Barcelona Urban Sketchers' Symposium 1

My final drawing on Noberto Durantes' Dynamic ink workshop

 I have to start by writing a big THANK YOU to the organisers of this year's symposium. What an amazing event they achieved in Barcelona this month!  Also, I'd like to thank everyone involved from interpreters to instructors and especially everyone who participated. The symposium was an amazing experience! The best part, for me, were the participants: meeting face-to-face and sketching with people who have been bloggy friends and contacts for years; re-meeting the Barcelona sketchers I drew with last year, and making new friends.

Pre-symposium sketchcrawl. Watercolour & ink A5

I arrived in Barcelona the day before the event, very stressed by the events of the last few months,  dumped my bag at my hostel, and dashed to Sagrada Familia to join in the pre-symposium sketchcrawl. On arrival - I froze! I drew there last year with +Nina Johansson, and some of the Barcelona sketchers, so in theory the structure shouldn't have been terrifying but seeing the mass of sketchers and the quality of their sketches and paintings made me panic. I started chatting to +Simone Ridyard whose work I've recently started following and sat with her to do a bad watercolour sketch (see above).

Dynamic ink: Carrer Comtal for Norberto

The first morning, I was still really very nervous, especially seeing everyone (so it seemed) sketching all around me at registration, so my sketchbook stayed firmly in my bag. My first workshop was with +Norberto Dorantes whose work I really admire and was the first workshop I wanted to do when it was originally listed at the beginning of the year. Norberto was amazing, explaining everything very well. I had some pen issues - my non-waterproof ink was actually waterproof and the cartridge I tried still wouldn't bleed - but got lent one to use.

Dynamic ink people.

I enjoyed every minute of the workshop, once I had a pen that worked, and wanted it to be longer. I also wanted to experiment more with Norberto's non-waterproof ink technique.

To be continued...

Sketch Muscat for charity - the results

In April, my annual sketching event raised funds for the Awladna Campaign for Kids Road Safety. I handed over a total of 205 Omani rials ($531 / £350 / 410€). I recently received an email stating that the money was used to purchase 50 cycle helmets. These photo shows a few of them.

Thanks to everyone who participated and donated to the event.

Photos courtesy of charity founder Amal AlZadjali.

My beautiful distraction.

My beautiful girl - Degas.

Whilst drawing and sketching is on a go-slow, I thought I would share this photo of my beautiful distraction - little Degas.

Sketches of Degas chewing a rawhide bone. A5 sketchbook

I literally picked her up off the street, outside work, on the industrial estate on the 1st April. I am so pleased I did as she is a joy, even when driving me to distraction. She has the sweetist nature and loves everyone, although in return she expects attention 24/7, which she gets as she is very spoilt.

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Preparing for 4th International Urban Sketching Symposium

Forgotten sketch #1: Degas Pencil A5 sketchbook early June

 When I heard that the next Urban Sketching Symposium was going to be in Barcelona this year, I told myself I had to go. I set an alarm for when registration opened on March 25th and wooped with delight as I secured myself a place. I bounced around the room as I also got a place on my first choice workshop, conducted by Argentinian architect Norburto Durantes. (Check out his work here). I chose workshops that would complement my style and yet push me to develop further. I contacted friends in Barcelona, booked flights and accommodation, and started the countdown to the big event.

Forgotten sketch #2: A Quriyat lane pen in A5 from car

The Symposium starts in just under 3 weeks, 11th July, and the sketching world - flickr, blogs, facebook - is full of people's excitement and preparations. Unfortunately, I don't know if I can/should now attend as Mum remains in hospital. I fly to UK on 5th so I hope to decide then. Consequently, my preparation is minimal... I've reordered business cards to give out, and Moo is printing some postcards too. I need to buy a pen for Norburto's workshop, but unfortunately need to locate one in UK as I'm out of time for delivery to Oman.

My smoothie. Pencil & watercolour A5 sketchbook

Despite what I wrote in my last post, you will see I've posted 2 sketches from earlier this month...  I must have been subconsciously sketching... I found them in my new sketchbook when I met a friend on Friday to sketch. Unfortunately, whilst Friday's venue and company was great, the sketching was a struggle as the 2 sketches show.

A two-handed tea drinker. Direct with watercolour in A5 sketchbook.

Snow in Oman

EDiM #12 The oldest thing in your fridge.

Sorry, I am still here, I just need a short hiatus from blogging. In fact, I've been having a break from art. I have not sketched since last month and I've only spent about an hour on an overdue commission, with around 27 hours needed to complete it.

#27 Draw something sticky: Omani dates with #20 my favourite drink: tea... complete with Degas' teeth marks.

My mum remains in hospital and whilst there have been small improvements the overall prognosis is not good. My father has carers coming in several times a day to look after him, plus kind neighbours keeping an eye on him. Finally, a lovely lady is walking Nelson for them.

At the end of May, I continued with some of the EDiM challenges, and despite the unforeseen circumstances, including not starting until 3rd, I completed 19/31. In 2010, I drew 30/31. maybe next year I can do them all. I cheated on the last challenge which was draw a houseplant as I don't have any. Instead, a friend & I went for a sketchy lunch where we thought they'd have some. There were plenty of plants outside, but none in, so I drew my cake. Sorry it's a really bad scan.

Not #31 EDiM

Here in Oman, my life has been taken over by my puppy who is very good, for a puppy, but has a very large mischievious streak. Hence the evidence below and post title.

SNOW - aka Degas killed her cushion.

 I should have picked the cushion up instead of getting photographic evidence

Due to finances and Degas I will not be leaving Oman soon, though I will visit mum & dad next month (and see if I can still attend the Urban Sketchers Symposium). I am getting Degas blood tested ready to travel back to Europe, although it takes 3 months for results to come through. The plan is still to move to Barcelona as it is only a couple of hours away from mum & dad.

I apologise for not regularly visiting your blogs, but I will visit when I can.

EDiM #16 Something that scares you

and the reason for my absence.

It scares me to see my mum so ill in hospital. This was drawn by her bedside last week.

Please keep mum in your prayers. She had a severe stroke 2 weeks ago and I flew home to UK to see her and stayed for the last 2 weeks. She is speaking and lucid but has no movement on her left. She may be in hospital for a long time. If you wish to visit her or send a card:
Patricia Pownall, C1 The Stroke Unit, Gainsborough Wing, Colchester General Hospital, Colchester, Essex UK

Everyday in May (EDiM) 2013

#3 Something that represents joy: Degas

Crazily, considering my problems drawing at the moment, having seen a couple of EDiM posts from this year's challenge, I decided to join in yesterday (3rd). I last participated in 2010, when I was in Sudan. You can see the posts by clicking this link: EDiM 2010 

#4 Draw your socks

This year I have decided not to post all the drawings on my blog, but have an album on facebook here: EDiM 2013 Facebook album It's on my facebook page, so maybe you could "like" the page whilst you check out the drawings. Judging by these first two days, it looks like my interpretation of the daily prompts will have a Degas twist.

For more details on EDiM. check out the flickr and facebook groups below for fellow EDiMers. 

FB: www.facebook.com/groups/296443287101735/

and Flickr : www.flickr.com/groups/edmeverydayinmay2011/

Degas

From Degas at the Royal Academy 2011

No not That Degas, but this Degas...

...a four-month old lab retriever/wadi dog puppy.

On 1st April, I picked her up off the street where she'd been hanging around work. She has a sweet nature and I had fussed her and her brother (who had a broken leg) over the previous week. However, on the morning of the 1st, I arrived at work and the security guard told me the brother had been shot but Degas escaped. (There is a big stray problem on the industrial estate and without a dog home system in Oman the police shoot them.) After making some enquiries, I put her in a box and took her home (via the vets) the same day.

A 3-month old scared puppy. 1st April

I have grown up with dogs, and one of things I did not like about my lifestyle was the fact I couldn't have a dog. I think, that having made the decision that I am moving to Barcelona by next Easter, it was easy to adopt her.

One of my 1st degas sketches. 14 April.

Naturally, having a puppy in the house has meant some big changes. 

She is the reason I am struggling to do artwork. It's hard working when you have a puppy. Either she needs 100% of my attention, or when she's asleep I'm too tired to draw. Of course I have managed a few sketches, but not many.

In the month I've had her, she's had all her vaccines, been spade, and got a chip. 

Most importantly, she has put on 4kgs and is growing fast.

19th April

This is her PLEASE play NOW face!
How can I resist?

I apologise for the infrequent blogging, for not visiting your blogs, and for generally disappearing. Normalish service will resume in a few months, when Degas is a little older, I hope.

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.

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

Dubai doodles

Burj Al Arab from Costa's - Friday.Water colour & ink A5 sketchbook.

Two weekends ago I went to Dubai as I'd received a invite to the opening day of Art Dubai. Having never attended this event I thought it would be an interesting opportunity, especially as the Global Art Forum is run in conjunction with it. Naturally I took my sketchbook and camera, and these are the pictures from the 3 days I was there.

Lemon mint juice in Dome - Wednesday after arrival.Watercolour on pencil A5 sketchbook.

 After checking into my hotel, I had some lunch which was served with a beautiful acid green lemonmint drink, which cried out to be painted. I grabbed a pencil from my bag and then used watercolours to try to capture the colours, whilst eating a scrummy sandwich and chips. It looks better in the original, my scanner's washed it out a bit.

Rough seas on Jumeriah Beach Thursday.

Global Art Forum - Thursday Ink A5 sketchbook.

The next day we had a dust storm in the morning and afterwards was a lovely refreshing wind. Although it was a bit overcast, I went to the beach near the Art Dubai site and after sitting watching the waves for awhile I tried to paint them. (My scanner couldn't cope with this, so it was lucky I took a photo). From the beach I went to the Global Art Forum where there were really interesting discussions and talks.

Global Art Forum - Friday. Ink A5 sketchbook

 I returned to the forum on Friday, after I checked out and left my bag for the afternoon, I was a little early so investigated Souq Madinate Jumeriah. Sitting in Costas for their free wifi, I painted the stunning view of the iconic Burj Al Arab. Finishing off the weekend, I sketched a couple of pages at the forum before heading to collect my bag on route to the airport.