Am I a Sketchy Artist?

If you’re going to stretch your skills and comfort zones, why not do it on a very public stage? That’s what Spirit seems to have in store for me, so I’m passing the challenge along to you too. Let’s all participate in Atlantic Sketch, part of this year’s online Atlantic Visual Arts Festival (FAVA). Trust me, all skill levels welcome!

When I got the call, I was honoured and thrilled to be asked to represent Newfoundland & Labrador in this year’s online version of the FAVA. After all, my 2018 experience as godmother to the festival in New Brunswick was the highlight of my artistic career!

When I was told what it involved, however, I couldn’t help but both cringe and laugh. Yikes! I don’t qualify for this… do I?

One artist from each Atlantic province will be sending 3-5 sketches a day to the FAVA Facebook Page as part of the Sketch Atlantic facet of the festival (September 23-26). 

Now if you know me well, you know that I was scared of drawing. It’s part of why Spirit called me to the Vienna Academy of Visionary Art in 2013/14, so I could get over this fear, this block.

I may have been loosely painting what I saw with my eyes closed or what emerged from the layers of liquid acrylics since the 80s, but when it came to drawing something real, like a person or 3D object in front of me, I’d get all anxious.

Vienna did wonders for that, but I haven’t sketched since … 6 years.

Not coincidentally, I’d decided to bring my small sketch book and pencil kit to Ireland for my planned 2-month solo backpacking trip there. 

That didn’t happen because of COVID, so the Universe found another way to encourage me to fulfill that intention … this time on a very public stage.

How could I not say YES!!!

What a great opportunity to let go of the ego! I accept this challenge to just be & sketch without worrying about “what people will think”. Does that sound sketchy to you?

If my facing my fears and doing it anyway can inspire even one other person to do so in any area of their life, then great!!!

There’s a public facet to this challenge for all Canadians.

Join in no matter if you’re a professional artist, do observational drawing for the fun of it, or want to try it for the first time.

If I can do it, so can you! You don’t even have to represent your province -lol!

Atlantic Sketch is on now on the Sketch Atlantique Facebook Page until October and there are great prizes.

You can read more about the guidelines here.

Send your recent observational sketches (not from a photo) to [email protected].

If you’re feeling sketchy about being an artist, this storybook video says it all!

It made a difference in my life when I was introduced to it during a drawing class in Bali in 2014.

What a great reminder before I embark on this very public presentation of my own sketches.

Tune into the FAVA Facebook Page Septembre 23-26 to see my sketches roll in along with those from the other Atlantic representatives.