Thomas Square 2018
Posted: September 23, 2018 Filed under: USkO | Tags: Kamehameha III, Thomas Square Leave a commentToday’s sketch event at the “new” Thomas Square gave us an opportunity to examine and document the changes made during the controversial two-year renovation. From vantage points shaded by the large trees many of us made the newly erected 12-foot statue of Kamehameha III the centerpiece of our sketches, but views of Blaisdell Concert Hall and close-up looks at the web of trunks and aerial roots of the giant banyan trees at the square’s center were popular too. The presence of many new sketchers made both our show-and-tell session and the post-event socializing particularly diverse and inspiring, as we talked about our work, approaches to sketching, and current or upcoming events.
As always, don’t forget to check out our sketches on Flickr and upload your own!
Make sure to stay tuned for our next event!
Next Event!
Posted: September 15, 2018 Filed under: USkO | Tags: event announcement Leave a comment-
- 09/23/2018
Shelter!
Posted: August 19, 2018 Filed under: USkO | Tags: Albizia Project Leave a commentJoey Valenti, who launched the Albizia Project as part of his dissertation at UH Mānoa’s School of Architecture, kindly joined us at our sketching event today to tell us about the project’s origins and the latest developments. We assembled right next to Lika, the gorgeous albizia-shelter prototype at the entrance to UH Mānoa on Campus Road. Joey shared his plans to move from feasibility study to serial production of a simplified model, use of local resources, and the challenges the project still faces. (Thank you, Joey!)
As it turned out, our main challenge during the following sketching session was… shelter! Persistent rain saw sketchers shift around to find a dry spot without losing sight of Lika which, alas, remains roped off. Fortunately the skies cleared soon enough, allowing us to circle our target again in search of different views of Lika’s elegant curves and smart design. Show and tell revealed strikingly similar angles nonetheless – evidence of us having huddled under the same tree for quite a while!
As always, don’t forget to check out our sketches on Flickr and upload your own!
Make sure to stay tuned for our next event!
Next Event!
Posted: August 11, 2018 Filed under: USkO | Tags: event announcement 2 Comments-
- 08/19/2018
Headstones and High Rises
Posted: July 14, 2018 Filed under: USkO | Tags: cemetery, Nuʻuanu, Oʻahu Cemetery Leave a commentHeavy clouds and more than a sprinkling of rain earlier in the morning set an ominous sign for today’s sketch event in Nuʻuanu, but the heavens looked favorably upon us in the end. Light rains early on were perfectly matched to the serene, if somber, views at the Oʻahu Cemetery but gave way to full sun in time for our show-and-tell session under one of many large trees. All of us were torn between sketching details of headstones and monuments on one side, and the panoramic view of the grounds, contrasted sharply by the high rises right next to it, on the other. Different approaches were on display again, both regarding the composition of our sketches and the choice of media and style. It was a peaceful morning with a very personal touch, as several sketchers could not only share stories and history of the area but in fact had family interred here.
As always, don’t forget to check out our sketches on Flickr and upload your own!
Stay tuned for details about our next event on August 19 at UH Mānoa!
Today’s Sketch Event
Posted: July 14, 2018 Filed under: USkO 2 CommentsThere is a fair chance of rain, but we are not deterred! Bring your umbrellas, since there is no shelter on site. See you at Oahu Cemetery soon!
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Posted: July 8, 2018 Filed under: USkO | Tags: event announcement Leave a comment-
- 07/14/2018
A Buddhist Afternoon
Posted: June 23, 2018 Filed under: USkO | Tags: Byodo-In Temple, Windward 2 CommentsToday’s event took us to one of Oʻahu’s major attractions, the Byodo-In Temple on the windward side, which was evidently a popular destination on this Saturday afternoon. After a brief introduction by tour guide Nancy to the history of the impressive Buddha statue that is the temple’s centerpiece, combined with reflections on Buddha and his teachings, we faced the challenge of choosing a sketch target among the countless scenes and views. The colorful buttresses, ornaments, beams, railings, poles, and tiles of the temple itself, a spectacular blend of straight and curved lines, was both irresistible and baffling to some of us. Others chose to direct their attention to one of many alternative sketch subjects, such as old trees, black swans, or the dramatic ravines of the cloud-crested Koʻolau mountain range.
Show and tell was fun as always, as the giant USkO pencil made the rounds among veteran and first-time attendees.
A big thank you to Mai for facilitating our visit to the temple and being so welcoming to us sketchers! We hope to be back soon!
As always, don’t forget to check out our sketches on Flickr and upload your own!
Stay tuned for details about our next event on July 14 at Honolulu Memorial Park in Nuʻuanu!
Next Event!
Posted: June 16, 2018 Filed under: USkO | Tags: event announcement Leave a comment-
- 06/23/2018
Keʻehi Lagoon Memorial
Posted: June 9, 2018 Filed under: USkO | Tags: Keehi, Keʻehi Lagoon Memorial, memorial Leave a commentLocated between Keʻehi Lagoon Beach Park and the H1 freeway, the memorial offered one of the most diverse views of any event we have had so far. On the mauka side, many of us sketched the seemingly interwoven and layered lanes, on- and off-ramps, and support buttresses of the freeway. On the makai side, lush grounds gave way to the lagoon’s sandy beach where an outrigger canoe regatta was in full swing, drawing a huge crowd. And, at the center of the memorial grounds, a tall obelisk formed a focal point for yet more sketches.
As for the sketchers present, we had the pleasure to welcome Broderick from Vancouver, Canada, and the sad duty to bid farewell to veteran USkO sketcher Stephen, as he moves on to less green sketching grounds in New Mexico. Stay in touch, Stephen!
As always, don’t forget to check out our sketches on Flickr and upload your own!
Make sure to stay tuned for our next event!
AJ Tauber
Harald Ebeling
Terri Dux
noah kutaka
Susan Li
Sebastian
uskoadmin
Urban Sketchers O‘ahu 