Drawing Attention August 2017

Jenny Adam and Alexandra Baptista Sketch the Azores

By Ann Schwartzwald


From June 19th to the 26th Urban Sketchers Jenny Adam (Germany) and Alexandra Baptista (Portugal) participated in the Azores segment of the “Sketch Portugal” project, sponsored by the Portuguese tourism board as “A trip to Portugal with notebooks, pencils, graphite, India ink and watercolours."

After returning from this exciting week, Jenny was full of enthusiasm for her experience. “These volcanic islands in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, are definitely unique, and all of the three islands I visited had their own character as well. It's hard to say what impressed me most. The landscape is incredible - there are breathtaking views of mountains, fields, crater lakes and the ever-present ocean around every bend of the road, all set in a scene by low-hanging clouds and dramatic skies - Terrific for a sketcher.”

Jenny had enjoyed a brief visit to Portugal before, but on this trip, she really fell in love with the enticing natural and cultural richness of the Azores. “I've had amazing experiences with the hospitality of people here, and have eaten incredibly well, so it's hard to break this whole experience down.”

Alexandra enjoyed the experience of hosting a visiting Urban Sketcher. “I'm in this adventure for about 4 years now. For me it was a dream to host Jenny and share with her my context and to be able to do what I like best: drawing full time.”

Alexandra could see her own country through new eyes as a result. “Whenever we draw we look again… I think this project made me look and find other aspects and ‘taste’ the Azores Islands in different dimensions. The scenery, the gastronomy, the comfort, the kindness and human heart of my fellow countrymen.”

Jenny tells us “I think our favorite moment of the trip was drawing in Angra do Heroismo in Terceira. It was an intense day, sketching and travelling wise, but the warm welcome from many locals was incredible. We spent the morning in town, first sketching in an old-fashioned general store, getting a private tour by the 3rd generation owner. Then we continued our way to the bakery "O Forno", were they specialize in a local cake, and there too we were invited behind the scenes and could sketch the bakers first hand and were being fed their specialty of Dona Amélia cakes. This was just the morning! An afternoon was spent exploring Terceira's nature sights, and at night were invited by a local Urban Sketcher to have a typical Azorean family dinner. All that in just a couple of hours.”

Alexandra went on to summarize, “The trip was very intense and diverse since each island has its own peculiarities. I loved everything but I must give my special remarks to my staying in Terceira island. Although short, it was very striking due to its cultural richness and mainly due to the interaction with the local habitants, which proved to be the true essence of USk.”

For more about their adventure: https://www.visitportugal.com/en/node/333351