“We refuse to be broken by the war. That’s why we continue our meetings. We embrace the bright side of life. We embrace the beauty of life. We embrace the beauty of human creations and architecture […] We embrace people still.”
-Nadine Kovalchuk, Urban Sketchers (USk) Lviv Administrator
In early September, as Arts Council of White Lake – Nuveen (ACWL-Nuveen) staff and volunteers prepared to install the Wish You Were Here: Urban Sketchers Global Exhibition, news sources reported that Russia had bombed the historic center of Lviv, Ukraine. ACWL-Nuveen staff members had Lviv on their minds as a package filled with sketches from the Urban Sketchers Lviv chapter had recently been sent to ACWL-Nuveen for inclusion in the show. These sketches offer the opportunity to see the world through another person’s eyes and seeing them illustrates the importance of every person’s life.
Sketches by members of USk Lviv
USk Lviv members were eager to be a part of the Wish You Were Here exhibit and they opted to send us videos that elaborated on the history of their chapter and the importance of the Urban Sketchers community in their lives. Their videos, which were made prior to the recent bombing of Lviv, offer an inspiring message in the face of the darkness of war. As USk Lviv member Anastasiia Prokopenko says in her segment, “I find the greatest support in this community and I’m really happy here.”
“We’re a worldwide group,” said Urban Sketchers North American Regional Team Leader, M.J. Ernst who lives in Montague. “We kind of watch out for each other and it’s heartbreaking when we have chapters that are really struggling.” Ernst sees Urban Sketchers as a welcome opportunity for chapters that are struggling to feel a little less isolated. “I think it must be a way for them to feel connected to the rest of the world.”
Ernst has been instrumental in putting together the Wish You Were Here exhibit and is passionate about the organization. “I think the best thing about Urban Sketchers is that it’s just so inclusive,” said Ernst. “You end up meeting people and always find a really cool connection.” And Ernst has met many people as she’s traveled and sketched with Urban Sketcher chapters in different states and different countries.
During her travels, Ernst has found that her sketches often serve as better mementos than photos. “Years later, when you go back, you can remember it was windy that day or sometimes we’ll put notes on our sketch. Like one time I was in Amsterdam, it was hot. It was the hottest it’s been in Europe in seven years and I put the temperature on every sketch to remember how hot it was. […] You know, you remember that when you go back.”
That global reach of the Urban Sketchers organization is reflected in the exhibit which features 280 postcard-sized sketches by 115 artists from 40 Urban Sketcher chapters and 13 countries. And every sketch, every perspective, feels profoundly singular. As M.J. Ernst put it: “There isn’t anybody that winds up sketching the same thing exactly the same way.”
The exhibit runs through November 2 at ACWL-Nuveen. The majority of the postcards will be for sale for $30, with proceeds going to the artists and a small percentage going to ACWL-Nuveen and the Urban Sketcher Global organization. Artwork can be purchased at any point during the exhibition – but the cards won’t be available for pick-up until after the show closes.
To celebrate and educate our community about urban sketching the ACWL-Nuveen is hosting various classes and events in conjunction with the exhibition. To register for any of the following events, please visit https://www.artswhitelake.org/exhibitevents
- Sketching Postcards with MJ Ernst on Wednesday, October 23 from 6:00 – 8:00pm
- FREE Artist Demo with Brian Wright – USk Chicago admin – on Saturday, October 26 from 11:00am – 12:00pm
- FREE Sketch Walk with MJ Ernst on Saturday, October 26 from 1:00 – 4:00pm
