The Deva Gate on the left leads up to Kiyomizu-dera (Pure Water Temple), a Buddhst temple complex on the mid-slope of Mt. Otowa, in the eastern part of Kyoto. A UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, the temple was founded in 778 by Sakanoue-no-Tamuramaro. Most of the present structures were rebuilt in 1633 after a fire. Notably, the Hondo (Main Hall) and the wooden viewing stage that juts out from it were constructed without the use of nails, just the art of Japanese joinery.
Another watercolor sketch, this time of a narrow interior street within the medina of Fez, in Morocco. UNESCO declared the medina a World Heritage Site in 1981.
In the Chinese Zodiac, this is the Year of the Ox, beginning on February 12, 2021. The ox is an animal valued for its role in agriculture and for being honest, hardworking, and reliable. Those born under this sign are said to be strong and independent, but may also be very stubborn. Famous people born in the Year of the Ox include Napoleon, Vincent Van Gogh, Adolf Hitler, Walt Disney, Richard Nixon, Saddam Hussein, and Barack Obama.
A different, more disciplined approach than used in previous watercolors. This time, a sketch from memory of the view while ferrying to Vashon Island from West Seattle on a misty morning.