Hello readers and greetings from Seattle,
As springs turns around, I’m wrapping up some projects and starting new ones.
- Last Monday, I shared the stage with Rita Sabler at the Seattle University Book Store for the presentation of her book, New York Reawakens.
- Melanie Reim’s Different and the Same, my second Sketcher Press book, is off to press. (Get free shipping within the U.S. and a 10% discount with this coupon code, whm2023, if you pre-order by March 31.)
- The programming for Sketcher Fest Edmonds, a travel sketchbooks festival I’m organizing in my neck of the woods, will be announced in a few hours. Make sure you sign to the mailing list if you are planning to attend.
Now, here’s today’s roundup of sketching news. Enjoy!
Aboard the Marion Dufresne
As I type these words, Paris-based sketcher Sylvain Cnudde is probably busy documenting a scientific expedition aboard the Marion Dufresne. The French research and supply vessel is currently on its way to the Crozet Islands, a sub-Antarctic archipelago of small islands in the southern Indian Ocean.
In one of his most recent dispatches on Instagram, Cnudde writes:
“… we set off at low speed and on a sea of oil to Tromelin, a tiny island 560 km north of Réunion …. The real journey to the Australian lands will start tonight, heading for Crozet, with no certainty of being able to repost in the next few days … The Marion Dufresne is a beautiful boat, offshore walkways, bridges and inclines, with an impressive battery of lifting tools that I enjoy drawing, as long as the sea is calm.”
You have to admire how French government agencies, foundations and other institutions often create on-the-spot reportage sketching opportunities for artists. In this case, chapeau to the Institut Polaire Français Paul-Émile Victor for making Cnudde’s sketching possible. Is chapeau a good way to say kudos in French?
I had an opportunity to meet Cnudde last year in Clermont-Ferrand. His drawings are rich with contrast and color. I can’t wait to see more of his reportage from the expedition aboard the “Marduf”. (Tip: Vessel Finder is a good website to keep track of the ship location.)
In other news
More sketching that stood out for me in the past two weeks:
A post shared by DOMEE (@jeg_er_domee)
- The legendary Bologna Children’s Book Fair counted with the presence of a least one sketcher. On the opening night, Dominika Wróblewska stood in line waiting for Beatrice Alemagna’s solo show and shared a timely vignette.
“In the queue, pen in hand, I thought of something Sydney Smith had said the day before at his workshop: when you have your sketchbook with you, you will never be bored.”
A post shared by Urban Sketchers (@urbansketchers)
- Elsewhere in Italy, sketchers descended on the picturesque streets of Florence to attend the USk Firenze Spring Festival over the weekend. I discovered this event thanks to the “Instagram takeover” of the global USk IG account. What a great idea to amplify the work of USk chapters.
A post shared by USK Badajoz (@usk.badajoz)
- And speaking of group sketching. How is this for a cool collective reportage? The members of USk Badajoz drew a historic reenactment of the siege of the city during the Napoleonic Wars. Local artist José Manuel Gamero Gil writes:
“Color, History, Art and Action in such an spectacular setting as the Badajoz’s citadel, where the real events happened. Great day among artists.”
I have deep family roots in Badajoz, so it’s really special to see the work of sketchers from this wonderful Spanish region. Medieval castles are everywhere, including in the town of my ancestors.
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Calendar
Auckland, New Zealand
April 19-22
The International Urban Sketchers Symposium returns for its 11th edition after a three-year pandemic hiatus. The program includes workshops and demos by 20 international instructors, lectures, skit sketches, sketchwalks and plenty of networking opportunities. Auckland University of Technology is the main venue for this year’s edition. Registration is open now.
Intragna, Switzerland
May 18-21
USk Weekend event includes workshops by Claudia Jordi, Javier Alberich, Olivia Aloisi and Mario Leimbacher.
Toulouse, France
May 24-26
Urban Sketchers Tolouse is hosting a three-day urban sketching symposium ahead of the 10th national meeting of Urban Sketchers taking place over the weekend. Guest artists include Pierre Amoudry, Maru Godas, Lapin and Marielle Durand.
May 26-29
10th Annual Reunion of Urban Sketchers France, hosted by USkToulouse
Barcelona, Spain
June 9-11
USk Barcelona will be hosting a weekend of meetings, sketchwalks and workshops to celebrate 10 years since the city hosted the 4th International Urban Sketchers Symposium back in 2013.
Darmstadt, Germany
June 23-25
The Urban Sketchers RheinMain chapter celebrates its 10th anniversary. Announced instructors include Jenny Adam; Jörg Asselborn; Marielle Durand; Sebastian Koch; Sebastian Koch; Lapin and Anne Nilges.
Chicago, USA
July 7-9
The popular USk Chicago Seminar is also back this year after the pandemic hiatus. Watch this website for updates.
Edmonds, WA (USA)
July 14-16
Sketcher Fest Edmonds, the first travel sketchbooks festival in the U.S., will take place in Edmonds, Washington, a beautiful waterfront community about 20 miles north of Seattle. Join the mailing list to receive updates.
A post shared by Sketcher Fest Edmonds (@sketcherfest)
Intragna, Switzerland
July 16-22
4th Urban Sketcher Week, with workshops by Lis Watkins, Nicola Maier-Reimer, Sylvain Cnudde and Ryan Little.
Berlin
Sept. 1-3
7th Urban Sketchers Germany Meeting
Johannesburg
Sept. 8-10
The first official Urban Sketchers event in Africa will happen in Johannesburg.
That’s my roundup for today. Next week I will be in Santiago de Querétaro, Mexico, per invitation of the School of Art at the Universidad de Querétaro and Urban Sketchers Querétaro. I am looking forward to the visit, my first to Mexico since a brief stay in Tijuana to meet journalists of the Frontera newspaper many years ago when I lived in Southern California. Will try to post live updates from Instagram.
Thanks for reading, and happy Spring Break and Easter!