RIGHT
Participants of the
2015 Urban Sketchers
Symposium in
Singapore with their
inished art pieces
re | asian artists
during which residents engaged in a peaceful
demonstration to demand freer elections,
using umbrellas and yellow ribbons to
symbolise passive resistance against the
police. Some activist groups installed public
art and organised a Facebook competition
to design the movement’s logo. he result
of several months of the urban sketchers’
endeavours resulted in a collection of
reportage drawings in Sketches Under he
Umbrella, with texts in English and Chinese,
published by Sun Efort in Hong Kong.Drawing Atention
Perhaps the most prominent aspect of the
Urban Sketchers organisation is its large-scale
art conferences. hese events involve a host
city organising sketchwalks, workshops and
sharing sessions for the beneit of art-loving
friends from other parts of the world.
In July 2 0 15, artists met in Singapore for the
organisation’s sixth annual Urban Sketchers
Symposium, which coincided with the country’s
celebrations for their 50th National Day.
Founded in 2009 by 62-year-old art and design
educator Tia Boon Sim, the chapter in this city-
state organises a sketchwalk on the inal Saturday
of every month, and these activities sometimes
atract up to 100 participants.
Patrick Ng, 47, recalls, “As Singapore’s USk
administrator and chief organiser of the 2 015
symposium, I found it most rewarding to meet
the 408 participants from around the world –
a milestone igure at the time – who took to thestreets, sketching, learning from the workshops,
and simply having a great time capturing
Singapore through their pens and brushes.
Our overseas friends still talk about it today!”
In 2 01 7, cities around the world marked
the Urban Sketchers’ 10th anniversary with
a series of 10 art workshops called “10 x 10”.
Based in Singapore, Filipino interior designer
Achilles “Uhky Uhky” Estremos, 50, explains
why he teaches at workshops like these: “I
want to share my art journey with other artists,
using watercolour as a medium.” A member
of both USk Singapore and Philippines, Uhky
habitually ends each day with a sketch or two, as
part of what he calls “keeping the urge” to draw.
In October of the same year, USk Kuching
(Malaysia) hosted the second annual Asia-
Link Sketchwalk over four days, atended
by 300 sketchers. he main part of the event
involved on-location sketching at Kuching’s
heritage precinct, and there were also drawing
workshops and artwork sharing sessions.
Says the founder of USk Kuching Peggy
Wong, 40, “We’ve been sketching together
since 2 01 0. he group started with the
intention of recording vanishing historical
buildings of Kuching, and later went on to
record other aspects of life and times here.
Today, they are a diverse group of people, from
retired scientists and housewives to young
professionals and college students, who come
together every irst Sunday of the month to
sketch. Being part of this community has been
really rewarding!” agOther Art
Interest GroupsWorld Watercolor
Group
Formed in July 2016
by American artist
Charlie O’Shields, this
organisation has a
large online following:
74,333! Like the
Urban Sketchers, it
has many Asia-based
artists among these
numbers. Watercolour
pieces done plein air
or in the studio are all
accepted. See: http://www.
facebook.com/groups/
worldwatercolorBangkok Sketchers
This community has
12,310 members on
their Facebook page,
with some 200 active
at monthly on-location
sketching activities,
both outdoors and
indoors. See:
http://www.facebook.com/
bksketchersSketchwalk
Kuala Lumpur
Begun on Facebook in
2014 by Yong Li Yun,
this community meets
every Sunday to sketch
different locations
in KL. See: http://www.
facebook.com/groups/
sketchwalkkualalumpurLife Drawing
Wanchai
Begun in September
2006, Life Drawing has
weekly life drawing
sessions in Wanchai,
Hong Kong. Art models
are hired for short
poses. See: http://www.
facebook.com/groups/
lifedrawinghkPHOTO © TUNG YUE NANG (“TUNGTONG”)