Symposium participant: Orling "Arty" Domínguez.

Hello everyone! My name is Orling “Arty” Dominguez. I’m from Dominican Republic, currently living in the capital city of Santo Domingo. I work as a freelance graphic designer and as a high school art teacher in an international school.

A few months ago I decided to post an event on Facebook inviting people in Dominican Republic to get together and spend a day sketching outdoors. By the time I was trying to find people like me in DR, people who just love to draw no matter their backgrounds and/or level of proficiency, so I began searching in the internet to see if there was already a group formed to sign up. I didn’t find any so I went ahead and send out the Facebook invitation. In that same search I came across the website of Sketchcrawl and Urban Sketchers. Oh boy! what a fantastic source of inspiration that was for me, so many amazing drawings.  To make a long story short, the group is formed (DIBUJANDO RD), I had hosted 2 drawing marathons already and there is a 3^rd one scheduled for September 12^th. People are beginning to get the idea, so I hope the group will grow through time.

I had made plans to spend some time at NY this summer when I read about the symposium and I didn’t think it twice to sign up. I said to myself: I’m going to be in the USA anyways, why not just make a quick stop in Portland? (that was me thinking that if I was already in the USA a national flight from NY to Portland was going to be cheaper than an international one from Dominican Republic. I was soooo wrong, it had to be that artistic side of me that knows nothing about numbers, miles and fuels). So I am leaving this coming Sunday to spend a week at New York then head to Portland and eventually to Montreal. I’m really looking forward to sketch in those 3 spots.

For me sketching/drawing is an act of liberation from the daily routine, the bills, the traffic jam. It’s about commitment and passion as well, ‘cause sometimes “the day job” can distract me away from my sketchbook. Sketching is a way of connecting with what’s going on out there, to realize and comprehend and I have to add that sketching outdoors is a great way of making valuable friends.

I look forward meeting you all in Portland. I will be arriving two days early to walk around and get to know the city, to make some photographs (another passion as well) and try out the Portland coffee. (I am a heavy coffee drinker but I am willing to try some tea as well in honor of the tea lovers of the group :-)

Here are a couple of sketches from the Drawing Marathons in DR and pictures of the participants in the 1st Drawing Marathon. Children are always welcome, their drawings are amazing!

this is an old sketch I had around.

and...

... the sketching gear: fountain pen, dip pen, my moleskine, fabriano paper, 

watercolors, ink, graphite pencils, pen, Sakura brush marker, and some handy ziplocks.

'till Portland! :-)

Orling "Arty" Domínguez

My Flickr site.

Drawing by the Pound! blog.