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By Ines Min
Staff reporter
We've all seen movies depicting the bohemian painter, capturing the beauty of the cityscape from the sidewalks of Paris, living off the vibrancy and liberation of the ambiance. Well, now it's Seoul's turn.
American artist Mike Stewart has decided to provide just that opportunity for anyone interested in plein-air painting with "Sketch and the City," a new, bi-monthly event organized with the Myeongdong Gallery that is open to amateur and professional artists alike.
The concept: Gather in the streets of the busy shopping district, settle down with easels and paints, then re-create one's surroundings.
Stewart, a seven-year resident here, has always been inspired by the city, he told The Korea Times last week, ahead of the event's second occasion. "But I've always been afraid to tackle the actual complexity of the visual buildings that are here."
Not anymore, however, as Stewart set up the tongue-in-cheek "Sketch and the City" two weeks ago, the first event of its kind in Seoul. One advantage to painting outdoors is that it forces the artist to look beyond photographs and explore past simple imitation techniques.
"I would rather people work from life, because it's far more difficult and you should be challenged," he said. "With plein-air painting, they recommend that you don't try to paint everything, but focus on one layer."
But the true value of the exercise will be the chance to share and communicate with other artists, as well as unveil a new side of the city to participants.
"Some people would be more inclined to go to the folk villages and draw the traditional buildings, and then you wind up with a tourist's postcard sort of piece of art," he said. "But I think if you are in Seoul in 2010, what you're going to get from that visit is this chaotic scene of buildings and people and the busyness of it all.
"It'd be nice to see how people can translate all that visually."
"Sketch and the City" will be Sunday, May 23, at 11 a.m in front of the Myeongdong Gallery. For more information search for "SATC Sketch" on Facebook or visit www.mstewartprintmaker.com/class.htm.
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김정은 軍에 선물도 父 답습…쌍안경·소총
