New: Urban Sketching Workshop on Madeline Island
Posted: June 23, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized 8 CommentsI’m so excited to announce a new five-day workshop for July 2020. I’ll be teaching alongside Paul Heaston, Uma Kelkar and James Richards at the beautiful island campus of Madeline Island School of the Arts in La Pointe, Wisconsin, right on Lake Superior. During this week, you’ll get to spend a full day with each instructor and on the fifth day we’ll all be sketching together and sharing our work in a final display at the campus gallery.
If you don’t know the school, have a look at their website. There’s no shortage of sketching locations on the island, and this will be a unique opportunity to really experience a fully immersive sketching week in a beautiful setting. With accommodations right on site, along with group dinners, it seems to me a lot like summer camp for sketchers!
Dates are July 13-17, 2020. Here’s the link for details and registration.
Shari Blaukopf's Sketchbook 
Hi Shari This looks so fun. I’ve taken both your classes on Bluprint but I have to admit my sketching is terrible if I don’t trace from s photo. Is that a complete no-no in the master class?
Polly http://www.pollygentry.com
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Thanks for asking that Polly. It’s a good question. This sketching week will really be about working on location, about looking at a scene and drawing from life. All of us are there to give you the confidence to go out anywhere and sketch on your own. We have studio space in case we need it, but that would likely only be in case of rain. We are all location sketchers and hope to help people be more confident with that. I hope that helps.
Shari
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Hi Shari, I am excited to hear about your workshop on Madeleine Island in July 2020. I spent a week there three or four years ago. My husband and dogs camped in a small RV at a beautiful lakeside campground that I returned to each night for supper. The lunch meals were at the Art Centre and were excellent and generous. Most students stayed at the art centre housing and they enjoyed that convenience because of access to the studio in evenings. There are good restaurants right on the island. The summer weather was moderated by winds off cool Lake Superior, a relatively pristine lake because it is deep and cold. Beautiful scenery everywhere. Duluth is the nearest transportation hub and is itself a scenic place. Bayfield is the town from where the ferry leaves and returns.
It was one of the most fun experiences I have ever had, with keen and friendly students and staff, and expert teaching. My husband and dogs had no trouble loafing while I took classes. (Dogs not allowed on campus but there were lots of other walking places).
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Jean, thanks so much for the great description of the place. That sounds exactly as I pictured it. The people at the school have been so welcoming and so great at organizing the event that I am not surprised. I am certain it’s going to be a fantastic experience for everyone. I almost wish I would have another week on my own on the island to wander around and paint!
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Shari
I am just a beginner at urban sketching – is this for higher levels?
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Leonie, this is for everyone. Every instructor has plenty of experience working with many levels of sketcher. I would say if you decide to do, come with a willingness to learn and an open mind. Each day will be with a different instructor so you will learn new techniques each day. But I think there will be many levels of sketcher there and you won’t feel out of place.
Shari
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This sounds about perfect, Shari! Wish I could be there with everyone.
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And I wish you could be there with us Peggy. Doesn’t the location sound amazing?
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