Urban drawing classes teaching freedom of expression

By Lindsey Turnbull

Artists Raphael Powery and John Broad are bringing a new dimension to art classes this month, with their Urban Drawing course, produced by the National Gallery, encouraging people to get outside and draw what they see. Both acclaimed artists in their own right, Raphael and John hope to inspire participants to be unafraid to create.

Raphael said the idea came from the National Gallery after he had held similar classes years before.

“John and I have been eager for more people to join us outdoors whenever we get the chance,” he said. “I’m personally inspired by the urban sketchers of Singapore who gather in large groups to paint a vast array of locations together. There’s an artist named Teoh Yi Chie, a Singapore-based urban sketchers, artist, and YouTuber more commonly known as Parkablogs who I’ve been following for years doing these urban sketching tours and reviewing different art materials online which I find to be an incredible resource for picky buyers like me.”

John agreed: “There are many urban sketch clubs around the world we thought it a good idea to have one on Cayman to encourage live drawing,” he said.

The course is aimed for skill levels of all ranges, Raphael advised.

“I want folks to know that they can count on John and I to teach them the principles of sketching and reliably approaching watercolour, gouache, ink and pencil without much pressure. It is my hope to take off the pressure people put on themselves to make something good (which I do get myself) because it can be a stumbling block to just get your work done or participate in creating in the first place. If more advanced artists wish to join their presence is welcome and I can even be inspired by them in my own work!” he confirmed.

Participants can expect to receive an array of art supplies, including a watercolour kit containing three primary and three secondary professional watercolours, synthetic sable watercolour brushes, a 100% cotton sketchbook (cotton is the best surface to work on for watercolour, he advised), a sakura pigma micron pen and Tombow pencils with some kneadable erasers.

Raphael confirmed they were hoping that participants would gain a good understanding of how to approach the medium, so they were aiming for small groups of 15 people.

It is hoped that this could be the start of an interesting art movement in Cayman.

“I hope I receive further support for something like this and create a little society of outdoor painters who get together. It would be lovely for us to be more involved in art and show local works more regularly,” Raphael said.

For his own art, Raphael said his main focus was on locations on island and capturing them before they’re torn down for development, but he is also drawn to places of culture, heritage, and “honestly just aesthetically pleasing vistas to my eye that urge me to paint.”

“I believe that while things I see may inspire me, ultimately, inspiration is a call to action to make something with the maximal amount of good by creation from the creator,” he said.

Raphael is currently working on other exciting art projects simultaneously, including an art book of work from West Bay to East End talking which expands on his inspiration, but also tackles what it is like to grow up on island as a mixed ethnicity Caymanian.

“The circumstances of one’s birth can often dictate what suffering and blessings one may experience in life and on this island one’s blood is often put to question and tested in different ways, I hope to speak of these matters and some of the issues that stem from this and other problems that arise in a time where we aren’t old enough to understand just yet. On the side I’ve also been doing some digital fantasy work for some stories I’ve been writing, I’m hoping that I give myself enough work to last for my lifetime and die on the drawing board!” he stated.

The National Gallery Urban Drawing course takes place on 10, 17 and 24 October over three locations and participants register for the full series.