URBAN SKETCHERS CELEBRATES FIVE YEARS OF TRAVEL SKETCHING AND STORYTELLING

Seattle, WA, 05 December 2014 – Urban Sketchers.org, a non-profit organization, is celebrating its fifth anniversary since incorporating on December 6, 2009. Its mission is to promote on-location sketching and to connect people around the world who enjoy urban sketching. Wildly successful, the international community of urban sketchers is estimated at 50,000+ and almost 14 million page views on the Urban Sketchers (USk) blog.

Seattle-based journalist and illustrator Gabriel Campanario launched the group in 2007 by creating an online community of urban sketches on Flickr.com. Sketchers scan their drawings and share them on the group’s Flickr site, Facebook page or blog. The idea went viral. So far communities of sketchers have formed 60 regional chapters in 29 countries.

"Urban Sketchers is growing because sketchers are finding each other where they live and travel.” says Membership Director, Jessie Chapman. “Members are building relationships and communities with people who share the same interests, both online and at our events."  

USk raises the artistic, storytelling and educational value of location drawing with workshops and events held all around the world. USk has organized five international symposiums in Portland, USA; Lisbon, Portugal; Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; Barcelona, Spain and Paraty, Brazil.

The 2015 Symposium will be held in Singapore July 22-25. Organizers expect 250+ attendees from around the world.

“Artists of all ages and skill levels have stories to tell,” says founder Gabi Campanario. “Urban Sketchers is a free group that provides a platform for them to renew their love of drawing and to learn more about storytelling.”

To find out more about Urban Sketchers or to locate a regional chapter near you, visit urbansketchers.org. 

"Ceta Canyon Road"

This is a little sketch I did recently in the panhandle of Texas near Tulia.  This is in an area that was originally part of the famed JA Ranch which was founded by Charles Goodnight and John Adair.  This area is part of Palo Duro Canyon, which incidentally, is a great area to sketch and paint!  Much of the canyon is now part of Palo Duro Canyon State Park.  http://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/palo-duro-canyon

Looking back at summer in UK

Here is a sketch of London viewed from the cafe on the 6th floor of the Tate Modern during my visit in July. As we sat sketching the Tour de France was expected to pass along the other side of the Thames from us. Any minute...any minute. We had just about given up after many false sightings as cars with flashing blue lights rolled by but still no riders, finally a helicopter flew over signaling the riders. We could see a flickering through the crowds, it lasted 10 seconds and poof, it was over. At least we were waiting where it was dry and we had our sketchbooks while the spectators outside stood in the rain. Did I mention that the Tour started in England and then across to France.