plus sketching – one vaccination at a time – on six continents
SKETCHING IN: GENOA DAEGU • HONG KONG MARYBOROUGH SEVILLA • NYC
DRAWING
Attention
The official zine of Urban Sketchers SEPTEMBER 2021
Drawing Attention Mandate Drawing Attention, the official monthly zine of the Urban Sketchers organization, communicates and promotes official USk workshops, symposiums, sketchcrawls, news and events; shares news about USk chapters; and educates readers about the practice of on-location sketching. Thanks to this month’s Drawing Attention contributors: Content Publication Team: Olga Surmacheva, Anne Taylor Mailchimp layout: Jane Wingfield Issuu layout: Anne Taylor Writers: Cathy Gutterman, Anne Taylor, Jane Wingfield | Spanish copy editor: Rosario Muñoz Gajardo | Proofreaders: Leslie Akchurin; Jane Wingfield Contributors: Richard Alomar; Mohan Banerji, Genine Carvalheira, Noga Grosman, Uma Kelkar, Vanessa Leung, Steen Malberg, Parka, Peter Richards, Rita Sabler Cover Image: Elisa Monti Subscribe to Drawing Attention. Read the June edition of Drawing Attention. Circulation: 14k+ Readership: 16k+ Web: urbansketchers.org Urban Sketchers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering the art of on-location drawing. Click here to make your tax-deductible contribution via Paypal. © 2021 Urban Sketchers. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this publication, including accompanying artwork, are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Urban Sketchers organization.
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elcome to the September 2021 issue of Drawing Attention! This time, you will see messages about hope, resilience and maintaining inspiration, dotted throughout our zine – our tribute to sketchers all around the world who continue, often against the odds, to be creative, connect, and ‘make art out of the pieces’ at this time. It was a privilege to hear from people from 10 countries who sketched their COVID vaccination centre and other experiences. We are not just sharing sketching now, but lived experience of a pandemic. Reportage seems like a particularly relevant form of urban sketching these days, and we are pleased to feature naval architect and interior designer Elisa Monti, who documented the life of a ship under construction at her home port of Genoa. In New York City, Dr Jeffrey Levine’s sketches bring us up close and personal to his work with senior patients in hospitals and care homes. Against the background of COVID, new chapters are still being formed, and we meet USk Daegu in South Korea. We also have news from USk Sevilla, Hong Kong, and Brisbane, and we are pleased to feature three languages in addition to English this time. Remember we are always keen to hear news from your chapter so don’t be shy about sending it to us! We also encourage you to have your say on Drawing Attention by taking part in our readership survey – we will present findings in our next issue out in December. And check out the Annual Report 2020 which shows Urban Sketchers.org evolving and flourishing in new areas despite a completely unprecedented 12 months. Thank you so much to all of our contributors, USk board members and the Drawing Attention team who worked so hard to bring this to you, plus the Social Media team who enthusiastically promote it. In the words of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern – stay safe and be kind. Anne Taylor (Wellington, NZ) & Olga Surmacheva (Seattle, USA), Content Team E: drawingattention@urbansketchers.org
CONTENTS
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ear USk Community, We hope you all are well! It’s been a joy and a pleasure to see so many of you out sketching on Facebook and Instagram. It’s also wonderful to see everyone following safety protocols to assure that you can sketch together safely. Kudos for your creativity and community strength! As a global community you have all found ways of staying active locally and maintaining the USk spirit through all kinds of challenges. As the year winds down, we want to recognize the efforts and energy of thousands of sketchers all over the world, so keep track of upcoming events and plans. There are a few very exciting things happening from September to December, that will engage you all and renew the spirit that binds us- drawing together.
4 NEWS & EVENTS 57 REVIEW
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And rest assured that the next generation of Drawing Attention will continue to tell the story of who we are and what we do, in ways that reach a greater number of sketchers. And a sneak peek...there will be a place for your personal sketch and stories! On a closing note, it’s been my pleasure to serve USk and I hope you all continue to sketch together in any way you can.
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28 ELISA MONTI 48 COVID
INTERNATIONAL
Please stay safe, engaged and sketching! Richard Alomar, President, Urban Sketchers
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40 JEFFREY LEVINE CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD ISSUU APP FOR IOS DEVICES CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD ISSUU APP FOR ANDROID
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USk news & events
UPDATE FROM GENINE CARVALHEIRA USK VICE PRESIDENT
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READERSHIP SURVEY Urban Sketchers is looking to improve Drawing Attention and we would love to hear from you. We have created a short survey in the hope of better understanding what our community is most interested in and what we can do better. The survey should only take you approximately two minutes and can be accessed here. Thank you in advance for your time and we look forward to hearing from you!
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USk news & events
WELCOME NEW CHAPTERS!
UPDATE FROM UMA KELKAR USK SECRETARY We are excited to announce that 11 new chapters were approved in July from six countries. This brings our Official Chapter count to 337 Chapters worldwide. You can read about USk Daegu, South Korea (above) on page 14. Please also welcome: USk Marseille, France USk Rouen, France USk Terrassa, Spain USk Belém, Brazil USk Dubuque, Iowa, USA The Executive Board compiles an Annual Report which presents the highlights and strategic movement of our grassroots organization. You can read the 2020 Report which documents our experience in the first year of the Pandemic, as well as the 2019 Report which records the last time we had a Symposium. Our Annual Reports tabulate the job done by various chapters and committees, and also give a ‘health of the organization’ snapshot. What would you like to see in the Annual Report that would help you grow the footprint of Urban Sketchers? Let us know, we are listening.
USk Angers, France USk Clermont-Ferrand, France USk Cantabria, Spain USk Tucson, USA USk London, Ontario, Canada
SHARE YOUR CHAPTER’S NEWS WITH OUR READERS We are always interested to hear what’s going on in your chapterContact us to share your chapter’s news, special events, joint meetups, and exhibitions with our readers. You don’t need to write the story yourself – we will assign a Drawing Attention writer. Contact us at: drawingattention@urbansketchers.org 9 • 2021 5
USk news & events
UPDATE FROM MOHAN BANERJI SPONSORSHIP DIRECTOR SPONSORS SUPPORT COMMUNITY GRANT WORKSHOP The USk Reading chapter in England, working with Jelly (a charity championing the creative arts), held the first of two workshops (July & Sept) under the guidance of Isabel Carmona. This was aimed at introducing the joys of sketching to the broader Reading community. Participants included members of The Engine Room (an arts and mental health project) and Mother Tongue (women who have English as a second language). Derwent and Seawhite of Brighton provided support with generous donations of all the art materials.
SPONSORS JOIN USK ON SOCIAL MEDIA Da Vinci (July) and Strathmore (August) were among the first sponsors to partner USk in promoting products on Instagram, with Derwent participating this month. Check out their promotion as a number of their Line and Wash Paint Pan Sets, perfect for on location sketching, are there to be won!
2022 REGIONAL EVENTS The pandemic is still impacting travel (flights, hotels, visas, vaccination certificates, etc). However, if you are planning events for 2022, send details to sponsorship@urbansketchers. org and the Sponsorship team of Raylie, Alvin and I will do our best to get you some support.
USK INSTAGRAM 6 drawing attention
“If your heart is broken, make art with the pieces.” Shane Koyczan
usk news
AL FRESCO: A CHRONICLE OF USK SEVILLA IN TIMES OF COVID BY USK SEVILLA, SPAIN
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fter more than a year without being able to meet to draw due to the global pandemic, our local group Usk Sevilla has been able to start its urban sketching activities again with summer night meetings, called ‘AL FRESCO’.
These are two-hour meetings, which always take place on weekdays. They are held at night (from 8-11pm), because in the summer months, Sevillians try to avoid the intense heat, starting to draw when the sun begins to set. The sketchers are invited to contribute sketches for the posters for each event. 9 • 2021 7
USk news & events
Al fresco meetings end with sharing all the sketches and taking the group picture. Then we enjoy a summer Drink & Draw, where the anecdotes of the day are shared, there’s a lot of conversation about urban sketching, drawing materials..... and more sketching! The response to this activity has been incredible: a new wave of urban sketchers are joining these summer drawing meetings and, despite the intense heat, the sketchers have not stopped going to these night time appointments.
There is enormous enthusiasm for sharing, learning and renewing the bond and passion for drawing in situ. Optimism and excitement have outweighed the long time of isolation and inactivity. We want to encourage you to go out and sketch, but always safely. All our activities have been carried out under strict measures to prevent COVID-19 because, although most of us are vaccinated, we cannot let down our guard – we want safe meetings. We always draw in open spaces where it is possible to maintain safe distances and we comply with all preventive measures established by the health authority at all times. See you drawing in the cool!
JORNADAS AL FRESCO
URBANSKETCHERS EN TIEMPOS DEL COVID, USK SEVILLA, ESPAÑA
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rás más de una año sin poder reunirnos a dibujar por motivos de la pandemia mundial que nos azota, el grupo Usk Sevilla (Sevilla, España), ha podido iniciar de nuevo su andadura con los encuentros nocturnos veraniegos: ‘JORNADAS AL FRESCO’. Se trata de jornadas de 2 h, que tienen lugar siempre entre semana. Su horario es nocturno (20-22 h p.m.), porque en Sevilla durante los meses de verano tratamos de eludir su intenso calor, quedando a dibujar cuando empieza a esconderse el sol. Esta actividad cuenta además con la colaboración abierta de los dibujantes del grupo, a los que se invita a participar con sus dibujos en el diseño de los carteles para cada evento. La jornada “Al fresco” finaliza con la puesta en común de los dibujos y la foto de grupo, tras lo cual y como es costumbre, disfrutamos de un veraniego Drink & Draw, donde se
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comparten las anécdotas de la jornada, mucha conversación sobre dibujos, materiales,…., y más dibujos. La respuesta a esta actividad ha sido increíble, una nueva ola de dibujantes se están uniendo a estos encuentros de dibujo veraniego, y a pesar del intenso calor, los dibujantes no han dejado de acudir a estas citas nocturnas. Hay una enorme ilusión por compartir, aprender y renovar el vínculo y la pasión por el dibujo in situ. El optimismo y alegría, han ganado la partida a la distancia y el tiempo sin actividad. Os animamos igualmente a salir y dibujar, pero siempre seguros. Todas las actividades se han realizado bajo condiciones de prevención contra el COVID-19, porque, aunque la mayoría nos encontramos vacunados, no bajamos la guardia, queremos jornadas seguras. Dibujamos siempre en espacios abiertos donde sea posible mantener las distancias de seguridad y cumplimos con todas las medidas preventivas establecidas por la autoridad sanitaria en cada momento! Nos vemos dibujando al fresquito!
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usk news
‘WANCHAI FAST SKETCHERS’ EXHIBITION BY VANESSA LEUNG, USK HONG KONG CHAPTER LEADER
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verywhere was in a lockdown in 2020 and USk Hong Kong was not able to organise any official events. Some sketchers gathered in small groups to sketch, I was sketching a lot of food. I decided that I need to get back on track to do more urban sketching despite all those lockdown and gathering restrictions. So in December 2020, I contacted another urban sketcher, Ruf, who works in the Wanchai area where I also work. Wanchai is an area with a mix of commercial and residential, old and new – there is a lot to sketch. Ruf and I started regular weekday lunchtime sketch sessions. We skipped lunch every Wednesday to sketch in different Wanchai locations. We sketched fast, as both of us needed to rush back to work. Since then, we have gathered a few more local sketchers. As Wanchai is very busy during lunch hour, there are times where we were caught by passersby who were interested in joining. Sometimes we got messages from others who saw our regular Wednesday lunch sketches on social media asking to join as well.
Eventually, from a group of two people, we have grown to over 20 sketchers. Every Wednesday you will see at least a dozen keen sketchers gathered somewhere in Wanchai. And we haven’t skipped any Wednesdays, despte heat and rain. One day I had the idea it would be meaningful to find a place in Wanchai to exhibit our sketches and photos with how we sketched together in this busy neighborhood. The lunch group was so enthusiastic that we soon found two locations willing to sponsor the exhibition. We also came up with the exhibition title Wanchai FAST sketchers. There’s a double meaning on the word FAST: we fast our stomach to sketch and we have to sketch fast to go back to work! The exhibition was first set up in Artland Gallery then moved to A Link Gallery. We have exhibited a total of 40 selected sketches done by 14 sketchers. I wanted to share this story to inspire you – you can start with a small group in your own area, and grow from there. Even if you skip just one lunch time it’s good enough, you have no excuse to say that you have no time to sketch! This is such a fun-filled experience.
“Y
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ou can start with a small group in your own area, and grow from there...”
USk news & events
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USk news & events
“I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.” Maya Angelou
由於新冠病毒疫情影響，香港自 2020年頭已有一系列措施限制群 組聚集。「速寫香港」因此亦無法 組織任何官方速寫活動。我們亦 只可以小組私下相約進行速寫。正 因如此，兩位灣仔區工作的速寫 愛好者感覺儘管有限聚，亦希望 能盡量保持對城市速寫的熱誠。 自2020年尾起，他們決定於每星 期繁忙的工作中抽空放鬆一下，相 約每周三午飯時間快閃地速寫灣 仔其中一些角落。 灣仔區正是一個商住混雜、新舊 交融的地區，有很多值得勾畫的地 方。短短數月由「小貓兩隻」，變成 十多個有速寫經驗的業餘畫家 及 午飯途經便決定加入的新鮮人組 成這「餓底速寫團」，名乎其實餓 住肚子也要畫！他們風雨不改、日 12 drawing attention
曬雨淋地把灣仔不同的角落記錄 在畫筆下。 不經不覺這個灣仔區「餓底速寫 團」已經每周在灣仔區速寫了超 過半年，他們認為若能於灣仔區 作一個展覽，給居住這區或經常 出入這區的人參觀，將會是很有 意義。很快地，這 班「餓底速寫 團」亦找到兩處灣仔的展覽場地 贊助，讓這班抵著飢餓也要畫畫 的熱血餓底畫家們展示他們筆下 千姿百態的灣仔。 這是一個非常鼓舞人心的速寫故 事，其實只要有興趣，任何人也 可以先在一個自己熟識的地方開 始，哪怕只是抽出一個午餐時間 來畫一下你的周邊的環境，慢慢 地你會驚訝原來坐在繁忙的街道 上，你也可以找到志趣相投的人加 入。這是一次充滿樂趣的體驗。
USk news & events
MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR INSTAGRAM POSTS
UPDATE FROM NOGA GROSMAN, SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR, & THE USK INSTAGRAM TEAM
The USk Social Media team is a group of volunteers from around the world who offer their skills, time and devotion to connect and engage with the Urban Sketchers global community via Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. We share USk news and updates on the feed and promote a variety of programs, created to inspire and empower sketchers. Sometimes we send a call to action to our members, inviting you to engage and connect with other urban sketchers enthusiasts. Over the next few issues of Drawing Attention, we’ll be giving you updates and social media tips to improve our community’s online communication.
TOP TIPS ON POSTING Some locations around the world are opening up again, so we can share the joy by posting and reposting sketches. But what’s the best way to boost the visibility of our sketch posts and maybe even get featured on the USk IG feed?:
• MAKE SURE YOUR SKETCH IS WELL-LIT IN A FULL-FRAME PHOTO. • ADD A SECOND IMAGE WITH YOUR SUBJECT MATTER BEHIND YOUR • • • • •
SKETCH (SEE RIGHT), SO IT’S CLEAR IT WAS DONE ON LOCATION. UPLOAD YOUR URBAN SKETCH IMAGE(S) ON YOUR INSTA FEED TAG YOUR SKETCH WITH THE #URBANSKETCHERS HASHTAG ADD VALUE BY SHARING THE STORY OF SKETCH IE. HOW IT WAS ON THE DAY, THE REASON YOU WENT THERE – SOMETHING PERSONAL CONNECTS WITH VIEWERS (SEE RIGHT). ADD THE NAME OF THE CITY, COUNTRY & LOCATION. REMEMBER, THE USK IG TEAM IS REPOSTING ONLY SKETCHES POSTED DIRECTLY ON THE ARTIST PAGE. WE DO NOT REPOST SKETCHES FOUND ON A THIRD-PARTY FEED.
There are too many fantastic sketches for us to repost every day. We can’t repost everything on the USk feed, but everyone can search and follow #urbansketchers! Next time, we’ll focus on social media engagement with USk Chapters. 9 • 2021 13
sketcher spotlight
usk news
Heritage Connections
A CHANCE MENTION OF URBAN SKETCHING DURING AN ONLINE WORKSHOP LED TO THE CREATION OF A SIGNIFICANT EVENT FOR HISTORIC MARYBOROUGH, ON AUSTRALIA’S NORTH EAST COAST. WORDS: PETER RICHARDS PHOTOS: CODY FOX
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USk news & events
FIRST THROW DOWN, MARYBOROUGH URBAN SKETCHING WEEKEND 6 • 2021 15
USk news & events
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’d been talking about drawing and design with the heritage architect of a local council who is based in Maryborough, about four hours north of Brisbane.
Peter is an active member of Urban Sketchers Brisbane and was one of the initiators and organisers of the Brisbane Sketchfest in 2019. He is also a member of the Urban Sketchers Education Committee and, when not sketching, is a practicing architect, and teacher at the Queensland University of Technology.
Maryborough is a significant heritage city that I know quite well. Located on the Mary River, this European settlement was established in the midnineteenth century, becoming one of the main ports for immigrants into Queensland. It had rural industries of sugar and timber, and a manufacturing base for shipping and trains. Maryborough is also the birthplace of Pamela Lyndon Travers, who wrote the famous Mary Poppins books. There are many significant civic buildings designed by well-known
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architects of the day and many other historic and intact heritage buildings. I suggested members of Urban Sketchers Brisbane might be interested in sketching in Maryborough for a weekend. The heritage architect gave me the names of the right people in Council to talk to. An early visit to the city to discuss the opportunity showed that the Fraser Coast Council had a significant interest and support for the arts, and great local galleries, but no urban sketching group. There was the annual heritage festival in the town in May and Council was very keen to make the sketching weekend a key activity in the program. A free event was settled on with Sketch Walks and a Pecha Kucha (or Skit Sketch) style
USk news & events
talk event featuring four local and four visiting speakers. The weekend would finish with a popup exhibition of the sketches produced, hung in the basement of an historic building near the river. Urban Sketchers Brisbane was equally enthusiastic. The Maryborough Urban Sketching Weekend happened in the long weekend in early May. Over 50 sketchers attended the weekend; more than half were locals. Over one hundred works were displayed with more than 500 visiting the exhibition, which was up for three weeks. It was a remarkable and inspiring experience. The event could have been a nice (self-indulgent) sketching holiday for urban sketchers from Brisbane with no
TREVOR SPOOR SKETCHING IN MARYBOROUGH 6 • 2021 17
USk news & events
engagement with the community but I felt that the connection of Brisbane Urban Sketchers with the local Council and community in partnership was so important. We were able to share the joy and power of urban sketching as outreach to a community with a strong interest in the arts. The event also provided richer insights into the city for the sketching visitors and a more significant connection to people and place. Council is keen for the event to happen again, and it has even encouraged locals to set up a local chapter!
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SKETCH BY APRIL SPADINA
USk news & events
QUEENS PARK ROTUNDA, COURTHOUSE AND CUSTOMS HOUSE BY PETER RICHARDS 9 • 2021 19
USk news & events
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SKETCH BY ANNE MAREE O’BRIEN
USk news & events
TONY WALKER & FRIEND ON LOCATION IN MARYBOROUGH
“
The event has encouraged locals to set up a local chapter.”
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USk news & events
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SKETCH BY PETER DARMODY
USk news & events
“
The event could have been a nice (self-indulgent) sketching holiday for urban sketchers from Brisbane... but ... the connection of Brisbane Urban Sketchers with the local Council and community in partnership was so important.”
PETER’S TIPS FOR ORGANISING A HERITAGE WEEKEND “WE DIDN’T RUN WORKSHOPS, WHICH MADE THE COSTS LESS AND THE EVENT MUCH EASIER TO ORGANISE. THE BUDGET FOR THE ENTIRE PROJECT WAS THE COST OF THE PUBLIC LIABILITY INSURANCE PAID BY USK BRISBANE. WORKSHOPS WOULD HAVE IMPROVED THE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE, BUT THE EXCHANGE BETWEEN THE EXPERIENCED SKETCHERS AND THE LOCALS WAS GREAT. THE COUNCIL WAS VERY KEEN, AND THEY HELPED DRIVE THE EVENT – IT WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT THEIR SUPPORT AND STAFF RESOURCES. THEY ORGANISED THE TICKETING, VENUE FOR THE TALKS AND EXHIBITION. THEY HUNG THE EXHIBITION AND TOOK IT DOWN, ORGANISED DRINKS AND GOT THE MAYOR TO OPEN IT. I DID ALL THE GRAPHICS, DESIGNED THE LOGO AND CURATED AND COMPILED ALL THE PECHA KUCHA TALKS. I FINALISED THE SKETCHWALKS WITH THEM DURING A SITE VISIT A FEW MONTHS BEFORE THE EVENT. THIS WAS INVALUABLE.
SUBSCRIBE TO DRAWING ATTENTION – IT’S FREE 9 • 2021 23
Title
new chapter
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WELCOME URBAN SKETCHERS DAEGU
USk Daegu
DA: When was your group started and who was involved? USk Daegu: We’ve been sketching together since December, 2018. In-kwon Kim was very interested in urban sketching so he linked with Dong-sik Jung from Gyungju and Jin-hwa Park from Busan. The now main administrator Eun-yoon Bae, who was one of the co-administrators at that time, wanted to found the group on the original global Urbansketchers’ manifesto because she believed it would be easier to communicate to the other sketchers. DA: Please tell us about your members. USk Daegu: There are around 50 sketchers in this group with ages ranging from people in their 30s to 60s. They come from many different careers, such as doctors, teachers, architects and so on. There 50/50 experienced and beginner sketchers, and we have some full-time painters in the group.
DA: how many sketching sessions do you have each month? USk Daegu: There is a regular meet-up every third Sunday. Sometimes we have an impromptu meet-up as well. And each city has different meet-up days so we can also participate in the others’. DA: How has you group been affected by the Covid pandemic and have you created new activities or ways of sketching because of this? USk Daegu: We have suffered greatly due to Covid-19 in February last year. We couldn’t have meet-ups at all for around four months. After it was getting better in Daegu, we started to have regular meet-ups in line with government policy from July of last year. We’ve been trying to sketch outdoors, then socially distanced indoors. We used to take a picture of the group after sketching together, but now we just take a picture of the sketches we did.
DA: What are some interesting things about your home city – what do you most enjoy sketching and where would you take an urban sketcher who was visiting from overseas? USk Daegu: Daegu is a city which has diverse buildings dating from the Joseon Dynasty era to modern times. And it also has a plentiful of places to see and eat. Junggu, a district in the middle of Daegu, is the most interesting area. It has famous places like Cheongna (Cheongra) hill which was made by missionaries in 1910, and the first Catholic church in Daegu – Kyesan – which is designed by a foreigner, and the traditional market of Seomun , which was built in 1770.
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new chapter
우선 이번에 저희 USk Daegu가 공식 글로벌 챕터로 승인되어 정말 기쁩니다. 저희가 공식 챕터가 되기까지 대구 내에서 뿐 아니라 여러 타지역의 도움이 컸습니다.
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혼자였으면 부끄러워 놓쳤을 풍경들을 서로 함께 응원하고 도우며 행복하게 그렸습니다. 앞으로도 함께 즐겁게 어반스케치를 그리고 싶습니다.
USk Daegu
f
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SKETCHER SPOTLIGHT
‘ART is part of my life’
USK REPORTAGE GRANT WINNER ELISA MONTI FOCUSED ON TWO SISTER SHIPS, DRYDOCKED AT HER HOME PORT OF GENOA, ITALY, FOR HER PROJECT ‘HOW A SHIP STARTS HER LIFE’. HERE SHE SHARES HER PROCESS AND HER LIFE IN NAVAL ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN. 28 drawing attention
Elisa Monti
ELISA IS DWARFED BY A CRUISE SHIP’S PROPELLER AS SHE SKETCHES IN THE COMPLEX, NOISY SETTING OF FINCANTIERI DOCKS, IN GENOA. 9 • 2021 29
sketcher spotlight
DA: What was your path into marine / cruise ship architecture? Elisa Monti: I’m from a family with a sailing tradition, but I never thought about it for my studies. My father, my grandfather and so on were ship captains. From sailing ships to liners and oil tankers, ships were their everyday reality. My sister and I were used to listen to our father’s sailing stories, such as the [Genoa-ported ocean liner] SS Andrea Doria’s sinking and his own onboard experiences, while having dinner. Maybe this background influenced my choices in early years of work as an architect.During my architecture training, I had the chance to follow some naval design courses that were starting at Genoa University. On gaining my degree I had the chance to work in naval interior design. The first time I went on board a ship under construction, the emotion was so huge that I knew I wanted to continue this job.
Elisa Monti graduated in Architecture in University of Genoa, Italy in 1994. She has worked as an architect and interior designer in the Cruise and nautical field since 1991. Between 2002 and 2004, as project engineer of naval contractor, Demont, Elisa was in charge of Costa and Carnival Cruise Ships fitting of Main Atrium and Main Lounge Areas. Since 2012 she has been a partner at SA3 Ship and Architecture Avant-Garde Atelier, a new firm dedicated to interior design, which works on ship and yacht interiors, plus landbased projects.
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DA: What are the highpoints and challenges of this work? EM: Working in cruise ship design means balancing the technical aspects (such as rules for security, material selection, escape routes, disablity spaces, hygiene) and a fantastic open mind approach to design. Cruise ship interior spaces must surprise and be very different from everyday spaces to help passengers feel they are very special guests and experiencing something totally new and exciting. When the ship is ready to sail you can see an autonomous entity that departs with about 3000 people on board, cabins, restaurants, gymnasium, pools, all kinds of entertainment, kitchens, foodstuffs, energy generators, water purifiers – everything working together. So it’s amazing to know you were part of making that a reality. DA: Your scenes and forms are full of bewildering detail. How do you find a way in without getting overwhelmed? EM: When I choose a subject for a sketch it is because of something particular that catches my attention. Sometimes it is proportion, sometimes light, color, details, perspective. For me, the process of drawing starts by giving space on the sheet to the main parts, and highlighting the particulars that grab my attention. It is also an investigation; I’m thinking “how is it done?” and this helps me to draw it correctly. Sometimes I move closer, look at a detail more closely, then I come back and go on.
Elisa Monti
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DA: You work across a variety of mediums, both digital and analogue – can you tell us about your materials and techniques? EM: I always have a piece of paper and a felt tip pen with me. I also use an I-Pad and Procreate. I sketch when I explain an idea to the client or to discuss some technical details like mechanical or mounting schemes with a producer. I’m used to HOOKS (‘GRILLI’) AND ROPES LAID OUT IN THE YARD NEAR CRANE RAILWAYS. WHEN A PIECE IS TO BE LIFTED THE WORKERS HANG THE ROPES TO THE CRANE AND CONNECT THEM TO THE PIECE. ROPES MUST BE LAID OUT PERFECTLY, READY TO BE USED.
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switching from pens to watercolors, from monochrome to colored drawings. I love trying new mediums and use them when I get the chance. I mostly use lots of sheets of paper, since each technique demands a different kind of paper texture and I like to spread all my sketches on a table and see the whole collection of a trip or a theme together at the same time.
Elisa Monti
BELOW: A SHIP AT QUAY AFTER THE TECHNICAL LAUNCH. THE FITTING WORK CONTINUES FOR ABOUT SIX MONTHS.
ABOVE: CONSOLLE IN THE WHEEL HOUSE OF A SUBMARINE NOW PART OF GALATA MUSEO DEL MARE, GENOA.
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THE SHAPED WOODEN AND CAST IRON BLOCKS (‘TACCATE’) SUPPORT THE KEEL. EACH SHIP NEEDS DIFFERENT BLOCKS
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ELISA’S PERSPECTIVE TIPS: PERSPECTIVE IS A KEY FEATURE OF MY DRAWINGS & I OFTEN FIND MYSELF GIVING TIPS ABOUT IT WHEN I SKETCH WITH OTHERS – A GREAT PLEASURE BECAUSE I KNOW IT WILL HELP THEM. PERSPECTIVE CAN BE FACED IN STEPS, STARTING WITH FINDING AND RESPECTING THE HORIZON LINE AND VANISHING POINTS AND GOING DEEPER – EMPHASIZING IT WITH DETAILS, LIGHT, FISH EYE EFFECTS AND SO ON. I LOOK FOR ANGLES THAT WILL HELP SHOW AN EXAGGERATED VIEW OF MY SUBJECT, AND WORK FROM BIG SHAPES TO SMALL. I TALKED ABOUT SOME PERSPECTIVE TIPS WITH USK CAMBRIDGE EARLIER THIS YEAR WHICH YOU CAN CHECK OUT HERE.
RIGHT: A COMPLETED SHIP A FEW DAYS BEFORE LAUNCH. “I DID THE PENCIL SKETCH ON LOCATION, THEN ADDED WATERCOLOUR AT HOME.” 9 • 2021 35
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DA: Your profession must have been very male- dominated, especially when you first started. How did you manage that? EM: Yes, that’s right. When I started I had some problems enforcing my opinion or technical position since I was a young woman and architect among male engineers. I was completely unprepared to this. Fortunately I’m strong enough and I took
RIGHT: INTERIOR CONCEPT DESIGN FOR THE MAIN RESTAURANT OF THE CRUISE SHIP CARNIVAL DESTINY (REFITTING) 36 drawing attention
this challenge as a game to be played. I must say I found a different situation travelling for work over the years – in France or USA, for example, women generally hold higher positions and receive more respect in this field. Moreover, ‘Italian style’ opens doors that in Italy are kept closed.
Elisa Monti
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I like to spread all my sketches on a table and see the whole collection of a trip or on theme together at the same time.
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GENOA PORT
SKETCH OF CAMPO PISANO, A SMALL MEDIEVAL SQUARE FACING THE SEA 38 drawing attention
DA: I imagine the Covid pandemic’s effect on tourism impacted your work? EM: Yes, COVID caused a full stop on all construction and ship refitting. The construction already ordered started early this year and now we are running to make up for lost time. Materials are also a problem in the construction and naval fields, and they are more and more expensive. Fortunately some projects didn’t stop, including a project in Abuja, Nigeria, for offices, atriums, restaurants, meeting rooms and a theatre in a large building. We learnt about local culture, houses, artisanal production, and translated this to a contemporary style. DA: Can you tell us about your home town and what you would like to show visiting urban sketchers? EM: I live in Genoa, a city at north of Italy. It has a unique location, squeezed between hills and sea, with narrow streets and steep hill climbs. The port is both touristic and industrial. During the extraordinary Renaissance and Baroque periods, the Genoese aristocracy entrusted many artists with projects and built a series of prestigious palaces. There are plenty of subjects for sketchers who want to come to Genoa – I’m waiting for them!
Elisa Monti
DA: People who draw for a living sometimes want to be doing other things in their free time – it can seem like more work! What other things do you love doing? EM: I’m passionate about photography, even if I’m not a technical expert. The way to frame a shot is similar to the choice you make for a sketch. The difference, and this is really important for me, is that in a sketch you can show the dimension of time; you can make a tracking shot or direct the focus to something. Sometimes I can’t stay for long in a place so I make a quick sketch, and fix light and the feeling in my mind, then I use this as base for a watercolor at home. Art is part of my life – my mother is an artist and I grew up looking at art books. I’ve been traveling to art cities in Italy, Europe and overseas since I was young. I like traveling – I take a breath and inspiration for my soul. My husband is an architect too and our family is trained to factor in cultural aspects when we are on holiday! My sons are patient; if we need to stop, turn around to take the right angle for a picture, or I want to make a sketch, they wait for us.
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GENOA PORT
SUBSCRIBE TO DRAWING ATTENTION – IT’S FREE 9 • 2021 39
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SKETCHER SPOTLIGHT
the art of healing
AS A HEALTHCARE WORKER ON THE COVID-19 FRONTLINE, JEFFREY M. LEVINE MD DOCUMENTED WHAT WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN MANHATTAN IN HIS ‘PANDEMIC SKETCHBOOKS’ – ON THE SUBWAY, IN THE STREETS OF NEW YORK, IN HIS STUDIO – ALL IN BETWEEN MAKING HIS ROUNDS . AS TOLD TO: CATHY GUTTERMAN Cathy Gutterman: Can you share something about your life’s path, career and other interests? Jeffrey Levine: When growing up our family doctor displayed prints that illustrated scenes from a doctor’s life by renowned medical illustrator, Frank Netter. As a child I climbed a chair to study images that provided inspiration for my life’s direction to pursue both art and medicine. In medical school I drove into New York City for evening sketch classes at the Art Students League, and brought my artistic skills into the dissecting room and hospital wards. On weekends I joined 40 drawing attention
the artists of Greenwich Village to exhibit and sell my work. The street life of Manhattan became part of my blood, and I knew this was where I wanted to live and practice. Building a medical career in New York City was a daunting challenge that I will never regret. Having the opportunity to impact lives through treatment or compassion is something quite different from making art. The freedom and energy I get from the solitary process of making art provides symmetry for the people skills and rules of science required for practicing
Jeffrey Levine
‘MAKING ROUNDS’
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medicine. Each resonates with the other to provide continuity and inspiration. I never lost my fascination for the intricacies of the human body, nor have I lost my love for sketchbooks and ink. CG: What are the practicalities and sensitivities of sketching patients, and how have you navigated them?
JL: As a healthcare professional, it is my duty to maintain privacy and confidentiality with patients. As a geriatrician, the population I care for has additional issues of physical frailty and impaired cognition, making consent more problematic. I am mindful of this when presenting sketches of patients on social media, and make sure that facial features are generalized to avoid identification of a specific individual, while still conveying the story. When exploring my role as physician and artist, I look toward mentors like the writer Anton Chekhov, the poet William Carlos Williams, and the illustrator Frank Netter – all of whom were medical doctors. These people adapted observational skills learned in medical training to enhance their gifts as artists, enabling them to tell stories and produce works that touch upon the essence of humanity. CG: What is your process with art materials? JL: I sometimes use pencil to work out proportion and composition, then fountain pen, adding splashes of color on the spot or when I return to my studio. With watercolor, I take advantage of both wet-on-wet and wet-on-dry, layering and blending to achieve a vibrant surface. The New York City subway is a great place to practice, where people are constantly moving and time is measured by brief stops along the way.
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WINDOW VISITS IN THE NURSING HOME
Jeffrey Levine
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Urban Sketchers has helped me immensely by opening a world of educational resources and like-minded colleagues who share tips on materials and techniques. Making a record of time and place and telling the story on location is a huge challenge, and I have deep admiration for the Urban Sketching masters who devote themselves to developing and teaching this skill. My involvement with Urban Sketchers NYC and participation in the 2018 Porto International Symposium were life-changing. BELOW RIGHT: GEORGE FLOYD DEMONSTRATION IN WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK
BIKING MANHATTAN IN TIMES OF COVID-19 Jeffrey documented his bike rides through through Manhattan during COVID-19. Check out his video here. 44 drawing attention
CG: What was it like to live in Manhattan during the height of the Pandemic? JL: A normally bustling place became spooky and desolate. A field hospital with tents opened in Central Park. Many small businesses that I depended on for years closed their doors, including my everyday lunch spot. The subway completely emptied out. I brought my sketchbook to the presidential election early-voting line where it rained and everyone got pretty soaked. In June the streets became very active with Black Lives Matter demonstrations, and I tried to capture as much as I could in my sketchbooks.
THE LINE FOR VOTING Jeffrey Levine
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any small businesses that I depended on for years closed their doors, including my everyday lunch spot.
‘LAST DAY OF BUSINESS’
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CG: Your ongoing series of self-portraits dates back to your medical student days. Can you share what inspired you to do this? JL: Making art presents an avenue for exploring both the world around us and the world within. Looking inside helps to understand oneself, adapt to life’s changes, and become a
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“The weight of love Has buoyed me up Till my head Knocks against the sky. William Carlos Williams
more effective human being. My specialty within geriatrics is wound healing, and art has certainly helped to heal my own inner wounds as I help to heal others. My inner exploration is expressed in a series of self-portraits that began at age 13, and continues as I approach old age. (See more of Jeffrey’s work on page 50).
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UPDATE FROM RITA SABLER EDUCATION DIRECTOR REPORTAGE GRANT It is our great pleasure to announce the winners of the USK Reportage Grant. We received 63 submissions from around the globe on a wide variety of topics. We are deeply touched by the humanity of the proposals, the sincere interest of our community for the world, and the creative approaches to the art of reportage and storytelling. The selection committee consisting of 6 judges has completed the final screening and the winners are: • The Room, Paris (France) by Mathieu Letellier (aka. Mat Let) • Chawls of Mumbai: “The Social Network”, Mumbai (India) by USK Mumbai
• Ripple Effect of a Historic Market, Pune (India) by Farah Irani • Night People Street Portraits, Berlin Kantstraße, Berlin (Germany) by Rolf Schröter • The Shifting Landscapes of Despair, Hope, Survival and Persistence, Seattle (USA) by Daniel Winterbottom. Congratulations to the winners! Follow the progress of these projects on our social media channels.
the world become safe we would like to invite the established and new instructors to apply to teach through our USk Workshops program. Do you have an idea for a workshop? Contact us with your proposal at education@urbansketchers. org. The USk Education committee has been hard at work on making the process more straightforward and support our instructors in any way we can.
WORKSHOP PROGRAM We recognize that the state of the global pandemic presents ongoing planning challenges and uncertainty as far as organizing on-location educational events. However, as certain regions of
SUBSCRIBE TO THE USK YOUTUBE CHANNEL
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SKETCH BY INGRID KJAER SKETCH BY STEEN MALBERG
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SKETCH BY LEILA SØRENSEN
sketcher spotlight
SKETCH BY KATYA STUKALOVA
Sketching Covid: one vaccination at a time INSPIRED BY STEEN MALBERG & USK COPENHAGEN’S 15-MINUTE ‘OBSERVATION ROOM CHALLENGE’, WE REACHED OUT TO SKETCHERS ON SIX CONTINENTS TO SHARE EXPERIENCES, AS COUNTRIES ROLL OUT COVID VACCINATIONS TO THEIR LOCAL POPULATIONS. AS TOLD TO CATHY GUTTERMAN, ANNE TAYLOR & JANE WINGFIELD
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fter having my 1st vaccination against covid-19, I saw a video of Yo Yo Ma playing his cello in Massachusetts, during the 15 minutes he had to wait in the observation room after his vaccination, to check for an allergic reaction. This inspired me to think we sketchers could capture this historical moment (personally and globally) in a drawing – with big thanks to all who have struggled for our health during the pandemic. After getting my second jab, I posted my sketch as a 15-minute challenge on the USk Copenhagen Facebook page. Quite a few drawings came in from my sketching friends. Some found it was not possible to draw there, as it could intimidate people sitting close by. Restrictions changed social behavior – and gave new sketching opportunities. While getting used to the face masks myself, it was interesting to sketch people in the same situation. Though I see myself as a watercolour painter, I find plain pencil drawing more discreet in some situations. In the COVID-19 drawings, I challenged myself to add just one or two colours with coloured pencil, to make the drawing more vibrant. Test and vaccination centers shot up in unexpected places – thousands of people were hired and trained to keep the pandemic in control. Thousands got vaccinated efficiently there on a daily basis! During sketching, it was great talking with the staff working there – kind, helpful and big smiles. Thanks to them all. Steen Malberg
SKETCH BY RIKKE REJNHOLD VILHELMSEN
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JEFFREY LEVINE, NEW YORK CITY:
JUSTINE WANG, PERTH: Perth has so far been very lucky to be able to meet
up regularly, and rarely with masks. In Western Australia, there are strict border and quarantine measures to ensure the virus is kept out as much as possible. When there are infections, snap lockdowns are usually short but these contain outbreaks and keep infection rates low. It also helps that we are one of the most isolated cities in the world! The longest lockdown Perth had was a ‘soft lockdown’ from March to April 2020 but the group opted not to meet up until May. During this time, the admins suggested weekly home sketch challenges on Facebook with prompts including “view from your window” or “transport.” We felt that it was important to encourage our members to keep sketching and to foster community spirit even if we couldn’t meet in person. 50 drawing attention
As a medical professional in New York City, I experienced the frightening toll on front-line staff as well as patients isolated from loved ones. I must give credit to the nurses, social workers, therapists and other staff who stepped up to face the terrifying challenge of a new and potentially lethal contagious disease. I see its lingering effects on my patient population, particularly those who require healing and rehabilitation after long stints in intensive care. You can read more about Jeffrey on page 46.
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DANANG TRIRATMOKO, INDONESIA:
ARTUR DIAS, BELÉM: Desenhar as pessoas na
fila de vacinação me trouxe uma sensação boa, por sentir uma dinâmica social positiva, que é a resposta da sociedade aos esforços das autoridades de Saúde. Quanto ao desenho, escolhi o local e estabeleci pontos fixos onde desenharia cada pessoa, uma vez que a fila estava se movendo rápido. Usando o método da Profa. Betty Edwards, fui olhando as shapes, os claros e escuros em cada pele, roupa e plantas. Assim surgiu este desenho, feito com lápis 8B, no Caderno Canson Art Book 14 x 21,6 cm. Drawing people on the ‘vaccination row’ gave me a good feeling of a positive social dynamic, which is society’s answer to the efforts made by the health authorities. About the drawing, I chose a place to stay and established fixed points where I would draw each person, as the row was moving quickly. Using Betty Edwards’ method, I looked at the shapes, lights and darks of each person’s skin, clothes and plants. I sketched with an 8B pencil on a Canson Art Book 14 x 21 x 6cm.
I tested positive for Covid-19, I think from a meeting. I self-quarantined in the hospital. and documented my stay drawing my ‘neighbor’ and my own arm. After spending about four weeks in self-quarantine both at hospital and at home, I tested negative. Thankfully my Covid experience was not as bad as others. I was mostly asymptomatic and was able to keep working during my quarantine, and join seminars and meetings. My colleagues didn’t know that I was in hospital.
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DONALD SALUNG, INDONESIA (LEFT): I hope friends here don’t have
to go through what we’re having here in Indonesia. Just as it looked like things were getting better, we were suddenly hit with the Delta variant which is worse than the previous surge. Our country is now back to micro lockdown mode. All plans cancelled and postponed.
KUMI MATSUKAWA, TOKYO: ‘Tokyo to host
Olympics under fresh COVID-19 state of emergency’ said the headlines. The number of infections in Tokyo continues to climb, while the vaccination rate remains low. USk Japan stopped scheduling in-person sketch meet ups in March 2020. So far we are doing good, I haven’t heard of any of our members who have suffered. Some small groups of sketchers still meet, usually outside of Tokyo. Watching games is really moving and encouraging especially in our grim circumstances. … I’d rather indulge in this quiet solitary stayhome activity…leisurely watching the games. RIGHT: ‘INSIDE A CLINIC’
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MOMOKO TAKADA, CHIBA (RIGHT): I
“Fall seven times, stand up eight.” Japanese Proverb
sketched at Satomi Park located just across the Edo River from Tokyo. From the park you can see the skyline of Tokyo with one of its landmarks, Skytree. The view made me feel far away from the city and isolated from what’s happening in my country. The Olympics are going forward under the fourth state of emergency in the city. A poll shows over 80% of Japanese people oppose the Olympics. As I write this, it’s the day of the opening ceremony. We are requested to stay home and not to come to Tokyo to prevent the spread of the virus during the Olympics.
KAZUNORI HOSOUCHI, TOKYO:
There were many people taking photos with wistfulness in front of the stadium. The chorus of cicadas hasn’t been heard yet. The timing of the Olympics coincides with cicada season in Japan, a much celebrated annual time that marks the peak of summer.
LEFT: OLYMPIC STADIUM SEEN FROM THE INTERSECTION AT JINGUMAE, SHIBUYA, TOKYO, 25 JUNE, 2021
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ERIC NGAN, AUCKLAND: Here we go again!
For the last 25 years, I’ve worked as an Event Producer on many events in the arts, cultural and sports sectors. On this occasion, I was bought on to the project team to help design and deliver a medical event – New Zealand’s first large scale public vaccination event. Plus, I helped write a guidebook so other similar events can be produced around the country. The ‘Mass Vax’ was a collaboration with the NZ Ministry of Health, Auckland District Health Board, Manukau Institute of Technology, and Auckland Unlimited Major Events, aiming to vaccinate 15,000 people. Working through a 12-hour day there were some down time and breaks, so I whipped out the sketch book and recorded some of it from an Urban Sketcher’s lens.
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3 MONTHS PLANNING 6 REGULAR ZOOM MEETINGS EACH WEEK 3 DAYS PACK IN. 1 DAY PACK OUT 3 DAYS MASS VAX EVENT | 12 HOURS A DAY 242 VACCINATION BOOTHS 12 VACCINATORS 50 ADMINISTRATION AND SUPPORT STAFF 8 BUSES | 404 BUS TRIPS 15,880 VACCINES ADMINISTERED 16,000 STEPS PER DAY 2 BLISTERS | 3 SKETCHES 6 WEEKS LATER, REPEAT THE EVENT FOR SECOND DOSE VACCINE
sketcher spotlight
INGRID MARGARETHE, ECKERNFÖRDE: When the images of Bergamo
and New York are shown on television in March 2020, I really become aware of the reality of the pandemic. On March 22, 2020, the first lockdown goes into effect. Sewing masks, washing hands, keeping distance, the so-called AHA-rules, and contact bans become everyday life. I miss my loved ones and the lightness of life. The weekly Zoom meetings with NYC Urban Sketchers, starting March 2020, are a bright spot. We are connected by the same ‘passion’ and situation, under #nus (not urban sketching). Our encounters are vitalizing, the exchange inspiring.
RECEIVING MY FIRST VACCINATION
INGREDIENTS FOR MY IMMUNE-BOOSTING GINGER SHOT
I also organize virtual meetings for my Eckernförde sketch group. At the beginning of May, there are the first loosenings; in summer 2020, we have sketching meetings of the Eckernförde group again. Also with distance it is a pleasure to be on the road again. In December 2020, the second lockdown – Christmas without children and grandchildren. From January, medical masks become compulsory, the AHA-rules remain, the hope for early vaccination rises. 9 • 2021 55
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CATHY GATLAND, JOHANNESBURG: Covid
entered South Africa and staff began sanitizing and donning masks around me as I sketched in a café, unaware that life was to change radically for a year and a half, and counting. It became eerily quiet, birds took ownership of the sky, colours seemed more intense. I felt lucky to have a studio and garden to spend endless hours in. USk challenges and other art filled the days, accompanied by podcasts and audiobooks.
In between lockdowns, I drew at an outdoor café with friends, took walks and joined tai chi classes in the local park. Outside, businesses and restaurants closed, streets emptied, the dire unemployment situation became more desperate. There were more cold, hungry people as winter progressed. Friends and family fell ill,. There was uncertainty and fear. Then relief came with the call for our first vaccine, at a streamlined Sandton building. We moved seamlessly through glass levels on escalators with no time to sketch until we got to the recovery room.
“As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.” Nelson Mandela
Seven weeks later, right after looters had ravaged parts of Johannesburg, we received our second jab, this time in the freezing parking garage of Milpark hospital. Long, eager queues, smiling guides, nurses volunteering on their days off. We were reassured, somewhat, that most people want this place to work. ‘COVID JAB CARPARK’
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review
PARKA REVIEWS BY TEOH YI CHIE
PATRICK NG, SINGAPORE: “The government has been doing a
pretty decent job in the policies they set and enforce to curb the spread in the community, yet when Delta came through the ports of call, it was a curve ball. Nobody saw it coming. We had to go into another couple months of semi-lockdown, and are just coming out of it. Groups of up to 5 people were allowed here but we decided to continue Zoom sketchwalks, still keeping with the Manifesto. Sketchers told the story of their live sketches over Zoom. We loved the time because we got to connect in ways we usually didn’t get to when we are out sketching as a big group. Some members also gave back by sponsoring lucky draw prizes like rare sketchbooks, papers, and books on sketching.
Teoh Yi Chie is an infographics journalist who joined Urban Sketchers Singapore in 2009. He’s probably better known as Parka from Parkablogs. com, a website that reviews art books and art products. This month Parka video reviews M Graham gouache Check them out!
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Our Manifesto • We draw on location, indoors or out, capturing what we see from direct observation • Our drawings tell the story of our surroundings, the places we live and where we travel • Our drawings are a record of time and place • We are truthful to the scenes we witness • We use any kind of media and cherish our individual styles • We support each other and draw together • We share our drawings online • We show the world, one drawing at a time.
© 2021 Urban Sketchers www.urbansketchers.org
