Wednesday 9 August 2023

Let's draw Mayfair - Saturday 19 August or Sunday 3 September 2023

Mercato Mayfair
Sketch by Isabel Carmona

Join us to sketch in Mayfair
on either of the dates above.

From Oxford Street to Piccadilly, and Hyde Park to Regent Street, Mayfair is filled with Georgian architecture and high-end shopping, parks and people, and blue plaques, including one for Jimmy Hendrix and another for Simon Bolivar. There is no shortage of subjects to draw, and we invite you to join us for either the August or early September session.

The sketchwalk on 19 August will be run by Isabel Carmona and Peggy Wong, and on Sunday 3 September Andrea Deng and Peggy Wong will lead the way.

Your Mayfair sketchwalk leaders on 19 August
Peggy Wong (left) and Isabel Carmona

If this is your first sketchwalk with us, welcome to Urban Sketchers London

Every sketchwalk has a leader, a meeting point at the beginning, a gathering place in the middle and another one at the end, when we ‘throw down’ our sketchbooks and pose for a group photo. Sketchwalk leaders know the area and are there to help you feel at ease and give you some ideas about what to sketch. Please note there is no tuition during the sketchwalks. We all draw what we wish, following the Urban Sketchers manifesto and sharing our drawings at the end.

We look forward to seeing you!

Meeting point

We will meet at Brown Hart Gardens, an elevated park very near Oxford Street, at the Selfridges end (see our lovely hand drawn map below, and scroll to the end of this post for the Google map version). From here it is possible to walk/sketch anywhere in the area.

Let's draw Mayfair
Sketch map by Peggy Wong

Key times and meeting points

11am

We will meet in the raised terrace garden at Brown Hart Gardens, a small public space between Duke Street and Balderton Street. There are steps at either end in Duke Street, and opposite the entrance to the Beaumont Hotel in Balderton Street. There is a platform lift for wheelchair access on the north side of the square.

1pm

Meet back at Brown Hart Gardens for the lunchtime throwdown and group photo.

3:30pm

Meet at the same place for the afternoon throwdown and group photo to finish the day.

Afterwards

We suggest the Mercato Mayfair for a drink and more drawing from 4pm.

The Mercato Mayfair
Sketch by Peggy Wong

Options for drawing

Brown Hart Gardens -- A terrace garden on the roof of a Grade II-listed 'Edwardian Baroque' electricity sub-station. The garden is surrounded by beautiful architecture and buildings -- you can even try a 360 degree sketch! At one end is The Beaumont, one of London's most expensive hotels, originally built in 1926 as an Art Deco-style parking garage.

The terrace garden at Brown Hart Gardens
Photo by Isabel Carmona

The Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral at Duke Street and Weighhouse Street
Photo by Isabel Carmona

Grosvenor Square - The second largest garden square in London, featuring Georgian and neo-Georgian architecture, and the former American embassy designed in 1960 in proto-Brutalist style by Eero Saarinen.

South Molton Street - A pedestrianised shopping street just off Bond Street station, with plenty of interesting boutiques, cafes and people to sketch.

Mercato Mayfair - A 'cultural hub of sustainable authentic food' in the Grade 1-listed deconsecrated St Mark's church in North Audley Street. There are eateries over two floors featuring global cuisine and interesting views inside and out. NB: We will meet here for drinks at the end of the day.

The Mercato Mayfair
Sketch by Isabel Carmona

Mount Street Gardens - A public garden in a quieter part of Mayfair south of Grosvenor Square, near the Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception. Originally the site of a burial ground, the garden features paths lined with benches (the perfect perch for urban sketchers!) as well as Grade II-listed structures, including two K2 kiosks, Britain's first red Telephone Box designed by Sir Gilbert Scott.
Berkeley Square - One of the best known garden squares in London, Berkeley Square is surrounded by grand townhouses and is on the register of Historic Parks and Gardens.
Curzon Street - Home to the Curzon Mayfair Cinema and Shepherd Market, a quaint, village-like pedestrianised square with no shortage of boutiques, Victorian pubs and outdoor cafes (some very upmarket).

Practical information

Food and drink and conveniences

There are plenty of food options at Mercato Mayfair, South Molton Street, Oxford Street -- and just about everywhere!

Public transport

The nearest Tube stations to our meeting point are Marble Arch on the Central Line, or Bond Street on the Central, Jubilee and Elizabeth Lines. There are plenty of buses along Oxford Street.

Accessibility

There is a platform lift for wheelchair access to the elevated part of Brown Hart Gardens on the north side of the square. Accessibility information for other locations in our Mayfair sketchwalk are available at AccessAble. Please let us know if you will need accessibility support on the day.

Covid guidance

Urban Sketchers London remains alert to national guidance about COVID-19 and its variants. Even though restrictions have been lifted, it's sensible to take all necessary precautions to keep ourselves and fellow sketchers safe throughout the event. The risk of infection for outdoor events is low, but basic guidance still applies:

Please do not attend if you feel unwell
Wear a face covering when you're close to others
Give people space
Practise good hand hygiene.

Further information

If you're new to Urban Sketchers London, have a look at Mike Whalley's brief history of the international Urban Sketchers movement.

Location map

See you in Mayfair!

Let's draw London in 2023 -- Find our full programme here

Urban Sketchers London