Here is the first sketch at Dia Del Libro (World Book Day) with #UskMnl in Ayala Triangle Gardens. I couldn’t quite get the dappled light on the tent as I wanted to. It was really hot that day, so after sketching this we went to cool off in a nearby food hall and I had “mais and banana kon-yelo” (which means corn with ice in Spanish – a shaved ice desert made with corn kernels, sugar and milk – but in this case with added banana) at Bacolod Chicken Inasal – yummy!
Sat-26-Apr-2025
Last month I tried to sell some sketches at the #ArtInThePark art fair in Makati, with #UskManila. Unfortunately nobody was interested in buying sketches of bridges! However I had a nice time that day hanging out with my sketching friends including, Reuel (@the_uban_sketcher). My first sketch was done when the two of us decided to escape from the heat and had a coffee in Starbucks.
Then I sketched the #UrbanSketchersManila kiosk where we had our stuff set up and the musicians (soulful mood strings) who were set up in the middle of the park.
Later we went for something to eat at McDonalds with Gili (@nalegili) where I sketched some of the other diners. So despite the lack of sales on my part (I think the UskManila kiosk did well otherwise), I had a lovely day!
Sun-23-Mar-2025
Here is the last of the sketches I am selling at the #ArtInThePark art fair on Sunday 23rd March in Makati, with #UskManila. Having sketched two bridges built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, I thought I would have a go at a more modern one. This bridge was a joint project between the Philippines and China and was finished in 2022. Apparently the construction was quite controversial because it is close to Intramuros and San Agustin church heritage site. There is a nice park under the Intramuros end of the bridge where I sat along a stone-paved riverside pathway.
Thu-20-Mar-2025
Here is one of the sketches I am selling at the #ArtInThePark art fair on Sunday 23rd March at Jaime Velasquez Park, in Makati, with #UskManila (booth number 17). I had an adventure sketching this…I looked on google maps for a spot to see the bridge from and spotted a platform along the Pasig River behind Suntrust Condominiums. However it turns out that you can’t actually access the river from there, from the bridge itself or anywhere along Lopez Street. Instead I had to walk down a small road opposite the Central Terminal station of the LRT, through an unplanned settlement and squeeze through someone’s laundry and gown rental business, to end up on this huge paved walkway…without another soul in sight (except for a guard dog and a guy called Marlon, who kindly let me sketch there).
Thu-13-Mar-2025
This is an early post of one of the sketches I am putting up for sale at #ArtInThePark (it’s a redo of one I did in January 2024 – see sketch No.82-2578). I don’t usually advertise and don’t often sell my sketches, but I thought I would have another go this year. The art fair will be held on Sunday 23rd March at Jaime Velasquez Park, Salcedo Village, Makati from 10am to 10pm. Our booth (#UrbanSketchersManila) is number 17 along Leviste street.
Sun-9-Mar-2025
This batch of sketches includes the first in my 100th sketchbook – though my numbering of sketchbooks went up the spout a bit when I found a missing one, so the first is …numbered zero! I did this one on my second day in Vigan with #UskManila when I joined the “Vigan Heritage Heroes” event with JCI Vigan.
The first sketch is of the memorial to Dr. José A Burgos (a Filipino Catholic priest who was born in Vigan, accused of mutiny by the Spanish and executed by them along with two other clergymen). The second sketch is of the bell tower of Vigan Cathedral which is being reconstructed after being damaged by an earthquake in 2022. I then sketched the statue of José Rizal in Salcedo Plaza which faces the cathedral. At the end of the session I rushed to squeeze in a sketch of all the Calesa waiting at the edge of Burgos Plaza…I thought they would stay still but in fact every few moments one of them left to pick up a passenger….business must be good.
Sat-22-Feb-2025
On our second day with #UskMnl in Vigan I started with a sketch of the famous Calle Crisologo, which, with many Spanish-era historical houses and a cobbled street, is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. I just managed to include a Calesa (also spelled Kalesa) in this sketch – these are two-wheeled horse-drawn carriages that were a key mode of transport during the Spanish and American periods, but are now primarily used by tourists.
Sat-22-Feb-2025
For this set of sketches I joined #UskMnl on a trip to Vigan – we were invited by JCI (Junior Chamber International) Vigan to participate in an event called “Vigan Heritage Heroes”. JCI Vigan note that Vigan is a “living blueprint of Spanish colonial architecture” and the event aimed to spark the interest of future architects and interior designers, in heritage conservation. It all took place at the Old Carcel (the Old Ilocos Sur Provincial Jail), which is part of the National Museum-Ilocos Regional Museum Complex.
We took an overnight bus from Sampaloc, Manila to get there, and then had a free morning to rest and have breakfast (where I did the first two sketches – one at “Hidden Garden” and the other at the transient house we stayed at, called Balay Da Gian). In the afternoon we joined the event (where I sketched some of the students), then had a guided tour (when I sketched ex-President Quirino’s bust), after which we went round with groups of students to sketch in the museum (where I sketched a sugar cane presser and some urns). The day ended for us with a meal at Cafe Leona…where I sketched my leftover pizza.
Fri-21-Feb-2025
On Saturday 1 Feb we joined #UskManila as the #Pasinaya2025 arts festival – the launch event for National Arts Month. This is the third time I have joined (see sketches No. 2300 in 2023 and No. 2584 from last year) – it’s an annual festival that celebrates Filipino creativity and culture and is organised by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). This years theme was “Para Sa Lahat” (which means “For Everyone”).
I joined up to do some sketching demonstrations – the first at the Museo de Intramuros, where I sketched the courtyard while we waited for things to start. The second sketch was done in the lobby of the museum. The third sketch was done near the Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez (also called the Black Box) theatre in the afternoon, as a second sketching demonstration. Pasinaya is free to join by anyone but the majority of participants seemed to be young students. A huge group joined in and it was great fun.
Sat-1-Feb-2025