The New York Times called the organization a “grassroots hub for sketchers.” With more than 500 chapters in 70 countries, Urban Sketchers (USk) is more like a phenomenon. And Santa Barbara is on its way toward becoming one of USk’s newest chapters.
To the uninitiated, urban sketching is often defined as drawing on location, capturing a specific time and place. “It’s quick,” explained Brandon Teris, a member of the group and teacher at Santa Barbara High’s Visual Arts and Design Academy (VADA). “Since I teach art, I sort of have to do it all, but my favorite is urban sketching,” Teris said. “It’s one, two, three hours max … trying to capture a scene.”
That rhythm, where “you have to make decisions fast,” said Santa Barbara USk founder Michael Gerber, is one of urban sketching’s more defining characteristics. But in this group setting, it’s also about community ― people, strangers really, coming together to celebrate the beauty of their surroundings. “We just want everybody out there to go and draw what you see,” said Judith Dollar, a North America coordinator for the nonprofit.
Since 2023, when Gerber formed the online group “Santa Barbara Urban Sketchers,” it has grown tenfold. And it’s expected to expand even more. With an endless array of spaces to sketch in our beautiful city — from Stow House to Solstice — and rules that stipulate the nearest USk chapter must be 50 miles away (the next closest group, Los Angeles Urban Sketchers, has roughly 6,000 members), things are only looking up…