My Last Urban Sketching Workshop

My last Capturing the Event Workshop took place on the street leading to Puerta del Conde. I knew the ancient fort would close it’s gates at 5PM so there wasn’t much time to get a sketch inside. I was really pleased that Urban Sketcher Nina Johansson from Sweden sat in on this workshop. I admire her vibrant watercolor sketches. It was cloudy out which meant we didn’t have to hunt for shade. I sat in the middle of the street sketching the architecture. The previous day, a cocoanut salesman and guitar player showed up on this corner and I hoped they would return. Sure enough, when I was halfway into the sketch, the cocoanut salesman arrived on his tricycle loaded down with cocoanuts. He cut open the coconuts with a machete to serve it.

It began to rain and I backed up into a shop vestibule. One of the shop assistants gestured to offer me a spot to sit. This happened to me while I sketched in the park as well, a gentleman offered me his seat on a bench. They seem to take pity on aging artists in Santo DomingoLapin showed up as the rain began to ease. I gave him a quick rundown on the workshop and gave him the class notes. I caught him in my sketch as he stood sketching a mannequin. Then he started asking people if he could sketch them. A crowd gathered around him as he sketched.

I gathered up the troupes and we shared our sketches. We then posed for a photo in front of the sign that I had sketched. There was a wonderful variety of styles. Everyone weathered the storm.