Manchester urban sketching group visit Stockport

A week last Sunday our Manchester sketching group visited nearby Stockport for an afternoon of drawing around the Vintage Village market and at the newly renovated St Mary’s in the Marketplace church. This was arranged to to coincide with ‘Town’ an exhibition which includes work by fellow USk correspondent Caroline Johnson and myself, but particularly local artist Neil Dimelow who produced a stunning large-scale 360 degree panorama of Stockport in 12 vertical panels (4 triptychs), which had been drawn from the top of said St Mary’s church tower. The main exhibition is in Stockport Art Gallery but the church was also exhibiting the panoramic images.

It was a blustery chilly northern autumn day but we had a great turn out, including the vicar of St Mary’s who it turns out is a bit of an artist! Some of us ventured into the adjacent Vintage Village Market which was really busy with all sorts of interesting stalls and people to draw…many dressed up vintage style. Others, including myself stayed in the church and is such a warm and welcoming environment to draw in, and even better with an on site cafe! It’s a while since I’ve drawn interior sketches so I was really pleased to have a couple of quiet hours just to focus in on the detail. My first drawing was just a line drawing….my first not in a Moleskine sketchbook. Thinner paper and the pen seemed to glide more easily….interesting! The second sketch, similar view back in the Moleskin with lots of splashy watercolour.

Stockport Art Gallery…Neil’s panorama (R), Caroline Johnson’s large paintings (L)

Neil’s panorama at the church….urban sketchers happy in the cafe!

USk correspondent Caroline Johnson centre photo

St Mary’s in the Marketplace church and market (sketched for the exhibition, not on the day)

Stockport Town centre looking towards Plaza cinema (as above)

St Mary’s, warm up drawing in pen

St Mary’s, second drawing with watercolour (and non waterproof ink)

our sketches

group photo with Reverend Roger Scoones

Big thanks to the supremely talented urban sketcher Ahmad Hakym for the last photo, who is returning to KL for a few months…we’ll miss him!