APRIL ART DUMP

THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND

We arrived in Porto at the end of March this year. Within a month I joined a meet-up of Porto Urban Sketchers in the Bairro da Azenha neighborhood of Porto at Sede de Ajudaris. From that first day I was welcomed to the group with open arms, and soon realized I had found my tribe. This is more than a random bunch of people who happen to get together periodically; they are a community of people who enjoy drawing and more importantly, enjoy each others' company. I have travelled with the group on full day excursions to Maia, Viana do Castelo, and Aveiro, taking the train early for a morning sketching session, lunch together, and an afternoon  sketching session. In June, we celebrated ten years and 150 meetups with an exhibition and a book looking back over the last ten years.

PoSK #148 May 24 meet-up at Quinto dos Conégos estate, dating to the 18th Century. Surrounded by extensive landscaped grounds, this sketch is of a pear tree on the grounds   

PoSK #149 May25 meet-up at Maia BD. This is a 3-day celebration of graphic art with a significant exhibition of graphic art, highlighted by the opportunity to gather in the auditorium to draw posed participants in costume. At lunch on theis visit, I saw that about a quarter of the people at the table (out of 15) were sketching while we waited for our food.

PoSK #150 Arca d'Agua, a park a decent walk north of the apartment. Our morning session was spent around this statue in the park.

There was a market, with folks dressed in traditional farm and rural garb selling baked goods and crafts.

That evening we joined the opening exhibition celebrating the ten year anniversary of Porto Urban Sketchers. Of course we bought the book.

PoSK #151 Café Bela Cruz. The café is a protected building restricting future redevelopment to maintain the essentail elements of the structure that has been part of the beachfront landscape for decades.

PoSK #152 Rua Dom Pedro V. Along the Duoro, the Ponte da Ferreirinha bridge under construction will add a link from Porto to Gaia for the Metro Ruby line, pedestrians, and cyclists.

PoSK #154 Praça de Batalha. I was only able to make the morning session at a small café.

PoSK #155 Viana do Castelo.  This is a beach town about an hour north of Porto. Apparently, we were on the beach train, standing room only. This is just off the main square.

PoSK #157 Aveiro. Aveiro is about an hour south of Porto on the coast. Travel brochures would have believe this is the Venice of Portugal, that bold overstatement rings hollow, despite the charms of this historic city. This is the Triciana de Aveiro hotel, just across from the station.

Our morning session was pretty informal. We spent what was left of the morning catching up on pastries and espresso.

PoSK #158 Jardimdo Botanico. This could have used a bit more planning and forethought. It is a beautiful place, and I hope to return in the Spring.

PoSK#159 Feira do Livro (Palácio de Cristal) This annual used book fair goes on for two weeks, spread out across much of the park draws thousands. I was lucky enough to catch a spot before the crowds completely obscured any view of the book stalls.

I have participated with Denver Urban Sketchers and Drop-in Drawing at the Denver Art Museum, and while there are regulars and acquantences, there is not a community as I have found here in Porto. I am looking forward tp more days drawing with these wonderful people.