The members of Urban Sketchers Philippines
welcomed the new year with a gathering and exhibit opening on January 10 at
Conspiracy Garden Café in Quezon City. The group’s exhibit, “Rough Notations:
drawings from direct observation”, features the location drawings of Cesar
Ramirez Jr, Ryan Sumo, Patts Cadayona, Elizabeth Joy Santos, Lauren Villarama,
Gee Roxas, Erwin Balines, Ige Trinidad, Jayson Ramirez, Ar Con Regiel, Solo
Galura, Cynthia Feliciano, Nadja Ginete, Randy Valiente, Lennon Valiente,
Manuel Jiongco, Ched De Gala, Honesto Sarte, Marcela Suller, and Carlo
Martinez. The show will run until the 31st.
Janeil Arlegui, one of the founders of the
group (along with Ryan Sumo and Buz Walker-Teach), gave a brief history of how
the Philippine chapter of Urban Sketchers Philippines came about. As one of the
moderators of the group, I gave a short recap of the sketchwalks done in the
past year as well as the activities USk-PH took part in. I also cited some
locations where we can have our sketchwalks this year, including Cubao Expo in
Quezon City, Binondo in Manila, and the Pinto Art Gallery in Antipolo. Aside
from sketchwalks, the group also plans to conduct workshops and come up with a
publication. From the eager faces I saw, I can tell it’s going to be another
fun year of drawing on location!
Of course, it wouldn’t be a gathering of
sketchers without sketching! In addition to our own sketchbooks, members were also
given pieces of paper to draw on, which were later collected. A ‘traveling
sketchbook’ also made its way around tables, with members instructed not to
spend more than five minutes on their sketch. The members were also asked to
bring sketching materials that we could raffle off in our lucky draw.
We ended the gathering with a customary group picture, wishing everyone a great year ahead.
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