Amsterdam: A Sizzling Symposium

As soon as I arrived, I could see immediately why Amsterdam had been an easy win as a symposium host. Its extraordinary architecture, well-designed urban spaces, geographic compactness and humanely flat terrain all made it an extremely appealing city for sketchers.

Amsterdam skyline sketched from inside NEMO cafe

Arriving a couple of days ahead of the symposium, I awaited the event with excitement and much anticipation (as I’m sure my 600-plus fellow participants were also feeling). In retrospect, I’m very happy that I had the days before and after the event to sketch, because we were all in for unexpectedly harsh conditions.

Sketches made at dusk and dawn to beat the heat.

A record-breaking heatwave broiled the region for four long days – precisely the four days of the 10^th international Urban Sketchers Symposium. When I started hearing reports from locals that the temperature was expected to hit 40 C, it didn’t mean much to me (I couldn’t make the conversion to Fahrenheit in my mind). But when I saw the triple digits in Fahrenheit on my phone’s weather app, I fully comprehended the meaning: Lots of sweat and difficult sketching! To make matters worse, Amsterdam typically does not suffer such high temperatures, so many homes, hotels and businesses are not air conditioned. Relief wasn’t easy to find.

Montelbaanstoren, one of the most-often-sketched towers in Amsterdam

Fortunately, workshops were scheduled for the mornings while temperatures were still in the 80s and lower 90s, and shade made conditions bearable. However, I forfeited most of the afternoon sketchwalks, demos and other outdoor activities and instead retreated to whatever air-conditioned venues I could find. A favorite was the NEMO Science Museum’s large upper-floor café, which offered a nearly 360-degree view of the city. (I explored the sketchwalk neighborhoods on my own after the symposium was over and the heatwave subsided, so at least I was able to sketch in those areas – though it wasn’t the same without other sketchers everywhere.)

I missed the Jordaan and Spui neighborhood sketchwalks, but I caught them later on my own. 

Despite the unexpected hardship of high heat, I enjoyed reuniting with old friends, seeing in person those whom I’ve otherwise known only through social media, and meeting new sketchers from around the world. While I value the inspirational opportunity of workshops, the main reason I attend symposiums is to join the camaraderie of my international tribe. For a few days each year, I am fully immersed in this worldwide community that I cherish. And I’m always grateful to the many volunteers who worked hard for well over a year to make this symposium possible.

Statue of Rembrandt sketched from inside an air-conditioned hotel bar

For a report on the excellent workshops I took from Norberto Dorantes and Nina Johansson, please see my personal blog. My last sketch made in Amsterdam, shown at the top of this post, is one of my favorite sketches from my trip to Holland (which also included Haarlem and Delft). I incorporated compositional ideas and methods that I learned from both Nina and Norberto as I planned this sketch.

A canal street near my apartment.

Westerkerk's spire

Birthplace of Fado

I'd never every heard of the music genre Fado before visiting Portugal during the Porto Symposium. My first live encounter was at our third sketchwalk at Sé, Porto's Cathedral that sits atop a hill with a commanding view of Porto. I sat and drew the trio below. Afterwards they came over to see my drawing and I asked them to sign it. They did but they hid the signatures not wanting to "ruin the picture".



 I gave them my card which has the USk blog and manifesto on the backside, so they could see other sketches from the symposium. When I returned home I got an email from them asking if I could send a scan so they could use it for their next cd cover. I love it when these unexpected encounters happen as a result of urbansketching.

After the symposium I, like several other sketchers, stopped for a few days in Coimbra, home to one of the oldest universities in continuous operation in the world. It was first  established in Lisbon in 1290, maybe with a different name, and then relocated in Coimbra in 1537.  I ran into this group from the university, just after Tina Koyama had sketched them. 

Then this one in Lisbon. 

Read more about the Fado singers and my new summer dirink discovery on my blog: olysketcher.com. 

On the Lookout for Ernie Banks

I grew up on Chicago's south side so being a White Sox fan was in my blood. So despite its reputation, I'd never been to Wrigley Field.  After last year's historic comeback I decided I'd better visit the home of the legendary Chicago Cubs.

I skipped out for the day on the organized Symposium events and made my way in the Blue Line to Addison and Clark. After checking in at the biggest Starbucks's this Seattle area girl had ever seen I found a spot across the street from the stadium, plopped myself on my stool and dove in. Later I learned the Sox and Cubs were in the middle of a four-game series - which the Cubs won by the way.

I'd worked up quite an appetite so I tracked down a hot dog joint that sold authentic Vienna Hot Dogs- the best. Poppy seed bun, mustard, onions, peppers, dill pickle and, of course, an "all-beef" Vienna dog.  

Yummm, just like I remembered.

A “Family Reunion” in Paraty

8/27/14 Pizzeria da Cidade, Paraty

When I left for Brazil nearly three weeks ago, Seattle trees were showing only a tiny hint of fall. Coming home from SeaTac Monday afternoon, the first thing I noticed was that the trees were definitely turning orange and yellow – no more hinting. I feel like I’ve been far away for a long time – both physically and mentally.

Paraty was a delight – and full of surprises. When I had first started seeing images of the coastal village in southern Brazil – one I had never heard of before the announcement that the 5th Annual International Urban Sketching Symposium would be held there – I was immediately taken with its small-town charm. Unlike Barcelona’s spectacular urban vibrancy (which inspired and invigorated me even as it intimidated me), Paraty seemed more my pace. Perhaps I could leisurely walk its streets without being watchful of pickpockets!

As it turned out, I had to be as watchful as ever in Paraty, though not of pickpockets. Instead of looking around for thieves, I had to look down with every step – or risk tripping on the rough stone streets and sidewalks everywhere! Or if my timing was off, I might be trapped on one side of the street or another when the high tide came in and the streets flooded with a sudden, temporary river.

As small as the proverbial “one-dog town” (in fact, there were at least three, including the black one that was always asleep next to Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Rosário; if you look through the symposium Flickr group, you’ll see that the dog is a fixture in several sketches of the church), I could walk from end to end in a short time (though it always took me longer than I expected because I was trying not to trip). Despite its initial impression of being a sleepy town, Paraty is anything but quiet. I woke every morning to a cacophony of exotic birdsong and church bells. One day at 6 a.m., we were awakened by fireworks honoring a patron saint. Music was often playing, and the voices of local business owners and patrons filled the streets.

8/27/14 Our hardworking symposium staff at the opening reception.

Barcelona last year is the only other symposium I attended and can compare Paraty to, so I don’t have a broad range of reference, but to me Paraty was an ideal symposium location in several ways. Its small size made it easy to run (I mean walk – no running on those stony streets!) between the various symposium events, and it was so much fun to see other sketchers everywhere, anytime. The scale of the architecture was less imposing (can you say Sagrada Familia?), and I enjoyed the smaller workshops and activities more. In Barcelona, the culture was to dine late in the evening, so I missed most of the informal drink-and-draws because I was usually in bed by the time they took place. In Paraty, I could attend group dinners without losing beauty sleep. Stone streets notwithstanding, Paraty was more my pace.

8/26/14 Caramujo Restaurant, Paraty

The symposium structure itself keeps maturing and improving. This year I could choose to attend a mix of workshops and activities, giving me a broader range of experiences. For example, by opting to forego the Thursday afternoon workshop and attend a portrait exchange instead, I met a number of people who had not registered for the workshop pass, so I probably wouldn’t have had an opportunity to talk to them otherwise. Even better, I spent time with each one sketching their portrait.

Which brings me to the same conclusion I came to at the end of the Barcelona symposium last year: Regardless of the location or specific workshops (which were enormously useful), what I value and remember most about the Urban Sketching Symposium are the people I met or became reunited with there. I heard a number of attendees use the term “family reunion” to describe the atmosphere, and it’s exactly appropriate. I cherish the time I spent, both at the symposium and later in Rio, with people whose sketches I keep up with online all year round or just met and look forward to seeing again at a future symposium. Time and time again, I was moved by the communication that can transpire even without much of a common spoken language when we all share the common language of our love for sketching.

I could post here some of the many sketches of buildings and streets I made in Paraty (you can see them in the symposium Flickr group). But in honor of the many people who made the symposium special to me, instead I’m posting some of the sketches I made during the portrait exchange, informal drink-and-draws and the final symposium sketchwalk. Thank you, everyone, for a very special time in Paraty. I feel privileged to be part of this vast global network.

8/29/14 Cafe Do Fogo, Paraty

8/29/14 Cafe Do Fogo, Paraty

8/28/14 Sergio sketched at the portrait party

8/28/14 Marcia sketched at the portrait party

8/28/14 Fernanda sketched at the portrait party

8/30/14 Symposium closing sketchwalk, Matriz Square, Paraty. (There's Frank Ching at left, sketching while standing, wearing a hat.)

Back from the Symposium

The Seattle Urban Sketchers who went to Portland are home, with full Moleskines, great memories and new connections.

Big props to Gabi, who was everywhere and on top of everything. If I were him, I'd be ready for a vacation or a padded room, but at least on the train back to Seattle on Sunday, he seemed to be holding up pretty well and was already talking about Lisbon 2011 with the presenters (including Simonetta, Isabelle, Lapin and our own Frank Ching).

Our days were full with scheduled sketching sessions and presentations. Above is a photo of Peggy, as we played hooky Saturday morning to visit the incredible Lu San Chinese Garden. Below is a sketch from my first session with Lapin on Thursday morning. I took a set of alphabet stamps with me, here dipped in watercolor. Still trying to figure out how to incorporate them...


Looking forward to hooking back up with everyone at our August sketchcrawl!