Sketch activities for Sugar House Island...
Sugar House Island, a canal-side neighbourhood in a part of East London full of industrial heritage, has been organising activities to connect its community.
Sketching is my way of looking, noticing and taking notes. That can be very freeing in a social workshop. Gone is the requirement to do a ‘good’ drawing; in comes space for wonder, discovery and play. I love it when people bring themselves, each with their own way of seeing and drawing.
In a Spring Equinox plant sketching workshop, we made collaborative drawings of greenery and flowers from my garden, created colour palettes of one leaf or flower and enjoyed some freestyle drawing, heading outside into the sunshine. There was chat throughout and beautiful work done with simple materials.
Joining things up brings out their variety – so our sketch walk started with a view from a footbridge and a parade of sketchbooks. Friendly Egyptian geese were sketched as they visited two residents who know them well. And as we walked and talked between perches, local knowledge gave new residents more places to explore.
