From cafes and markets to harbors and festivals, any location with variety is fair game for the Bellingham Urban Sketchers. Members meet monthly to draw alongside like-minded artists, all with the goal of documenting Bellingham’s quirks and characters in real-time.
Ten to 12 artists attend each session, and sketches take anywhere from 15 minutes to more than an hour to complete. Sarah Lane, a member since 2020, emphasized the goal isn’t “getting it perfect” — rather, it’s about “getting a little piece of humanity.”
Karen VerBurg, co-founder of Bellingham’s urban sketching chapter, said the activity has helped her to “capture the charm and reality of Bellingham in ways that people don’t notice.” Member Catherine Riordan agrees, noting that the meetups leave her with “a renewed appreciation for the richness of our city and community.”
Meetups are currently scheduled for the third Saturday each month and organized via the group’s Facebook page. VerBerg said anyone is welcome to attend and help share Bellingham with the world, “one sketch at a time.”