Amsterdam: The Valley

 

I went to Amsterdam to attend a lecture for my Master, at the University of Amsterdam. After the session I went to a new project, the residential building: "the Valley" by MVRDV architects. A very impressive building, wit stacked appartment towers.

Amsterdam Westerkerk

 

Visited Amsterdam yesterday. To the Anselm Kiefer exhibition "Sag mir wo die blumen sind" in the Van Gogh and Amsterdam Stedelijk museum. Made this sketch of the Westerkerk on a bench along the Prinsengracht.

Groenburgwal

 

Had a nice day of visit to Amsterdam. Visit to the modern art museum and managed to maka a quick sketch of this scene along the "Groenbrugwal", one of the many canals near the Waterlooplein. 

Amsterdam, Noordermarkt

 

We had a few nice days visiting some Dutch cities. Like Amsterdam, it has been nearly 2 years since I last went there. Corona days. Anyway, after long walks we rested on a nice park bench on the Noordermarkt. A good moment to draw what's in front of you.

Portraits during symposium

I managed to make some quick portraits during the Symposium, trying different materials. The first is James Richards, during the Talens workshop. He is instructor of one of the workshops.
I experimented with (Talens) ecoline, I had never tried that before. It's water soluble.

This is Kiah Kiean, a fantastic sketcher. My Bingelrade drawing was inspired by his working method. I used graphite and water soluble pencils in this drawing.

 And this is Evelyn Huang, she also participated in the Rembrandt workshop of Fred Lynch. I had to make a quick inkline drawing, with as little lines as possible.
Chinese ink applied with bamboo stick, and waterproof sepia acrylic ink.

Oosterdok, Amsterdam

Saturday, dead tired, but a free moment at last. Just enough time to make a sketch of the boats at the  Oosterdok. The green building is the Nemo museum.
After this the general USk overall group photo was taken, and the final closing party took place.

Fred Lynch workshop

During the symposium there was little time to sketch. But I was able to attend some workshops during the event. Among others the inspiring Fred Lynch. His monochrome drawings are fantastic.
His workshop was called something like: "drawing like Rembrandt". Actually, these scenes are across the street from Rembrandts house.
I learned a lot by working in monochrome, I must do this more often. 

USk symposium Amsterdam 2019

Phew. Finally the Urban Sketching symposium Amsterdam 2019 is over.
Here is the final picture of the event, about 1500 of the approx 2000 sketchers that took part of the event.

The event was lead by Ruud Otten and Gail Howard. I was honoured to be in the core team together with Peggy Otten, Anne Rose Oosterbaan, Roger Klaassen, Linda Toolsema, Peer Wolkers, and the angel of the team, Marleen Dambrink. And about 60 hardworking volunteers. Here is a part of that group.

The conditions under which we had to work were almost unbearable. Nature choose to break the Dutch heatrecords twice during the 4-day symposium. 39,7 Celcius on Wednesday and 40,7 on Thursday. Never before in recorded Dutch history. These were really harsh conditions to work under.
With over 600 symposium and workshop participants and about 2000 sketchers all over town, some things are bound to go wrong. But we heard from all sides that this was the largest and best organised symposium so far.
I am really proud on what we achieved and most of all I am really proud on our Dutch red team.

Hollandsch Koffiehuis

Last saturday we as organizing team of the USK 2019 Amsterdam symposium came together for a meeting, and inspection of the venues.
I spent most of the day in the nice company of Gail spotting locations for the workshops at the symposium. We had some tough issues for some of the locations, but I am gad to say we found solutions.
When I left for the trainride home, the ride I wanted to take was cancelled. Which gave me some time to sketch an old 1911 building across te centra station, called Hollands Koffiehuis. A coffeeshop dating from an era when you could actually buy coffee at a coffeeshop.

Amsterdam, de Gooyer

Amsterdam, de Gooyer. An old windmill, practocally in the middle of town. I was sitting on a nice terrace on the other side of the canal. in  the sun, sipping on some coffee.
Even though I lived in Amsterdam for a short while, I had never seen the mill up close.

Amsterdam, Nieuwmarkt

For the first time in a long time, I went out for a day to Amsterdam, to visit an exhibition about David Hockney and van Gogh.
I also took the opportunity to go out and sketch. It was beautiful spring weather.
I made this at the Nieuwmarkt, the Waag. In the middle ages goods used to be officially weighted here, and taxes to be paind. It's still a beautiful building.
In front is the daily market.

Stranger on the train

In the train, on my way to Amsterdam. This lady was sitting across the aisle, talking to her friend. A very quick sketch.

Albert Cuyp Market, Amsterdam

The Albert Cuyp Market is the best known market in Amsterdam. We were sitting on a terrace (Restaurant/cafe 'de Bazar'). Next to us was this guy in his stall, he had a peaceful moment waiting for costumers. Enough time to check his mobile phone.

Amsterdam: Westerkerk

Just returned from a lovely weekend in Amsterdam. The weather was modestly hot (we are used to temperatures far above 30 degrees this year; 28-30 degrees is a treat!).
I made this sketch while sitting on a terrace of cafe Roem, across the water from the Anne Frank house, and in full view of the Westerkerk.
I had some nice talks to the waitress, a nice couple from Australia, and a Dutch/Finish family.
we live in a wonderful world with international contacts.