Starting the Day with “Urban Flow.”

[By Mark Alan Anderson, 2019 symposium correspondent, in Amsterdam]

It’s the first day of workshops and the crowd outside the church is enormous. Volunteers hold signs in the air for each of the various workshops while attendees go in search of their instructor. I join Marion Rivolier’s group. It’s a short walk to our destination and we make a quick detour so that sketchers can purchase bottles of water. We’re going to need that water, not only because this is a watercolor workshop, but it’s also going to be important to stay hydrated on this very hot day.

During the pause I look down at the sidewalk and notice that someone has “drawn“ with painters tape on the sidewalk. It’s a moment before it hits me: thisis an urban sketch! In fact, it’s a sketch of an iconic landmark for all of us at the symposium as it represents a view of Zuiderkerk, the hub of our Symposium. Chatting with sketchers I sense nervous energy. Everyone is eager to begin. It’s our first event and we look forward to learning to “see with new eyes.”

Arriving at our workshop location we discover that another group has already claimed our spot. A brief conversation later and all is well; we set up nearby, under the shade of a small tree. The sketchers crowd tightly together as Marion unloads her kit. Chairs begin to unfold and sketchbooks are flipped open. Everybody waits in anticipation … it’s time to start!

Marion has positioned her group in a beautiful spot along a canal overlooking the glass Hortus Botanicus building. The approach she is teaching means some must let go and take a blind leap of faith. She has participants put away their pencils and begin with a brush, working directly in watercolor. This morning they will use this approach to seek out “urban flow” through the expression of sky and water