 |
| 7/12/16 ink, colored pencils |
“At The Northwest School, students experience the
exhilarating chemistry between academic disciplines and the arts. They learn to
see the interdependence of all aspects of life in the real world. A bigger
picture comes into focus. The school day becomes less about isolated
subjects—and more about dynamic, interwoven concepts and ideas.”
Before today, the statement above was all I really knew
about the Northwest School, because
that’s the philosophy I read on its website. But this morning I got a brief look
at what exactly that philosophy means – and wished that I had been exposed to
such a philosophy when I was in grades 6 through 12!
 |
| David and Roham |
The school and the Seattle Architecture Foundation invited Urban Sketchers Seattle to visit Lily Hotchkiss’s design/architecture-based art
class to introduce the kids to urban sketching. In this summer session, the
students are learning to design different elements through sketches and models.
“I thought it would be great to start out by learning how to see buildings and
sketch them,” Lily said. “I love Urban Sketchers and think this will be an
exciting way to begin!
David Chamness
and I talked briefly to the five students, ages 10 through 15 and from several countries, in the classroom
about our experiences sketching from life and showed them our sketchbooks and
sketch kits. Then we all spent the rest of class time sketching in the area of
Boren and Pine in the heart of downtown.
As I expected, the kids didn’t need us at all J –
they all jumped into urban sketching with gusto. Engaged and enthusiastic, some
were impressively aware of art, design and architecture in our urban world. Those
bright young people will someday be our architects and urban planners – and hopefully
urban sketchers, too. Like I said, I sure wish I’d had the Northwest School to
attend when I was their age!
 |
| Instructor Lily Hotchkiss and two of her students |
 |
| In true Urban Sketchers fashion, we all threw down our sketchbooks to share at the end of class! |
Wonderful idea to get them into urban sketching while they are young!
ReplyDeleteExactly! I sure wish I had started back then!
DeleteTina
What a great post, Tina. When I hear about places like this I can't help but think about what 'could have been' had I discovered such a place existed 'way back when.'
ReplyDeleteMe, too, Larry! What great opportunities kids have now.
DeleteTina