Lin Songtao

254238712@qq.com

ONE, two, three ... a reporter caught sight of artists occasionally on his way to the lake at the Fairy Lake Botanical Garden in Luohu District on a sunny December day. He later stumbled upon  another group of citizens beside the serene waters, their heads bowed and then lifting with intent, ardently engrossed in the graceful pursuit of sketching.

The people he encountered in this idyllic park are members of a nonprofit organization named Urban Sketchers Shenzhen.

Global vision

Urban Sketchers Shenzhen was established in 2017 by a Chinese architect. It is a division of Urban Sketchers, an international community platform providing communication for on-location illustrators and amateurs worldwide. The organization originated in the state of Washington in the U.S. and now connects over 400 cities in more than 70 countries worldwide.

The Shenzhen division is one of Urban Sketchers’ 12 divisions in China, with eight on the Chinese mainland and four in Taiwan.

Social connection

Before each weekend, the division’s members will receive information about where to go on the WeChat account “速写深圳” or WeChat groups for routine sketching events. They then meet in different locations in the city each weekend to sketch and share their works. For now, the division has held over 250 weekend sessions, setting foot in all districts. From universities to parks, from shopping malls to museums, the locations vary from indoors to outdoors.

“Some places we select are popular and some are not. It’s a way to know about the city and broaden our horizons through sketching,” Wang Yuren, who runs the Shenzhen division, said. Wang majored in chemistry and now is a freelancer and sometimes sketch for customers.

“Our events also have a socializing function. We make friends through drawing and it’s good to get acquainted with different people in different fields,” he said.

At present, the division has about 2,000 members.

“At the very beginning, most participants were architects and designers. Later, art teachers joined us and brought with them their colleagues in other subjects. People of other professions like lawyers, accountants, and even policemen also participated. The age group is wide: young as primary school students and senior as an 80-year-old,” Wang said.

“Aside from artists’ sharing events and annual meetings, we encourage everyone to share their sketching stories when they’re in other Chinese cities or abroad. We also post these stories on our WeChat account. For example, one of our members, You Yi, took part in an Urban Sketchers London activity during a recent business trip. It’s one way to connect the two cities,” Wang added.

Diverse

participants

Nemanja Jovanovic brought two new friends to the Fairy Lake Botanical Garden’s event. As a Serbian art teacher in a local international school, he joined the division in 2019, when he came to the city. “I went to events of Urban Sketchers Hong Kong and Macao before, so I asked if Shenzhen has a division and I got in touch with it. What’s cool about these guys is they show people some parts of the city that you would never visit on your own, and it’s super fun to see how much creativity these people have.”

Starting painting in university, Wang Rui, an illustrator popular on Xiaohongshu, a lifestyle social media platform, joined the group as recommended by his art teacher friend. He has taken part in events nearly every weekend for a year.

“You may seldom encounter so many art lovers in daily life. It’s enjoyable to sketch with them. Though we’re different, we understand each other well,” he said.

Yang Guanhua, a junior high school student, thought he has obtained a lot of experience from others in the sharing part after drawing.

“I had a strong sense of participation in the event. At home, I might be distracted. And it’s interesting to see different expressions in people’s eyes for the same scenery. I’ve learned a lot, but more importantly, I felt relaxed,” Mao Desheng, another student, said.

Hopes for future

Jovanovic wishes to see more children in the events. “It’s good for them to see the outside world and make some drawings, even if they’re not at the same level as us. They can learn from others.”

“The most important goal is to let everyone gain happiness,” Wang said. “It doesn’t matter what you use for tools, or whether you paint well or not. We’re inclusive.”

He hopes to open a few exhibitions showcasing members’ works. “Also, we want to do some publications. The top aim is to hold an international symposium.”