Friday 20 December 2019

An Urban Sketchers year in review - We drew London in 2019

Best wishes from Urban Sketchers London 
for a celebratory end of the year!

The skating rink at the Natural History Museum by James Hobbs    December 2019
With many thanks to Jo Dungey and Lis Watkins for leading us through another outstanding year.


Didn't we do well in 2019?

Thank you organisers one and all for making it happen

January 2019 Barbican Centre
Organisers Cathryn Worrell and Gafung Wong


February 2019 RAF Museum in Hendon
Organisers John Webb and Philip Stones

March 2019 Spitalfields
Organisers Nicky Browne and Helen Hayhoe

April 2019 Croydon
Organisers Lis Watkins and Jo Dungey

May 2019 Dulwich Village
Organisers Jo Dungey and Rachel Bone

June 2019 Richmond
Organisers Helen Hayhoe and John Swanson

A summer evening 19 June 2019  Southbank Centre
Organisers Jo Dungey and Zane Karklina

July 2019 Regent's Park
Organisers Steven Baker and Elwyn Edwards

A summer evening 'drink and draw' 12 July 2019 Royal Festival Hall
Organiser Lis Watkins


A summer evening 17 July 2019 Victoria Embankment Gardens
Organisers John Webb and Gafung Wong

August 2019 Greenwich and Island Gardens
Organisers Olga Mackness and Mike Whalley

A summer evening 7 August 2019 Tower Bridge
Organisers Lis Watkins and Jo Dungey

September 2019 Trinity Buoy Wharf
Organisers Jo Dungey and Gafung Wong
October 2019 City of London
Organisers Olga Mackness and Katy Evans

November 2019 British Library
Organisers Lis Watkins and Sangeeta Bhagawati

December 2019 Natural History Museum
Organisers Nicky Browne and Elizabeth Blunt


Best wishes from Urban Sketchers London

Let's Draw London in 2020!





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Monday 16 December 2019

Let's draw the Wallace Collection - Saturday 15 February 2020


We visit the Wallace Collection, a free public art collection in Manchester Square north of Oxford Street.  The building, Hertford House, provides the focal point of this eighteenth century garden square. Each room in this eclectic museum is distinctively different. It houses treasures that include arms and armour, furniture, glassware and ceramics. Other interesting buildings in the area include St James RC Church, and the Chiltern Firehouse. 

The day is free of charge, no need to book, just turn up with your art kit.  

The Wallace Collection ask that drawing should be done with the following dry materials only: pencils, coloured pencils and graphite sticks.


Wallace Collection (exterior) at the head of the post, by Sasala Wickramasinghe, and Wallace Collection (interior) above, by Nicky Browne.

Key times and meeting points for the day:

11 am: Meet inside the Wallace Collection building in Porphyry Court on the lower ground floor.  Please ensure your art kit does not include sharp tools such as scissors or craft knives.  Allow time to check in bulky coats and bags in the cloakroom. 

A floorplan of the Wallace Collection can be downloaded from their website.

1 pm: Meet again at the Porphyry Court to look at drawings done so far.

3.30 pm: Meet again at the Porphyry Court.  We will look at drawings done, and take group photographs either there or nearby, depending how crowded it is.


Options for drawing:

The Wallace Collection is housed in Hertford House in Manchester Square W1. It was built as a family house for the Marquesses of Hertford. The last owner bequeathed it on condition that the collection would stay intact; no items in the collection could be sold or loaned.

It is a large collection of decorative arts, old masters, arms and armour collected in 30 galleries. The fall of the French monarchy enabled the family to buy many significant treasures of many sorts including porcelain. There are several well known works of art in the collection: Franz Hals' Laughing Cavalier is one surprise. Another is Fragonard's Girl on a Swing.

The State Rooms have been restored to their near original décor. The open courtyard is now a roofed coffee bar and restaurant, called Cafe Bagatelle after one of the Marquises’ Chateau Bagatelle (shown above, sketch by Sasala Wickramasinghe).

There is a free tour of highlights of the collection at 2.30 pm.


Immediately behind the Wallace Collection, in Spanish Place, is the Neo-Gothic St James RC Church (photograph above). Designed by Edward Goldie, completed in 1890, we are welcome to draw the complex and stunning interior.


Weather permitting, nearby Chiltern Street has the extraordinary Manchester Square Fire Station designed by Robert Pearsall and completed in 1889 (photograph above, drawing below, by Nicky Browne).  Known now as The Chiltern Firehouse, it is a luxury hotel and restaurant. As there is a waiting list for the waiting list, don't expect to pop in for lunch.  The Chiltern Firehouse is too closely furnished and busy to be an interior drawing option, but the outside is stunning.


Practical information:

The Wallace Collection is at Hertford House, Manchester Square, London W1U 3BN.  It is a national museum with free admission to the permanent collection.  The opening hours are 10 am to 5 pm.   There is a cloakroom, café, toilets and a shop.  The Wallace Collection website is informative.  Manchester Square is located near Oxford Street and the nearest station is Bond Street. Also close are Marble Arch or Baker Street.

There are several cafes, interesting pubs and independent shops nearby.  It is also close to the busy local shopping street: Marylebone High Street.

This day is run by Nicky Browne and Sasala Wickramasinghe, sketches and photographs are also by them.




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Saturday 14 December 2019

We drew at the Natural History Museum - December 2019

(Jo Dungey writes) We met to draw at London's Natural History Museum on Saturday 14 December 2019. I always find it fascinating the different subjects people choose, although meeting at the same location. Some people tackled the ornate Victorian building,  including the dramatic Hintze Hall, which now has the vast skeleton of a Blue Whale installed. Others drew exhibits including animals, birds, skeletons, rocks and minerals. A few braved the outdoors, and sketched the exterior of the museum and the ice skaters outside.

This is our last meet-up of 2019. I hope everyone has enjoyed sketching with our group. Our new year programme starts at Tate Modern on Saturday 11 January 2020.



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