Sketch Muscat for Charity & WWSketchCrawl #43

Nonwaterproof ink & watercolour

Saturday was my fourth annual charity event. It started with an idea from Enrico Casarosa, creator of Worldwide SketchCrawl, who suggested that the 2011 April SketchCrawl should be a benefit drawing marathon for Japan's Tsunami relief. I arranged an event in Doha and on a rainy day, a small group of us gathered to sketch. With sponsorship and donations from participants, we raised US$470.

1 cityscape, 3 versions

After the success of that event, I decided to do something annually choosing a different charity each time. 
In 2012, I organised Sketch Muscat to raise funds for the Omani Cancer Association. I chose a cancer charity partially as a local charity (I'd moved countries) but mainly as I had a friend who was going through treatment for breast cancer and it is partially due to her awareness and quick action (& good medical treatment) that she received an all-clear. That time US$430 was raised.

The crane drove off before I could finish!

Last year, I chose a small local charity, Awladna, to raise funds for their children's road safety campaign. We raised a massive US$530 with which the charity bought children's bicycle helmets. Which leads me to this year and helping more children, but this year the funds are in aid of UNICEF's #ChildrenofSyria appeal. Living in the Middle East this is something that is regional, but I feel we should help to stop children's suffering wherever we live. 

With Alexandra Höpfner of MuscArt at Sketch Muscat for Charity

As this year seems hotter than the last two, I approached the gallery manager of MuscArt to see if I could use their gallery as the venue, which the owner quickly agreed too. It is a great space with duel aspect windows on to the cityscape and we set up still-lifes inside too. I love that my Sketch Muscat events attract children. This was by Khalid, aged 12

and this by 5 year old Dareen.

As well as collecting at the event, I set up a donation site, which remains open until July.
 So far I've raised $276 (£164.50) there, but would appreciate more donations. Please click the link:
  fundraise.unicef.org.uk/MyPage/Sue-Pownalls-annual-fundraiserSketch-Muscat-for-Charity

Here are the event totals:

 The donation site funds go direct to: UNICEF UK 
The money raised at the event will be presented by cheque to UNICEF Middle East and North Africa 's Oman office. 
*****  

 WWSketchCrawl #43: 

As people here are reluctant to visit different locations to sketch, I did a quick sketch at home before I nervously went to see if anyone would turn up for the event. On my return, I got out my sketchbook but Degas demanded attention after being left all day, so I ended up with a 2 point SketchCrawl. I used Van Gogh watercolours (from #uskbcn2013) as my W&N were already packed in my bag. The actual painting is a lot brighter than it seems in this photo.

Sketch Muscat 10

 Yesterday afternoon, was the Muscat Sketchers first outside event of the winter (it's too hot outside in the summer). We were a very small group out sketching, but we all had fun with some fab results. Unfortunately, the event clashed with several other things like The Barney Show, which meant several mum's couldn't come.

This is me struggling with my 1st sketch.

 This was a return visit to the gardens at Wadi Al Azaiba for the group. I don't appear to have blogged about the first event in March, but then this has been a strange year. The garden has been designed by Parisian landscape architect Jacqueline Osty and this is just the first phase of a much larger garden planned for this area. I saw her speak at the Muscat Art Festival in February, which inspired me to plan an event here.

A few of the remaining sketchers at the end of SketchMuscat 6.

With only 5 weeks until my exhibition, I had spent the morning fighting myself to work on a drawing and really wasn't in the mood for sketching. Consequently, my first sketch was a disaster. However the garden worked its magic and just sketching weaved it's usual spell on me, and my second (last) sketch was much better. 

My last sketch, badly photographed on site.

 All too soon the afternoon was over, we took our group photo and headed our seperate ways... mine was to my new home in a fishing village outside Muscat and a lovely run on the beach with Degas.

30 seconds from my house. Photo by Gavin.

 Where do you like to sketch? Why not leave me a comment saying where?

The Children's Museum

2nd in coffee shop project.

On Saturday, Muscat Sketchers gathered for the 9th Muscat Sketch event at the Children's museum. It is still too hot to sketch outside (around 40°C / 104°F at noon). As with our last event I stopped at a nearby coffee shop first to add a second drawing in my concertina Moleskin sketchbook, but was unable to finish it on site as I had to meet the group. Consequently, I added some darker tones at home.

One of Kim's boys at the Children's museum.

During the morning, eight sketchers drew various exhibits and Kim's two children enjoyed testing them out. To me, it seemed a very provincial science museum from the 80s, but it seems very popular with families, and the children certainly had fun.

5 mins outside in 40°C

with colour added at home.

My internal sketch was not very successful, as I tried to get an impression of the general scene, but I'm happier with the 5 minute sketch of the building I made at midday. I had to add colour at home, as I couldn't stand outside any longer than necessary to get a few guidelines down. I should have drawn it when I arrived, but it was already in the 30s then, so wouldn't have been much better.

The remaining 5 (of 8 sketchers) show off their sketches.

Sketch Muscat for Charity / WWSkC #34

Watercolour only, no under drawing.

 On Thursday 11th April, I held my annual sketching event for charity. As with previous years, the date was chosen to coincide with the April Worldwide SketchCrawl (see www.sketchcrawl.com for more info).

Robin's excellent ship

About 15 of us turned up including a couple of families who had super-enthusiastic children.

 Several young Omanis joined in, never having sketched like this before. Along with Aziz and myself they were then interviewed for the local press (but it's not been published so far).

Hatem, Ahmed, Aziz & I being interviewed.

Photo of me at Ghalyas Museum by Ahmed Al Habsi

I am still collecting money from people who sponsored me, but it looks like I have raised 205 Omani rials ($535), which I shall give to the charity next week.

*****

My next post will explain the delay in posting, unless you follow me on facebook (www.facebook.com/SuePownallArtist), then you will already know.

Mayan Prophecy

Capturing shadows A4 sketchbook © Sue Pownall 2012

In case the Mayan prophercy was true, I arranged SketchMuscat 4 for yesterday morning. What better way to spend the last day on earth than sketching if you can't be with your family? A small group of us sketched at Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Muscat. The weather is perfect now to sketch outside and we all enjoyed wandering around the beautiful complex.

Changing bulbs in the mesjid. A4 sketchbook

I'd planned to draw the gardens and complex buildings to enjoy the weather to its fullest. However, my first potential subject seemed tooooo huge for a first sketch, so I headed into the main mesjid (mosque). Inside men where on a huge crane changing lightbulbs and I knew I had to record this unusual event. Then I went back outside and did my second sketch of the morning, which was the watercolour of the shadows. I hadn't planned a tonal work, but that's what  happened.

I wouldn't like their job!

My latest newletter just went out.
You can read it here - http://eepurl.com/qQnIr and maybe you would like to subscribe for the next edition?

Sketch Muscat 3

SketchMuscat 3 at Costa's Shatti   A5 sketchbook © Sue Pownall 2012

I'm slowly generating interest in sketching here in Muscat and I arranged another event for yesterday. It was the most successful so far with over 30 people attending, and more turning up after we had stopped due to poor light (it was actually too dark too see).

People of all ages joined in; Mr Shakil brought his whole family along and everyone from mother-in-law down to his youngest child drew. I was especially pleased that quite a few Omanis joined us as, like sport, I think art can join communities. The enthusiasm of the children was the best part as they ran around showing what they had drawn.

Grandmother & grandchildren on SketchMuscat 3

I arrived nearly an hour early as I anticipated lack of sketching time for me due to over 70 people saying they would attend via the facebook event page. I grabbed a couple of tables under the shade and drew my snack. I finally tested the waterbrush that my Barcelona friends had said to buy along with Intense pencils (bought this week as I need a pink pencil for a breast-cancer awareness charity event) and later shared these new toys with others. I did sketch a few people on the beach after people started arriving, but spent most of the 2.5 hours talking to the participants.

Grandmother proudly showing off her sketch.

An amazing young talent. Photo by Kavitha.

I think everyone had fun and I was especially pleased to keep getting asked "When is the next one?". About a month's time is the answer.

Beach scenes A5 sketchbook © Sue Pownall 2012