In November, the fall urban sketching classes ended. Urban sketching with watercolor, pen and ink will start again at the Hub on Wednesdays from January 8^th, 1 to 4 pm. 

To view my artwork please visit the Gallery. Visit Gallery

Classes at the Hub were cancelled that week, but resumed on October 16^th.  We focused on drawing people in our cityscapes, using just a few lines to suggest them. Sketching everyday objects like dishes and glasses also inspired us with new drawing ideas. Classes continue through November.

To view my artwork please visit the Gallery. Visit Gallery

Welcome to Urban Sketching! My classes at the Hub started on September 18^th and will continue 1 to 4 pm Wednesdays through November 13^th. I’m teaching the basics of urban sketching: perspective, measuring, composition, and lines. Soon, we’ll add watercolor to bring our sketches to life!

In early September, I traveled to Italy, France and Spain with my family.  While I didn’t have much time to sketch, I took plenty of photos.  These will now serve as references for my students.

A quick note about my 2025 Calendar mentioned in last month’s blog:  several of you have already placed orders.  There is still time to order or pick up at the Hub.  Thank you so much for your support… It means a lot.

Thank you for reading! I am adding some photos from the Hub class, reference pictures from my trip, and a sketch done on location in France.

To view my artwork please visit the Gallery. Visit Gallery

I’m excited to announce that my 2025 Calendars are here.  You can find them on my website and at the Hub on Canal. This 13 month calendar has large spaces for writing and features one of my paintings each month. The artwork is unique and can even be framed. I only printed 50 copies. The price is $21 plus tax, with an additional $5 for mail orders.

 The watercolor classes at Trinity have ended for now due to the schedule change at the Hub. I’ll update you next month. We focused on watercolor techniques, which were great warm-ups before larger projects.

Thank you for reading! I hope you’ll consider joining the Urban Sketching class. There’s lots to draw at the Hub.

To view my artwork please visit the Gallery. Visit Gallery

In July, the Hub on Canal invited me to be a featured artist on their Instagram page (@TheHubonCanal). This new program highlights one Hub Artist and their work each week. It was exciting to be the first one!

From “Urban Watercolor”, Phil Dean talks about his book. “For me personally, the very idea of urban drawing was the direct opposite of watercolor. I had no conception of how watercolor could represent faithfully the subject matter I loved so much. I could not have been more wrong. I found that these techniques really worked for me as an urban artist. I set out to create a book aimed at people who want to explore the medium of watercolor without being encumbered with technical baggage or an art education”

Thank you for reading this. Stay cool! It’s going to be a warm month.

To view my artwork please visit the Gallery. Visit Gallery

In June, our Wednesday Sketching with Watercolor, Pen & Ink class continued to study basic techniques. We used Sarah Simon’s watercolor workbook.  One Lesson included exercises on controlling where your paint goes. Called boundaries, there are 3, we tried out. Defined, Loose and undefined. Most of us tend to paint realistically so we favored the defined style.  However, it was good to try some of the other styles, and discover painting out of the box is a new adventure. The Wednesday classes at Trinity Lutheran Church are from 1 to 4 pm.  

I took a week off to visit family in Bedford, VA.  Bedford has a lively art scene, especially at the Bower Center for the Arts. The Arts Center was originally a church from 1874.  It opened in 2006 and now has artist studios, a gallery and classrooms. (https://www.bowercenter.org)  Next door, the Bedford Library features a beautiful garden for children. 

I have new cards available, and I am working on my 2025 Calendar, which should be ready by September. I will keep you updated next month. I will be teaching on Thursdays at the Hub starting September 19^th until November 14^th, 2024. Classes will be 1 to 4 pm. The theme will be Urban Sketching.  I will have more on what book and supplies will be needed next month.

Thank you for reading, and Happy 4^th of July!

Pablo Picasso. It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see. Art is unquestionably one of the purest and highest elements in human happiness. It trains the mind through the eye, and the eye through the mind.

To view my artwork please visit the Gallery. Visit Gallery

May was eventful! In late April, I had cataract surgery. I’m doing very well. I returned to teaching classes on May 8^th at Trinity Lutheran.  We finished our series on Urban Sketching, using Marc Holmes’ book, “The Urban Sketcher”. The last part focused watercolor methods. Holmes’ personal experiences offer valuable advice. It is a great reference book.

Now, we’re starting a new series on watercolor techniques. We’ll use Sarah Simon’s Watercolor Workbook for June. This book provides essential tools and information for beginners as well as the experienced. It even includes real watercolor paper and paint mixing instructions.

I’m still available for one-on-one classes at Trinity.  Regular classes will continue on Wednesdays from 1 to 4 pm. I‘m excited to continue exploring watercolor with my students.   Look out for updates on September and October classes at the Hub next month’s blog.

Thank you for your continued support and enthusiasm.

“Painting is just another way of keeping a diary”, Pablo Picasso

To view my artwork please visit the Gallery. Visit Gallery

In April, I had the pleasure of hosting classes at Trinity Lutheran Church here in NSB.  I also provided individual tutoring sessions for those interested in drawing and watercolor.  If you are interested in this one on one class, let me know.  Also, my picture appeared in the local Hometown Newspaper. This was a surprise as the photographer took lots of pictures, but I did not know he took one of me. It was good publicity for the class and the Hub.

In the regular Wednesday class, we continue with the Marc Holmes book, “The Urban Sketcher”.  We focused on the 3 pass sketching method. This approach emphasizes starting with a pencil drawing, adding details with pen, and enhancing shadow shapes with a brush pen or markers.  We used these new skills to practice drawing objects.  This might have been the most challenging part of sketching. The author’s use of the 3 pass method and hints made it easy to understand.

As we move into May, our focus will shift to exploring watercolor techniques in urban sketching.  Classes will continue on Wednesdays from 1 to 4 at Trinity Lutheran Church. 

In this May blog, I am showing images of the 3 pass drawing exercises we practiced.   Additionally, I will share a recent portrait that I painted of my son- in- law, Tim Steffen.  This was done with watercolor and gouache on 140 lb Fabriano Watercolor paper.

Thought of the day:  Create a one page graphic novel.  This will combine all your people-sketching skills with the intent of capturing a complete story. A one page novel shows the process of someone doing something interesting.  Marc Taro Holmes, “The Urban Sketcher “, Page 84

To view my artwork please visit the Gallery. Visit Gallery

In April, we are heading back into urban sketching with Marc Taro Holmes book “The Urban Sketcher”.  After exploring different options, the class chose this guide for its practical techniques in observing and sketching on location.  It includes chapters on the use of pen, ink, and watercolor.  Join us Wednesdays starting April 3^rd at Trinity Lutheran Church from 1 pm to 4 pm. We will start each week with a lesson related to the book, and then practice some exercises or we may go to various locations to get more sketching experience.  Students are encouraged to bring a project to work on and various mediums to experiment with.  The cost of the class is $25 per session. Contact me at eokerstrom22@gmail.com with any questions. 

March ended with us finishing the exploration of expressionist colors and abstract art in the Annette Compton book. We worked on a range of exercises suitable for all skill levels. It is hard to get your head around abstract painting when you are used to painting and thinking realistic.  The class was ready, and came up with some great images. The Compton book will continue to be a good reference for watercolor artists.

As we transition to other sketching with watercolor, pen and ink classes, I will share with you some of our past exercises, including a captivating Sunflower piece inspired by one of our classes on negative painting.  The reference photo, taken by me was in my family’s garden in Maine.

Thought of the day… “A wet shape you have just painted can be thought of as alive. As long as it remains damp it is active, wanting to move.  Unless you disturb it, it will sit in a puddle, waiting for an opportunity to flow. On a fresh white sheet, it is surrounded by an area of dry paper that is dead, inert. Watercolor pigment will never cross the wet/dry (alive/dead) edge. The moment it reaches the dry paper, it abruptly stops moving, piling up along the dry border, forming a sharp edge. “

Marc Taro Holmes, “The Urban Sketcher”, Page 93, Chapter 3, Watercolor: Bring Sketches to Life with Watercolor.

To view my artwork please visit the Gallery. Visit Gallery

In February, my days were filled with classes at Trinity Lutheran Church and the Hub on Canal. The classes at the Hub were well attended with as many as 9 students, and more signing up. I challenged myself to complete a painting of a serene harbor scene in Maine, inspired by early morning fog. Later this month I will be sponsoring an award at the Artists Workshop Annual Members Show. 

The weekly classes are Wednesday at Trinity Lutheran Church (1-4 pm), and Thursday at The Hub on Canal (12:30-3:30 pm). Hub classes end March 28^th, and the Trinity classes will continue. This month we focused on techniques from Annette Compton’s book. We practiced thumbnail sketches for composition. Outdoors we did Plein air drawing, working quickly with only a pen to capture fleeting light.  If you are interested or have questions about the classes contact me at eokerstrom22@gmail.com.

Thought of the day: “Being a painter is about communicating not simply recording”, page 103, “drawing from the mind, painting from the heart” by Annette C. Compton

To view my artwork please visit the Gallery. Visit Gallery