color, pattern, location, culture, and conversation. I’ve learned to sketch quickly to get down the lines of a platter of food before it starts getting eaten, and I slap on the color soon after.

“Want to try this? Grab a paper napkin at your next café stop, pull out a pen, and take a minute to notice what attracts your attention. Then put your pen to that napkin and draw it! You just might fall in love with sketching because it allows you the time to take a big visual drink of the world. Have fun!”

—Cathy Raingarden

Follow Cathy’s work @cathyraingarden or cathyraingarden.com.