Sketching as a social form of communication can be considered a natural state of being. From the cave dwellers of Lascaux on, imagine how many leaders must have said, in the absence of the written word, “Let me sketch that out for you.” 

Fast forward 15,000+ years to 2007, when Seattle-based journalist and illustrator Gabriel Camanario created an online forum for sketchers who “love to draw the cities where they live and visit, from the window of their homes, from a café, at a park, standing by a street corner…always on location.”

Starting with a Flickr page for sketchers to share their drawings, Urban Sketchers soon became an invitation-based global organization, now a 501( c )3 non-profit, with 182 chapters worldwide. Info 

Urban Sketchers maintains a network of blogs and online groups where sketchers can share their drawings and stories and interact with each other. Additionally, USk publishes a monthly Drawing Attention report with news from chapters worldwide. Info

This year Urban Sketchers [USk] celebrates ten years of “Seeing the world, one drawing at a time,” with events scheduled around the globe, including workshops hosted by local chapters from Ireland to Italy and in between. Info

The 8^th Annual International Symposium is being held this July in Chicago, where numerous workshops will be led by architects and artists. Info New York-based artist Melanie Reim is leading a workshop with Penang-based artist Kiah Kiean in Seattle, in mid-July, with composition and calligraphic linework on the menu. Info The USkNYC 2-day September workshop, Puzzling Out the Picture, led by Veronica Lawlor, sold out immediately, with a second weekend added to the lineup. Info  

On June 11, the New York Botanical Garden is hosting its 2nd annual Plein-Air Invitational, with 20 established artists, including Urban Sketchers James Gurney, Sharey Blaukopf, Veronica Lawlor, Marc Taro Holmes, Jason Das, Elissa Gore, and Brad Marshall. The Plein-Air drop-in drawing center, where visitors can grab a stool and art supplies to participate on their own is being manned by USkNYC leader Mark Leibowitz. In addition to the artists scattered throughout the garden, there will be guided tours featuring the current Chihuly exhibtion, along with demonstrations of flameworking by Urban Glass. Info

If you would like to join an Urban Sketchers chapter, find one near you here. If you are traveling to a chapter city, you can join the activities listed on their blog or website page. If you want to start a chapter in your area, find the info you need here. To join Urban Sketchers NYC, go to the blog and sign up for the email list, or contact Mark Leibowitz mark@urbansketchers.org. You can also participate online by posting your sketches on Facebook or Flickr. Info

Images, top to bottom, randomly selected from the Urban Sketchers Flickr page: Den Roundstepp; Ekaterina Khozatskaya, Tblisi; Alfonso Garcia, Seville; copyright and courtesy the artists. Info

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