Slow Down, Sketch in Peaceful Nu’uanu Valley Park

There’s nothing more relaxing than sitting in a park just minutes from busy downtown Honolulu with your pencil and sketchbook. That’s urban sketching!

Thank you all who joined us for a beautiful, cool morning of sketching in the park. I just loved spending the morning with my fellow sketchers.

A special welcome from the resident park chicks and chickens!

And always fun to see Enzo!

Save the date!

August 8, 1 – 3pm at Sun Yat Sen Park
“Drawn to Music” event

Until next time, happy sketching!

Terri

Meet Me Under the Tree – Return to Nu’uanu

For our meet up in July, let’s go to the park we originally planned to visit in March.

Nu’uanu Valley Park
2925 Pali Hwy Honolulu, HI 96817
Saturday, July 18, 2026
10 a.m. to Noon

Nu’uanu Valley Park offers plenty of shade with lush mature trees. It’s right next to the historic Queen Emma’s Summer Palace so there is a lot to see and sketch. I think there are also pesky flies, so artist beware!

Please RSVP at uskoahu@gmail.com by Friday, July 17 so I know to expect you. Also please include your phone number in case there are last minute changes. Pray for nice weather!

Looking forward to seeing you on July 18! Happy sketching,

Terri

Soothing Garden Setting Sets Stage for Saturday Sketching

What a beautiful morning to be sketching at Mango Madness at Urban Garden Center! Being there blends my two loves: gardens and sketching.

Thank you fellow Urban Sketchers for driving to the west side.

Love our Urban Sketching community!

Looking at July for our next meet-up. Stay tuned.

Until then, happy sketching,
Terri

Just Sketch Something

It’s been a week of gloomy weather. Although it didn’t rain most of the day, we are between waves of more rough weather. With the cancellation of Plan A, Plan B it is.

Thank you everyone who sketched this morning where you are and shared your sketches on Zoom. Even though we were virtual, I still love seeing your world from your point of view.

SAVE THE DATE: May 9, 2026. We will be participating in the HeART of Honolulu at a new location in downtown. More info to come.

Happy sketching!

When it Rains, it Pours

Well wouldn’t you know it. The Heart of Honolulu event has been postponed to May due the new Kona Low system that is rolling in this week. Better to be dry and safe than soaked and worried. Prayers to those still recovering from the last month’s storms.

Instead, we will do another virtual event on Saturday, April 11.

Theme: Rain and Reflections
Sketch on Saturday, April 11, 9am to 10:30
Meet Virtually at 10:30 to share sketches

If you want to join our Zoom virtual event, email uskoahu@gmail.com and I will send you a link. Also, please email me your sketch so I can add it to our slideshow.

Keep safe and keep sketching!
Terri

Let’s Go to the HEART of Honolulu – POSTPONED DUE TO WEATHER

When an art gallery shuts down a busy street such as Nu’uanu Avenue in Chinatown, we HAVE to be there! Let’s celebrate art and local artists at the HEART of Honolulu Street Festival.

HEART of Honolulu Street Festival 2026
Saturday, April 11, 2026
10am to noon
Downtown Art Center
1041 Nu’uanu Ave.

Let’s meet on the Nu’uanu Ave side of the art center at 10 a.m., sketch, then meet up again at 11:30 to share our sketches.

The event sponsored by DAC, the Chinatown Arts District and C&C of Honolulu will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nu’uanu Av. will be closed to pedestrian traffic only. Even though the event starts at 11 a.m., let’s get there at 10 a.m. to start sketching as parking will be limited.

It will be a fun-filled event with live music, food, creative local vendors and performances. You are encouraged to spend time after our sketch session to take in the festivities. https://www.downtownarthi.org/heartofhonolulufestival

If attending, RSVP at uskoahu@gmail.com so I know to expect you. Hope to see you there!

When Rain Gives You Lemons

This was our second month in a row of extreme rain and Hawai’i’s second weekend in a row of tremendous flooding. Our hearts and prayers go out to Wai’alua and Hale’iwa during a scary last couple of days.

We had to cancel our original outdoors plans, but when rain gives you lemons, lemonade it is.

It was just the five of us but I’m very grateful we could get together virtually and share our sketches from this morning.

Thank you for those who participated today!

SAVE THE DATE:

April 11, 2026
Downtown Arts Center

Stay safe everyone and keep sketching!

Terri

Discover This Little Gem in Nu’uanu – CANCELED DUE TO WEATHER

One of my favorite things about being an urban sketcher is getting to discover new places within the 968 zip code. Honolulu is more than downtown, malls and Diamond Head. Honolulu is also diverse with popular beaches and quiet, serene city parks.

Let’s meet here:

Nu’uanu Valley Park
2925 Pali Hwy Honolulu, HI 96817
Saturday, March 21, 2026
10 a.m. to Noon

If you are familiar with Nu’uanu Valley Park, you know that there is a lot to take in. The park itself offers plenty of shade with lush mature trees. It’s also right next to the historic Queen Emma’s Summer Palace. So there is a lot to see and sketch. I also remember a lot of pesky flies, so artists beware.

Please RSVP at uskoahu@gmail.com by Friday, March 20 so I know to expect you. Also, please include your phone number in case there are last minute changes.

I hope to see you there! Until then, happy sketching,

Terri

CANCELED EVENT – O’AHU INDIE BOOK FEST

Due to the flash flood warning, we are canceling today’s event at the Hawai’i State Library.

The event is still going on according to their Instagram, but we will not have a sketching event.

Start 2026 Strong with Serene Sketching

It was a little hard to find but when you do, you couldn’t ask for a better morning to sketch in the serene surroundings of the East West Center Gardens behind Jefferson Hall at the University of Hawai’i.

This hidden gem is so peaceful for a picnic or even a nap! The bubbling Manoa stream adds to the soothing sound along with an array of birds chirping in the grass and trees.

Thank you to everyone who sketch with us for our first Urban Sketchers O’ahu in 2026.

I love seeing your sketches and spending the morning with you.

Just wanted to show you the difference of me taking a selfie with the group…

And Annie taking a group selfie! LOL.

I’m still laughing.

SAVE THE DATE: FEB. 21
No location yet. Stay tuned.

Until then, happy sketching,

Terri