Lecture Presenter: Rita Sabler, Porland, Ore. (United States)

From drawing flamingos in the driest desert on earth to detailing the ornate features of Orthodox church cupolas in her native Saint Petersburg (Russia), Rita Sabler has happily trotted the world documenting its wonders in her trusty sketchbook. Her sketching passion has often led her on a quest for finding sketch-worthy subjects that required her to loosen certain standards of personal comfort and safety as anything worth pursuing requires a certain degree of sacrifice.

In the last 9 years and particularly since attending the first Urban Sketchers Symposium in Portland, Rita has been compulsively drawing everything that catches her attention. In addition to learning the official name for her passion –urban sketching– she has become a lot more organized and purposeful with her doodling since joining the movement.

Rita has contributed several chapters to the book titled Creative Sketching Workshop that came out last October, and is currently working on a book on Travel Sketching and an illustrated book of Portland Artisans.

Rita holds a B.A. degree in Psychology and Art, a M.A. in Linguistics, and a Masters in Interface Design from The Elisava School of Design in Barcelona. She is currently anchored in Portland, OR, US. When not sketching Rita is a busy designer, parent, tango dancer and a tango pianist. She can be frequently seen zipping around town on her bike with her daughter in tow, managing her band’s rehearsal and gig schedule, and arranging tango music.

Lecture 10: The Art & Habit of Travel Sketching