Driven to Sketch

I don’t really believe in New Year’s resolutions, but I do believe we’re all capable of change.

Morning near Astoria.

After managing to create a shop window art installation in early 2021, I burned out on the pandemic and life in general. I stopped drawing. I didn’t want to, but I couldn’t draw for the sake of drawing. Virtual sketchcrawls didn’t speak to me.

The art installation.

As the world started to open up in 2022, I began to draw again in earnest. 

Mt Hood from the south.

When I ventured outside of my pandemic bubble, I found stimulation through travel. Everyplace I went, I wanted to capture the scene, to soak up what was elusive in daily life: new things. The freshness of my surroundings drove me to use my notebook to record as much as I could. I filled multiple pages of sketched goodness each day. I became more bold with the paint. I drew with abandon. My sketches weren’t technical feats, they weren’t masterpieces, but they filled a deep void.

 As 2022, comes to a close, looking over all the things that I drew, I realize that something is missing; I drew mostly on my own. 

In 2023, I’m not making any resolutions, but I’m hoping to do a better job connecting with the sketching community, maybe even encouraging us to expand our bubbles and find new stimulation in sketching and travel, together.

Washington Park / World Forestry Center - Saturday, November 19

Hello everyone!

Given the weather we've been having lately, for our November sketchcrawl we're choosing a location that offers several options for shelter (along with food, and a public restroom) so even if we wake up to a cold and wet day, we should be able to find a comfortable spot.

Sketch at Oregon Zoo by Katura Reynolds

At the Washington Park/Oregon Zoo MAX station we will have these sketching opportunities:

• Sketch mountain goats in the free area near the entrance of the Oregon Zoo
• Follow a trail in Hoyt Arboretum
• Sketch the Vietnam Veterans of Oregon Memorial
• Pay the World Forestry Center entrance fee and sketch inside (opens at 11am, $5)
• Pay the Oregon Zoo entrance fee and sketch inside (opens at 9:30am, $24, subject to availability)
• If you've bought a MAX ticket, sketch from the underground platform
• Hide out inside the Cascade-to-Go cafeteria at the zoo entrance

Saturday, November 19

10:00 am Meet up in front of the World Forestry Center 

12:00 pm Sketchbook throwdown in the same spot, or wherever we announce at the meetup

There is a public bathroom near the MAX Station, and a cafeteria at the Oregon Zoo that can be accessed without a ticket.

Besides the convenient MAX station, there's also plenty of paid parking.

See you there!

Sketch at Hoyt Arboretum by Bill Sharp