Call for Submissions for Urban Sketching Symposium Programming

Dear sketchers!
Are you planning to apply to teach in the next symposium in Paraty, Brazil?
Take a closer look at the Call for Submissions.

Bear in mind that there are different levels of teaching this time:

Sketching Workshops: 3.5 hour workshops, as in previous years. A wonderful opportunity to teach in a new setting. You'll learn as much as the students! 

Lead a Sketchcrawl ("Follow Me"):
This is the best way for you to earn teaching experience and share your thoughts with others, and the highlight of the new programming. 
Imagine: you got selected, people will get to know what your ideas are, and then you are going to lead them across the beautiful streets of Paraty, suggesting different techniques, approaches and subjects. One turn, great experience.

Lectures, Demonstrations: 
Another good way to share what you do, the way you do, to inspire other sketchers! It can be anything interesting, so don't be shy! 

You can even come up with something new! What we are trying to create in the next symposium is a vibrant and stimulating sketching environment!

USk Paraty 2014!

The deadline is December, 20.
Fill out the form attached in the post to apply.

Sketch Group Cancelled

Unfortunately the marathon just got cancelled. Since that was what we were going to sketch and it is going to be 23° at 10:00 AM, our sketch group is cancelled for tomorrow, too. Hope to see you all on January!

December Sketch Group at Cooper and Young for the St. Jude Marathon

Next sketch group

Saturday, December 7

Cooper and Young 

10:00 AM 

We'll meet at the corner of Cooper and Young. The St. Jude Marathon is being run that day, and will go down Young from East Parkway to Cooper, so be sure to come to the intersection from the south to avoid traffic. There should be parking on the street and at First Congo, just south of Cooper and Young. It might be cold that day, but there are plenty of restaurants around there to get out of the cold.

Here's a map of the marathon route http://www.stjudemarathon.org/SJFile/marathon-full-course-map.pdf

Please comment here or on our Facebook page if you plan to attend. 

November Sketch Group at Shady Grove Presbyterian Church

Next sketch group

Saturday, November 2

Shady Grove Presbyterian Church
5530 Shady Grove Road, Memphis, TN 38120
At the corner of Shady Grove and Yates

http://shadygrovepres.org/home.html

9:00 AM 

Not sure where to tell you meet - just try to find each other! 

Shady Grove Presbyterian Church is architecturally interesting, and the Race for Grace starts at the church at 9:00 so there will be a lot of activity. Plus we can sketch inside if it is too chilly out. They have asked that we not use paint/water if we sketch indoors. 

Please comment here or on our Facebook page if you plan to attend. 

My Sketches from the Lugar Foundry

I got to the Lugar Foundry a little late on Saturday morning (I'm always late on Saturday mornings!) and a tour of the Foundry was already in progress. I joined them in the wax room and made a quick sketch.

I set up outside to make a sketch of the building - here's a thumbnail.

And here's the sketch! This is one of my favorite sketches I've done in months.

And here is more proof of the hospitality of the Lugars!

Sketching at the Lugar Foundry

We had the loveliest time sketching at the Lugar Foundry this weekend. They were the most gracious hosts we've had so far, not just opening up for us on a Saturday, but giving us a tour and providing us with snacks!

Many many thanks to the Lugar Family - we will definitely be back!

October Sketch Group at Lugar Foundry!

Next sketch group

Saturday, October 5

Lugar Foundry, 11379 U.S. 64 in Arlington (very easy to get to off of 40!)

10:00 AM til 12:00 PM

The Lugars have a big outdoor area with a bamboo path and sculptures to sketch. They will also have the foundry open! 

Also, join us on October 19 for the World Wide SketchCrawl!

We'll start at Peabody and see how much of downtown we can sketch!

Please comment here or on our Facebook page if you plan to attend. 

Sketching the Memphis Farmers Market

Last weekend the Memphis Urban Sketchers met at the farmers market downtown and made lots of sketches!

September Sketch Group at Memphis Farmers Market

Next sketch group

Saturday, September 7

Memphis Farmers Market - Downtown 

10:00 AM

We'll meet at the north end of the market by the Powerhouse.

Please comment here or on our Facebook page if you plan to attend. 

See you there!

Fun (and hot) times today with Plein Air Memphis on the square in Covington, TN. I, at last, got to dedicate some time (3 solid hours) to painting.

While I'm not really in love with the final piece, I am pretty pleased with the progress I set out to make on certain concepts: painting light into dark, and finding a better medium mix. Did I mention it was hot?

Duke of Wellington Statue at the Glasgow Gallery of Modern Art

I just got back from a work trip to Glasgow Scotland. While I didn't have much time to draw, I was able to spend about 30 minutes with my watercolors in front of the Duke of Wellington Statue at the Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA).

The statue is right out front of the museum and both the Duke and his horse wear traffic cones for hats. I was told by a local that it's Glasgow's most iconic symbol.

A lot of the people I met really did exude a fun and easy going spirit. Can't wait to get back!

Sketching Crosstown

We had a great time sketching in and around the Cleveland Street Flea Market yesterday!

August Sketch Group at Crosstown

Next sketch group
Saturday, August 3
Crosstown Building: This time instead of going inside, we will sketch the exterior of this giant building, and the neighborhood. 
We can take breaks from the heat and restroom breaks at Cleveland Street Flea Market, 438 North Cleveland Street (or you can sketch in the flea market). 
10:00 AM til around noon
There are plenty of places nearby to have lunch after, too.

Please comment here or on our Facebook page if you plan to attend. 

Sketching at the Woodruff-Fontaine House

A good group showed up to sketch at the Woodruff-Fontaine House in Victorian Village earlier this month!

July Sketch Group at Victorian Village

The next sketch group is Saturday, July 13

Victorian Village at the Woodruff-Fontaine House 

680 Adams Ave We are all set for indoor sketching! If you're looking for a fun sketching adventure this Saturday, June 29, think about joining the Bike to Cloar event that the Brooks Museum is hosting. There is a 6-mile bike ride and a 12-mile bike ride starting in Earle, AR, and stopping at several Carroll Cloar painting locations.

On August 3 we're going back to Crosstown. It's going to be a hot one!

On the evening of August 22 we're going to the Brooks! More information to come.

Sketching at Cleveland Street Flea Market

On June 1 we sketched at the Cleveland Street Flea Market at 438 North Cleveland Street. A few of us sketched this same booth, and Nancy even bought a jacket there! I'm definitely going back - there were some bracelets I can't get out of my head!

click image for more detail

by Elizabeth Alley

June 15 Sketch Group at the Outdoors Inc Canoe & Kayak Race

Next sketch group

Saturday, June 15

9:00 AM at the north end of Greenbelt Park - race starts at 10:15 AM

Awards given out around 12:30 PM at Mississippi River Park

You can go to either location to sketch - I suggest starting at Greenbelt Park to see the start of the race and meeting back up at Mississippi River Park.

See the Outdoors Inc site for more information.

Please comment here or on our Facebook page if you plan to attend. 

Hope to see you there!

Cleveland Street Flea Market

Today we sketched at the Cleveland Street Flea Market, right across the street from the Crosstown building. I was thinking we might spend time outside sketching, too, but it poured down rain so we were happy to have a comfortable indoor place to sketch. There is so much to draw there!

June Sketch Group at Cleveland Street Flea Market

Next sketch group

Saturday, June 1

Cleveland Street Flea Market, 438 North Cleveland Street 

10:00 AM

We'll meet at the Cleveland Street Flea Market - we can sketch inside, and if it's nice out there is also plenty to sketch outside. The Crosstown tower is right across the street! There are plenty of places nearby to have lunch after, too.

Please comment here or on our Facebook page if you plan to attend. 

We're rescheduling our July Sketch Group to June 29th, so as not to interfere with the Fourth of July weekend - location information to come.

Hope to see you next Saturday, June 1!

Mary K. VanGieson Sketching on Beale Street

This month's sketch group was last Saturday on Beale Street. Mary K. VanGieson braved the unseasonably cold weather and made these sketches of a drummer near the Elvis statue and Tater Reds, below. Apparently the alligator and bear toilet paper holders are big sellers!