Photos from the Workshop!

We had 30 students shared between myself and my co-instructor Shari Blaukopf.  Some locals, some from Ontario, and some from as far as British Columbia, California, Florida, and Texas.

If I can say it myself, about our own workshop, it was a smashing success :)

We heard a lot of positive comments; the techniques we chose seemed on target, people seemed to enjoy the critiques and “classroom” exercises – even if some found them challenging. To me, that’s the right balance. A lot of learning, a bit of pushing people to do things they haven’t tried, but not making it so frustrating that people shut down.

I was flattered that a few of our students were people I’d taught in past USK symposia (Lisbon and Santo Domingo). It’s great to know they would come all the way to Montreal to paint together again.

My friend Matthew Brehm once described teaching as ‘aggressive learning’. I like that phrase. In order to explain a method to someone else, you really have to wrestle with it. Be confident you’ve conquered it.

It’s a useful mental model for me. Having a hit-list of techniques to nail down before the next season of classes.  I’m doing some research on new things to teach next time. Stuff I’ll un-veil when I think I’ve ‘crushed it’ as the kids say.

I had a great time meeting everyone at the workshop. I have to say this was the most social class I’ve been at. Thanks to Shari’s organizing, all the students, plus spouses and friends, were out for dinner every night, showing off their day’s work, sharing sketchbooks and talking art into the evening. It was a pretty cool feeling, bringing the spirit of the USK symposium to Montreal.

The rest of the event photos are posted up on our new Urban Sketchers Montreal Workshops Alumni Facebook group.  All you who’ve taken a course with us (or even those who really want to!) – feel free to share your sketches and future sketching plans here. I’d like this to be a place where everyone from our past workshops can keep in touch into the future.

Thanks again to everyone who attended! I look forward to sketching with each of you again soon.