Ottawa Workshop with Captain Tom

On July 20-21, 2019, thirty lucky Ottawa sketchers, architects, artists had an amazing weekend of workshops with Tomas Pajdlhauser (aka Captain Tom) called: “Effective and Expressive Urban Sketching” http://captaintom.studio/about

Tom initially scheduled an Ottawa workshop for July 21 and it immediately filled up. There was SO much demand for his workshop that Tom graciously added an extra one on July 20!! That tells you it's going to be great! Oh, and the fact that someone came all the way from L.A. to Ottawa to take Tom's workshop - you know its going to be great!

This was the ad for the first workshop offered by Captain Tom - demand was so great, he added another on July 20, 2019!

Who is Captain Tom?

Captain Tom demonstrating in the afternoon portion of the workshop

Thank You Ottawa Urban Sketchers!

Thank you to all of the Ottawa urban sketchers 

who joined us at our events in 2018. 

July 29, 2017: WORLD WIDE SKETCHCRAWL #56

The idea for a world wide sketchcrawl originated with Enrico Casarosa of San Francisco in late 2004 . Enrico is an  Italian storyboard artist and director who works at Pixar Animation Studios.

Since 2004, SketchCrawl has become a worldwide phenomenon participated by artists around the world armed with sketchpads, pencils, watercolor and other sketching materials.

Join Us - In Ottawa - July 29, 2017

So - put your pen to paper on July 29th for as long as you can (be it 20 minutes or 6 hours) drawing, sketching, journaling about your day and what you see around you. For one day, slow down, look around you, see ... and draw or write. Record your day. No specific level of skill is expected ! Anyone is welcome.

Sign Up On Facebook!

Click here to sign up on facebook for Ottawa's 56th World Wide Sketchcrawl
https://www.facebook.com/events/1326215267496206/

10:00 

We will meet at the National Gallery near the sculpture "maman" (aka the spider). 

There is plenty of parking. 

We can gather, get to know each other and sit and sketch "maman", 

the Basilica or head to the next spots: Major's Hill Park, 

Parliament Buildings or the Bytowne Museum (canal locks)

12:00 

Show and Tell:  Bytowne Museum (canal locks) 

Before lunch, we will have a quick show and tell 

for the benefit of folks who are sketching for only a half day. 

By meeting at 12, artists could decide where to have lunch together

and even sketch their lunch location!
RAIN CHECK-IN LOCATION
We will meet under the bridge: Rideau & Rideau Canal
(There is a large sheltered area directly beside the canal to meet)

The Bytown Museum

2:00 

The afternoon could be spent in the alleyways and/or the colourful vendor areas
of the Byward market. 

There are plenty of places to sketch
RAIN CHECK-IN LOCATION
Byward Market Building
(We can meet indoors at the Moulin De Provence Bakery end)

The Byward Market

4:00  

Show and Tell: Farewell
We will meet at the corner of York and Sussex
at the western end of the Byward Market

RAIN CHECK-IN LOCATION

Byward Market Building

(We can meet again indoors at the Moulin De Provence Bakery end)

Please Note

La Machine will be downtown in the same general area during our WW Sketchcrawl - there will be crowds!
Here is the schedule:

DAY 3: Saturday, July 29
11 am – Kumo Walkabout: By Ward Market
11 am – Long Ma Walkabout: ByWard Market
3 pm – Long Ma Walkabout: departs from the ByWard Market
3:10 pm – Kumo Walkabout: departs from the ByWard Market
8: 30 pm – Long Ma Walkabout: departs from Confederation Park
9:30 pm – STATIC SCENE: Kumo and Long Ma at the Supreme Court of Canada
 
You can add La Machine to your list of sketches 
or avoid the area all together.

 (More information can be found here: http://www.ottawa2017.ca/events/signature-events/la-machine/)

La Machine will invade Ottawa (July 27 to 30) from Ottawa 2017 on Vimeo.

World Wide Sketchcrawl Links: 

Want to know more about World Wide Sketchcrawls? 

Visit the links below.

• Sketchcrawl website 
• Sketchcrawl Forum for 56th Sketchcrawl 
• Sketchcrawl Facebook Group 
• Enrico Casarosa's Blog
• Sketchwhat? For folks that have never heard of WW sketchcrawls
• Sketchcrawl flickr group

Other Canadian Urban Sketching Groups

Want to now more about Urban Sketchers in other provinces? 

Visit some of the blogs below:

• Kitchener-Waterloo Urban Sketchers
• Toronto Urban Sketchers Blog
• Urban Sketchers Edmonton Blog
• Urban Sketchers Montreal Blog
• Vancouver Urban Sketchers Blog

48th World Wide SketchCrawl Ottawa Report

Read about the LAST time that Ottawa Urban Sketchers did this very same sketchcrawl on our 48th worldwide Sketch Crawl :  http://moynahanstudio.blogspot.ca/2015/07/48th-ww-sketchcrawl-ottawa-report.html

John "Sketch Journal" Ottawa Sketchcrawl links:

• 33rd WW Schetchcrawl in Ottawa (Oct 2011)
• 34th WW Sketchcrawl in Ottawa (Jan 2012)
• 35th WW Sketchcrawl in Ottawa (April 2012)
• 38th WW Sketchcrawl in Ottawa (Jan 2013)
• 39th WW Sketchcrawl in Ottawa (April 2013)

Other WW Sketchcrawl in Ottawa links:

• 33rd WW Sketchcrawl in Ottawa (Oct 2011)
• 37th WW Sketchcrawl in Ottawa (Oct 2012)
• 39th WW Sketchcrawl in Ottawa (Apr 2013)
• 46th WW Sketchcrawl in Ottawa (Jan 2015)

Sketching Ottawa's "Streetside Spots"

On July 6, 2016 Ottawa urban sketchers met at the Percy Station parklet. Please take the time to read Project Percy Station: Filling a void in our community (by Raunaq Singh) to see why these spaces are so important to community.

Sketches of Percy Station by Colin White

Sketch of Percy Station by Trish Woolaver

On July 20th, Ottawa urban sketchers met at the Beechwood parklet that is called "The Water Garden".

 This parklet was designed by Carleton University students.

"When Carleton Architecture Prof. Johan Voordouw learned about the city’s plan to repurpose on-street parking spots into outdoor patios, parklets and vending stalls, he called up city councillors to see how he could get his students involved."

The "Water Garden" parklet at 43 Beechwood, Vanier was designed by fourth-year architecture students Tori Hamatani, Trevor Whitten, Mitchell Gray and Simon Petepiece (below).

Carleton University students with their design (Photo source: CBC)

Quoted from the CBC: 

The guidelines for the mini parks, called "parklets," were that they needed to be able to fit in a parking space, include live plants and be open to the public.

Because of the requirement to have live plants, these students had the roof inverted so that it could collect rainwater that will be stored in a cistern and used to water the plants!!

Sketchbook page by Cindi Moynahan-Foreman

(P.S. The park cost $15,000 to build and will cost $5,000 for maintenance as the park will be torn down each fall and reconstructed each spring)

The "Water Garden" parklet gets beautiful light in the evening!

Sketch by Kristina Corres on twitter

A City of Ottawa Pilot Project 

The City of Ottawa calls this pilot project the "Streetside Spots Pilot Project". The idea originated in San Francisco in 2010.

The value of streetside spots is best stated by Jamie Kwong (Quartier Vanier BIA):

Source: Jamie Kwong's twitter

Eleven locations applied to take part in this pilot program, which runs from April to October.

Four Parklets – public spaces that will contain everything from seating and greenery to games tables and music:

• The Water Garden at 49 Beechwood – A meeting point, a community gathering space or simply a shelter from the elements, The Water Garden will feature a central column and a canopy designed to channel rainwater to pots of plants, herbs and flowers. The Quartier Vanier Business Improvement Area submitted this design by students from the Azrieli School of Architecture and Urbanism at Carleton University.
• Percy Station at 605 Somerset Street West – Percy Station will offer rotating programming that includes a coffee house, micro shows, live music, poetry readings and theatre sessions. The design features a seating area that can be configured in a variety of ways. Strip lighting will help animate the structure’s form and illuminate it at night for safety.
• The Nük on the north side of Second Avenue, east of Bank Street – Nük will feature a seating area and games table, creating a space for people to stay connected through community events. The design features a built-in table and an L-shaped bench that faces Bank Street. It will incorporate vegetation and soft ambient lighting. The Glebe Community Association submitted this design by students from the Azrieli School of Architecture and Urbanism at Carleton University.
• A parklet on the south side of Third Avenue, west of Bank Street – The neighbourhood, and in particular local merchants and restaurants, will welcome the added seating and greenery this space will offer for relaxing and socializing. Visitors will feel connected to the vibrancy of Bank Street, where narrower sidewalks make it impossible to accommodate patios. The Glebe Community Association submitted this project by a designer who is a resident in the community.

Seven patios – private spaces reserved for patrons of cafés or restaurants that do not have an existing patio:

• The WORKS at 326 Richmond Road
• The Ministry of Coffee at 1013 Wellington Street West
• Corner Bar and Grill at 344 Richmond Road
• Blue Cactus Bar and Grill at 2 Byward Street
• The Cupcake Lounge at 6 Byward Street
• Asian Alley at 8 Byward Street
• Zak’s Diner at 14-16 Byward Street

Do You Like the Idea of Streetside Spots?

Tell the City of Ottawa what you think!

Complete this short questionnaire by August 20, 2016 for your input to be included in the evaluation.

For more information or comments, send a message to neighbourhoods@ottawa.ca

What a GREAT Day at the Farm!

On Sunday April 17th, the Ottawa urban sketchers group went Sketching at the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum. We chose Sunday because on Saturday there were lots of activities scheduled and we wanted to miss the crowds. Not a chance! The weather was beautiful and the farm was packed! That added to the fun!

Note the urban sketcher at the bottom left sketching the entrance gate

There was a great turn out, many sketchers showing up to sketch inside the farm while many others seized the beautiful day to bicycle and sketch the perimeter around the outside of the farm.

Below I have posted a very small sampling of  sketches posted to our facebook event page but please visit that page to see them all. https://www.facebook.com/events/1708303006086325/.

We would like to thank the Canadian Agriculture and Food Museum for being so welcoming and accommodating towards the artists on this busy and beautiful Sunday. We hope to visit again!

Sketching in the small animal barn

Sketches by artist Trish W.

Artist Sophie L. sketch of the building

More sketches of the buildings by artist Colin White

Artist Colin W. sketches on the facebook page

Artist Suvitha R. sketch of the hay bale decoration at the farm.

Quite a few of us were super excited to sketch the two new Clydsedales(Paul and Padrig, who arrived on St. Patrick's Day) and below, artist Jaymie Dylan makes the first sketch.

Artist Jaymie D. sketching the new Clydesdale

Sketches by artist Jaymie D.

Sketching in the small animal barn

Sketches of the newborns by artist Diane D.

Artist Leisl G. sketching in the small animal barn

We NEVER mind if artists can't stay the full day like artist Leisl Gallagher. We understand. And even though she did not stay long - she still managed to do a LOT of great sketches in a short amount of time.

Sketching the cattle paddock

Artist Cindi F. sketch inside the dairy barn

Artist Diane D.sketching the horse paddock

Sketch by artist Gillian RT

Artists Gillian and Matt sketching the Clydesdales from the comfy bench at the farm

More Ottawa Sketching Events.  

Now that the weather is warming, stay tuned for plenty more sketching events. 

If you would like to join us, be sure to join our facebook group and/or look for the #urbansketchers hashtag on twitter (also #USkYOW) and/or sign up to follow this blog by email (add your email in the space provided on the right)