Sketching Result of August 20, 2011 of Paco Park

Paco Park Entrance by Buz Walker-Teach

Carlo Martinez' sketch of the Front Arch

Eileen Escueta's sketch of the chapel

Noel Amano the archaeologist's sketch of the chapel

Janeil Arlegui's watercolor impression of the chapel of Paco Park

A great turnout so far for the Urban Sketchers of the Philippines. There was close to 20 people of various professionals and students who came and joined to sketch Paco National Park. We had a lawyer, a science teacher, archaeologist, art teacher, architects, students and house wives who were keen on seeing and experiencing through sketching. Special thanks to Architect Augusto Villalon and NPDC Executive Director Jett Villegas for the free entrance and snacks for this event.

Cesar's pencil sketch of the curving walls with niches, behind the front entrance. It used to be a cemetery.

Sketching Paco Park on August 20, 2011

Paco Park, Manila

St. Pancratius Chapel - a Sunday mass is in session.


The deceased were entombed in the old burial vaults (left).


More burial vaults are in courtyards behind the chapel.

I spent 5 hours this past Sunday sketching in Paco Park, a park of circular stone walls surrounding the St. Pancratius Chapel and Cemetery in the Paco District of Central Manila. Paco is a small neat park with a quiet ambience - a good location to sit and sketch the unique, moss-covered chapel and grounds. The thick stone walls still contain many old burial vaults, where the bodies of parishioners and priests were once entombed. As I drew, a number of families and groups walked by, taking pictures of the chapel, and relaxing in this quiet haven from noisy Manila, just beyond the walls.