Santa Fe Sketching Workshop (Part 1)

It’s been just over a week since I returned from my trip to Santa Fe, where I had the amazing opportunity to teach a five-day Urban Sketching workshop with Madeline Island School of the Arts (MISA). What an experience! So much to cover, so much I’d love to share.

Over the years, I’ve gotten used to sharing short snippets—a paragraph of text paired with a few images—so writing something longer feels both exciting and (honestly) a bit nerve-wracking.

Leaving home at 5AM and two flights later, I found myself flying low towards Santa Fe. Looking out the window, I noticed a strange but beautiful pattern on the landscape—a bunch of perfect circles. I was fixated!

Later, I found out these are center-pivot irrigation systems. Fascinating!

The Santa Fe Airport is probably the smallest airport I’ve flown into in a long time. Not many flights come through, but the timing worked out perfectly—and it’s located close to downtown, which was a huge plus.

A short rideshare brought me to my home for the week:
Hilton Santa Fe Historic Plaza

In the lobby, I spotted a board listing my workshop! That little detail made it feel legit—this is really happening. Alongside mine were two other MISA classes held through out the week: one in fabric, and one in color.

It was too early to check in, but I was able to drop off my suitcase and headed straight out. Since this was my first time in Santa Fe, it was tempting to dive into sightseeing, but I had a mission: find the perfect Urban Sketching locations for the week ahead.

But first, I needed a quick bite—partly because I was starving, but also to ground myself. Whenever I travel to a new city, I try to find a quiet spot for a simple meal or a cup of coffee. It helps me slow down, take in the atmosphere, and of course… sketch.

Just a few blocks from the hotel was The Pantry RIO with perfect outdoor seating. The Chicken + Vegetable soup hit the spot—but what really blew me away was the warm tortilla that came on the side. OMG. So good.

The drink I ordered was refreshing too, but after a few sips, I started feeling a bit off. It took me a moment to realize what was going on—turns out my body was adjusting to the high altitude of Santa Fe (about 7,200 ft), quite the jump from where I came from (around 750 ft). It actually took nearly three days before I felt fully adjusted.

Still, a nice simple meal, some fresh air, and a sketch—just what I needed to start this new adventure.

Now off to Scouting for a location.

When I sketch solo, location-hunting is intuitive—I wander, I spot something, I sketch. But when leading a workshop, there’s a lot more to think about:

• Is it safe to spend a few hours there?

• Can a dozen people sit comfortably without blocking pedestrians or traffic?

• Is the subject fun and unique to Santa Fe?

• Is it not too simple, not too complex—just right for teaching?

• Are there nearby restrooms and drinks?

• Is it less than ½ miles walking distance from the hotel?

• Is there a good “Plan B” nearby in case of rain?

One APP I rely on and have had for years is called Sun Seeker (available on Apple & Google). It’s a lifesaver for figuring out the perfect sunlight angle for sketching.

Take this example:

This is San Miguel Church, the oldest church structure in the U.S. (built in 1610!). I wanted to sketch it from this front angle—but if I came in the morning, the sun would be right in my eyes. Thanks to the app, I saw the best time would be after 2PM when the light would hit just right. I love this app!

Walking around downtown, there were so many fascinating places to sketch— just too many!

A few weeks earlier, I had sent a survey to my class asking what they were most interested in for this workshop. The top 3 responses were:

1. Urban Sketching (on-location)

2. Perspective Drawing

3. Coffee Shop Sketching

   and
   Watercolor/Coloring Techniques

Based on this, I planned the week’s flow—and even found a great coffee shop in town. Since they have a few locations around town, I plan on going with my class to the flagship location.

While walking down the Santa Fe Railyard road, I spotted a striking red train and gave it a go—super fun to draw! But unfortunately, the location was just a little too far for the full class to walk comfortably, and an inconvenient area to drive to as well.

Instead, I narrowed the transportation-themed subjects to two contenders:
a pickup truck on a pedestal, or… a UFO!

The UFO was super tempting but ultimately didn’t make the cut—it stayed in the shadows all afternoon, making it hard and not that entertaining to draw. The Pickup Truck was perfect though!

Back at the hotel, I had a room called ‘The Chapel’ reserved for the entire week. Unlike studio-based classes, Urban Sketching class subject gets us outside! So I structured the days like this:

• AM: Indoors—covering topics like perspective in full depth, practicing coloring techniques, answering any questions and reviewing everyone’s drawings from the day before as a group (“throw-downs”)

• PM: Outdoors—exploring Santa Fe and sketching on location!

• Evenings (Optional): Drink & Draw - Depending on the interest level of the class.

Oh boy, there’s so much to cover!

To be continued in Part 2...