June 20th Sketchcrawl - International Rose Test Garden

Let's go back to the rose garden in Washington Park.  It should be in full flower in the middle of June.  And maybe we can catch a glimpse of the new reservoir.  Which is still not open to the public.

• 10am - meet in the plaza between the gift shop and restrooms, at the SW corner of the garden
• noon - meet again nearby, wherever we can find space for an optional throw-down

The free park shuttle loops around the park, with stops at both the Rose Garden and the zoo MAX station.  There's also a Trimet bus, the 63, that comes to the Rose Garden from downtown.  If you're willing to hike up the hill from Burnside, the 20 stops at the bottom of the carriage drive, and the 15 a couple blocks away.

For people driving, parking can get tight.  There's a small lot at the Rose Garden, but it fills up quickly.  Overflow parking is down SW Sherwood, which might lead to a hike back up to the garden.  It might be best to park at the zoo and take the shuttle.

June 1 - Another Drink and Draw at NW Lucky Lab

Join us for another round at Lucky Lab at 1945 NW Quimby! We meet at 5, usually outside, to sketch and chat for a couple of hours. And if anyone is interested in organizing a meet-up like this in NE or SE, let us know! We'll help you set it up.

Kenton

Well, we didn't luck out with the weather this time.  And it didn't rain very much, until the very end.  Thanks to everyone for braving the rain.

All the photos I've got came from Amy, cause by the time I got to the throwdown everyone was scrambling to get their sketchbooks to safety.

Beaverton Farmers Market

 Sketches from this morning's sketchcrawl:

May 16th Sketchcrawl - Kenton

I see, from reading back in our blog, that we've sketched in Kenton before, but not in donkey's years.  So let's go back, for what's likely to be the first time for most of us.

For sketching, there's the giant Paul Bunyan statue, the Denver Ave main street, neighborhood homes, a bamboo nursery, a neighborhood rose garden and a Victorian mansion.

The only coffee shop I found was Posies at Denver and Kilpatrick.  It seems to be popular, and hence very busy.  There are restrooms at Posies, at the Kenton Library next door, and at Kenton Park, a block to the west.

Kenton is served by the #4 bus, and the Yellow MAX.

sketch by Kalina Wilson

• 10am - meet in the plaza at the base of the Paul Bunyan statue, at N Denver and N Interstate, for introductions.  If you need GPS directions, you could use Kenton/N Denver Ave, which both Google and Apple maps recognize as the MAX station.  (If it's raining, we'll meet at Fenwick Plaza, a block to the east at the other end of the MAX station.)
• noon - meet at the same place for an optional throwdown

Sketchcrawl in Beaverton

 Hey folks! Elizabeth and Tim, a couple of sketchers in Beaverton, have set up a local sketchcrawl at the downtown Beaverton Farmers Market on Saturday, May 9, 2026 from 10am to noon.

Meet them at 10am by the park benches located at the south end of the Farmers Market (look for the playground Pirate Ship; closest cross streets are SW 4th and SW Washington) for quick intros and an orientation, and then regroup at noon for the sketchbook throw down.

You can get to downtown Beaverton on public transportation. The closest major MAX/bus stop is the Beaverton Transit Center. There’s plenty of options for food/coffee at the Farmers Market as well as on the way from the Beaverton Transit Center.

Rain location will be inside the Beaverton City Library one block over on SW 5th (off of SW Hall).

So glad this is happening! Anybody who wants to set up extra events in their neighborhood, just let us know and we're happy to help.

Drink and Draw at NW Lucky Lab, Again

Our last get-together at the Lucky Lab worked pretty well, so we're going to try it as a regular first Monday of the month thing.  We'll meet 5-7pm on Monday, May 4th, at 1945 NW Quimby St.  Probably in the outdoor section, so dogs can come too.  No need to RSVP, just show up and find us.

And, as usual, anyone is free to organize an outing in their own neighborhood.  Pick a place and a time, and we'll help with getting the word out.

Farmhouse Carts

Another beautiful day, and even more new people!

 Sketch Portland with us this summer!

Join us for the 10th anniversary edition of Urban Sketching Workshops in Portland— on-location drawing series. These workshops are a chance to develop your drawing skills, meet fellow sketchers, and see your city with fresh eyes. To celebrate the 10th year of teaching Urban sketching in Portland we are going all out–offering 10 workshops celebrating the most iconic Portland’s locations and events–from Portland bridges to its gorgeous parks, river spots, festivals, and markets.

Special discount for participants, age 30 and under: Only $25 per workshop with code 30UNDER

More info

April 18th Sketchcrawl - Farmhouse Carts on SE Division

For our April 18 sketchcrawl, let's meet at the Farmhouse food carts on 35th PL at SE Division. There's plenty of shelter in case of rain, good architecture to draw along Division, and even some art galleries and art supply stores to wander around in. (Plus: Portland's first dog treat food cart.)

Note that the entrance to the food carts is on NE 35th Place. Parking is mostly going to be neighborhood street parking, and there are good public transit options.

• 10 AM: Meet at Farmhouse Carts for introductions
• Noon: Meet back at the food carts for an optional throwdown

Farmhouse Carts, 2415 SE 35th Pl, Portland, OR 97214