On My Table: Beginning of August 2026

August is here, and the truth is, despite the fact that I returned home almost two weeks ago, all of my trip tools are still living in my backpack, and I take them to drawing outings. Nothing was taken out, nothing was added. Is this a sign that I packed well? Or that it takes time to let go of the trip memories? Or that my cup was full after the trip and I enjoy the memory of it by keeping all the tools in the same place/color order? Or that there was so much going on since I came home that I did not have time to unpack/repack? Some from each of these I think :) There are many images in this post as I am posting all the photos with details about pencils and paints, etc. As you can see, Sketchbook 165 expanded quite a bit - I managed to fit all my France travel there and now am working in a lovely hot press sketchbook from Etchr, which they gifted me recently. 

Toulouse, France 2026: Trip to the Urban Sketchers Symposium and a few days around It. Part 4: Rooftops

After the Symposium, there were opportunities to go further from the hub and sketch in more unusual places. One of my favorite ways to see a new city is to find a good rooftop view! I had some wonderful company to sketch with in both places and used my gouache kit (see post about my trip tools) and some pencils over it.

Toulouse, France 2026: Trip to the Urban Sketchers Symposium and a few days around It. Part 3: People

The best part of USk Symposium? People!

Since my return from the trip, I've been thinking a lot about different aspects of the Symposium experience, and every time my mind goes back to PEOPLE. People I knew who made me super welcome. People I knew only online but finally met in person. People I've never known but now have an amazing connection to. People who came to my workshops and gouache demo. People who shared the experience of sketching in a hot city with lots of other sketchers. It was amazing! I drew people as much as I could, but I wish I'd drawn more :) 

Here are some of the people sketches - no names ;) 

Toulouse, France 2026: Trip to the Urban Sketchers Symposium and a few days around It. Part 2: Demo

Each of the Faculty Members at the Urban Sketchers Symposium was giving a demo on the first day of workshops. Unfortunately, all the demos were happening at the same time, so there was no chance to attend demos of the fellow symposium teachers (and there were so many I wanted to see!!). My location was in the Japanese Garden in Toulouse and I managed to find a spot with at least some shade for both myself and all who came to watch me paint.

My workshop was in black and white; however, my demo was in full color and mixed media - mostly in gouache - but with some addition of colored pencils and such. It ran a little bit over an hour. I started by explaining my tools set-up and then jumped into the scene. Painting and keeping a commentary running during each step and brushstroke is different from just painting, but I enjoyed the experience, comments, and questions from the demo participants. And I ended up with gouache-hands (see photo below), a piece that I enjoyed, and it was later auctioned at the Symposium and a dear friend got it!

Trip to Toulouse, France, 2026: Urban Sketchers Symposium and a few days around it. 
Part 1: My Workshops.
Part 2: My Demo.

Toulouse, France 2026: Trip to the Urban Sketchers Symposium and a few days around It. Part 1: Workshops.

My Workshop at the USk Symposium was titled "Think Like a Printmaker: puzzle together landscapes with simple stencils and exciting textures." I found a lovely place under a bridge on the Canal De Brienne and ran this workshop three times during the Symposium. Shadow and a little bit of cool from the water were very welcome as it was HOT in Toulouse. We got to wave to occasionally passing boats and made space for bikes and runners. 

Three very different and amazing groups of artists joined me in making a library of textures (made with the little printmaking kit that participants got to take home). We dove into the world os masks and stencils and how to think about any scene with a printmaking mind. And then we all took on a view of another bridge down the canal - with all the knowledge in hand. The results were very inspiring to see and learn from! 

Workshop 1

Workshop 2

Workshop 3

Trip to Toulouse, France, 2026: Urban Sketchers Symposium and a few days around it. 
Part 1: My Workshops.
Part 2: My Demo.