"Three Days of Peace & Sketching"

Like a lot of people who were in attendance, I'm still smiling ear-to-ear after the Symposium. I knew it was going to be a great event, but I had no idea how great. Before I left for Portland, I had been following people's posts documenting their journeys from far and wide. I jokingly said to my wife, Patty, that it felt like the "Woodstock of Sketching" was about to happen. It was tongue-in-cheek when I said it, but I guess there was a grain of truth as well. And as Lapin was sitting beside me at dinner the final evening, drawing the phrase in his sketchbook, I couldn't stop chuckling about what a fantastic three days we'd all shared. It was refreshing and motivating to be around so many people who are passionate about sketching the world around them. I'm only sorry it didn't go on longer, and that I didn't have time to get to know even more fellow sketchers. I guess that's why I'm going to find a way to get to Lisbon for the next one!


This spread is from the Urban Sketcher's Moleskine. I had never tried this Japanese/Accordion format, and I wasn't crazy about the paper ... but in the spirit of trying new things, I gave it a shot and really enjoyed it. No watercolor, but I was in a pencil/pen mood anyway (almost all of my other sketches from the weekend were pencil). I even tried to blend a couple sketches, which is not something I do very often. But seeing other sketchers use this approach, I just had to give it a try - where the Clyde Common sketch sort of connects to the Freemont Bridge. It's not much, but it's a start!  

A big THANK YOU to everyone at the Symposium for making it such a wonderful experience. Thanks to Patrick and Kurt and everyone at PNCA - excellent venue and organization! Special thanks to the other presenters/instructors and fellow USK Correspondents - your work is inspiring, and your friendship is cherished. And extra-special thanks to Gabi, who really made everything come together and never appeared to break a sweat!

See you in Lisbon!