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Donald O. Colley

@colley-don-o.bsky.social
222 followers 21 following 157 posts

Artist

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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
This will be my last post on this underwhelming platform.
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
Drawing in the Nutition Garden at UIC.
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Title page just added to a 2023 sketchbook. Sometimes ideas for title pages grow out of work in a book as I'm drawing in it. Sometimes they come in dream state. Some from long deliberations. Some w/ little regard for pages that follow. & some jell from inchoate internal dialogues about the process.
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
The title page of my most recent sketchbook - ECLIPSYCLE Whisperings
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
Recent drawing from the Palette & Chisel.
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 04/07/2026
Had this unfinished watercolor of a pineapple I cut open, and eventually ate, which sat around for about 5 years or more, so I worked back into it and changed the background and put a gingham table cloth beneath the pineapple today. Now I can leave it be.
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 27/06/2026
Breakfast at Lou Mitchell’s. Restaurants can at times feel like controlled mayhem. Staff was very friendly & I sat where I got a great feel for their cooperation & organization. The restaurant is situated on the east bound terminus of Route 66, aka Jackson St.
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
So when I went to the Urban Sketchers meetup last Saturday l pulled anchor a bit earlier than I wanted. It was a gorgeous day w/bright blue sky & very nice display of cottony clouds. Today I returned to the Zoo as the weather provided similar conditions. Glad I did. #lincolnparkzoo #pleinairartist
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
Optimo hat’s showroom on the SW corner of Jackson St and Dearborn in Chicago, pretty much near the terminus of the storied Route 66. Check this special room out. Thanks to Tiffany for granting me 2 days to sit among these magnificent hats and draw.
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
At La Colombe on Elm & State watching the street goings on.
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
I have to say, I’m pretty disappointed in this platform. 145 post to this point and getting little to no notice. 150 post will be my cut off if the activity doesn’t pick up.
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
A vestigial reminder of a cemetery that once existed in Chicago by North & Clark. Captured on a day of cloud & shadow play. #tomb #grisaille
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 04/06/2026
The finished page & set up. I’ve drawn Mr. Gehry’s remarkable bandshell half dozen times and while I have mixed feelings about it, I’m glad Chicago stuck its neck out to do something distinctive. Your thoughts?? #jaypritzkerpavillion #frankgehry #milleniumpark #architecture #urbansketching
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
Quite delighted with the underpasses beneath LaSalle Drive as it cuts thru Lincoln Park. Right now dandelions are sprawling & when fortunate, you’ll get to see a display of the yellow flowers & the famous puff balls. Last weekend I caught Canada Goose eating the puffballs for their nutritious seeds.
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
Hugh painting a model at the Palette & Chisel. Like all of us, he has good days and frustrating days and yesterday it appeared he was struggling with capturing a satisfactory rendition of certain features.
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
Artists at work at The Palette & Chisel.
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
Yesterday at The Palette & Chisel.
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 29/03/2026
Attended a NO KINGS demonstration in Chicago’s Grant Park. Melody Angel brought a powerful voice & began with Sam Cooke’s stirring A Change Is Gonna Come. Photoed my finger for scale reference. It’s tricky when working small to get some kind of personalized features. #thisiswhatdemocracylookslike
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
It's a treat to live in Lincoln Park, we live literally on an avenue that divides buildings from parkland containing a zoo, ponds, on the other side of which is the main north-south traffic artery, parallel to that are ribbons of beaches and then the marvelous Lake Michigan. #northpondchicago
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
Ate lunch and drew the surroundings. Kale Caesar salad w/grilled salmon. In Evanston. #lunchhoursketch #drawyourday #draweveryday #inkdrawing #cafescene
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 16/03/2026
Saturday morning life drawing session at The Palette and Chisel. #lifedrawing #artiststwork #draweveryday
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 03/03/2026
Life drawing session with Eve at The Palette & Chisel. #lifedrawing #femalemodel #redhair #curlylocks #thepaletteandchisel
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 22/02/2026
Sat. afternoon with Urban Sketchers. Saw taxidermy exhibit. Staff said, if U find dead birds, take a plastic sandwich bag, invert it, put hand inside so when U pick up bird, you’re not touching bird, fold baggy back over bird, put in freezer till you take it to Peggy Notebaert Nat. Museum.
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 18/02/2026
A captured from a few days ago in a local cafe. #drawyourday #cafe
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 18/02/2026
So here's the finished spread from today's session at the Palette & Chisel. Get out and draw, and support local arts organizations!! #draw #lifedrawing #paletteandchiselchicago #artistsaywork
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 15/02/2026
South Pond. Directly across from our crib. Started the “sketch a few days ago when there was far more snow and the sort of ice rink/race track stood out. Someone kept shoveling snow from the track but now the temps have risen and the snow is melting. #snow #frozenpond #pleinair
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 13/02/2026
Just a brainscape from a few weeks ago, inspired by my most recent trek to Europe.
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 12/02/2026
Recent captures from the public realm. CTA Transit mostly.
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 07/02/2026
Still, the thuggery continues. #Iceout
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 06/02/2026
Duality. Is ICE hiding criminals??? You tell me. #8647 #iceoutnow #transparency
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 04/02/2026
Near noontime at a coffeehouse, somewhere in the belly of a lively & thriving Midwest city. Been absent on BlueSky for awhile. Building a following and getting interactions on BlueSky has been way below my expectations. Dreadful, really. Not ready to quit, yet. #uskchicago #coffeeculture #fictional
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 28/01/2026
Other than the title page, final pages in this book.
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 06/01/2026
A spread from my return by Amtrak from Philly,Pa to Chicago. Long layover in Pittsburgh. The system needs waaay more money. I’m a rail ridin’ muhfugguh. #railtravel #Amtrak #waitingroom #draweveryday #iliketodraw
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 04/01/2026
Morning and afternoon sketches of colleagues at work.
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 01/01/2026
First three sketches from the New Year’s Life Drawing Marathon at the Palette & Chisel. Not going to make all 12 hours but, still an auspicious way to start the year.
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 31/12/2025
Back at the Palette & Chisel to capture Erica in a simple pose, simply attired. Ready for the upcoming 12 hour Life Drawing Marathon at The P&C on New Year’s Day. An auspicious way to begin the year. #draw #femalemodel #handskills
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 30/12/2025
Life drawing at the P&C today. Went totally goofy on the perspective of the chair.
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 29/12/2025
A spread from the return trip to Chicago from Europe. 8 hours, (from the time I woke up in Milano till the moment I walked thru the door in Chicago was 22 hours) three movies & some doodles. #sketches #headstudies #drawyourday
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 29/12/2025
Caught Mr. Verdi bearing up under a drenching rain in Piazza Buonarroti last week.
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 29/12/2025
Began this sketch the day of USkParis meetup, came back later to finish it. Love the Paris Metro!!!!
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 28/12/2025
One may way to life drawing this morning, got caught up drawing the violinist at Cocoa & Co. you could say it was a good tune up before the sessions at the Palette & Chisel.
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 28/12/2025
Dec 13 meet up with the Urban Sketchers of Paris. One Good time!
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 28/11/2025
G Babe giving a talk on adipose tissue while we are in Italy. Her hubby contributed two sketches of la professoressa to the notice. #phdGBabe #backoffman,she’sascientist
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 23/11/2025
Long pose session yesterday at The Palette & Chisel. #lifedrawing #femalemodel #drawing
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 22/11/2025
Back off man, she’s a scientist! The news from/about/regarding the CDC, NIH, and the current Sec. of Health and Human Services is most concerning. #scientist #girlpower
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 22/11/2025
Waiting in Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station for the Amtrak train to Pittsburgh where I will transfer to the next Amtrak train to Chicago.
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 11/11/2025
After a morning session at life drawing I stopped for lunch at a familiar spot and decided to “sketch” the woman I a shawl with a quilted jacket draped over her chair. Got a bit bogged down in the jacket. #cafe #quiltedjacket
After a morning session at life drawing down in Chicago’s Gold Coast, I had lunch at a eatery I like with good food and very nice lighting. Sketched a woman with a puffy quilted jacket. Fun to draw by took more time than I anticipated with all the puffy diamonds the fabric had.
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 02/11/2025
A from last week outside Judge Ellis’s courtroom.
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 02/11/2025
Sitting in the Emergency Room waiting area several nights ago. There was an incident in the bathroom on that needed a little tidying up. No big whoop.
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Donald O. Colley @colley-don-o.bsky.social · 28/10/2025
U.S. CBP Cmmdr. G. Bovino appears before Northern Illinois District Court Judge Sara Ellis today. #gregorybovino
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