Author: Belinda

September 8 , Wednesday Evening
18:00 – 20:00, Photo Op 20:05
455 6 St SW

First, the contents in Events for Sketchers page on this website has been updated describing Sept & Oct sketching events.😊

Description: McDougall Centre, completed in 1907, was the Calgary’s McDougall School. This three-storey sandstone building was one of the first major public buildings constructed in the province. Designed by Provincial Architect Allan Merrick Jeffers to reflect the Beaux-Arts style.  It is now a Provincial Government Building.

On August 20 the east side was under construction, not sure if it still is. The west side is just as beautiful. Hopefully the water feature is going.  RSVP on Facebook.  

Meeting Place:  Find a spot and start sketching when you arrive. Feel free to arrive earlier. Plan to meet up on the west side at 20:05.

Inclement Weather: Event will be cancelled.

Please stay home if you feel unwell, exhibiting any COVID symptoms, or are uncomfortable meeting in a group where some may or may not be wearing a mask.

https://www.alberta.ca/coronavirus-info-for-albertans.aspx

Hello Sketchers from Saturday – Prairie Winds. Baitun Nur Mosque would like our permission to post our sketches in a tweet. They will duly acknowledge Calgary Urban Sketchers. If you object, please email me by 10 am tomorrow, Aug 30. Thank you.

Events for Sketchers Tab with more details, will be updated shortly, please check back regularly for updates.

🌞🌞🌞What a gorgeous day🌞🌞🌞
The temperature perfect, and the sky so blue. 18 people sketched the Baitun Nur Mosque and/or the park. It always fills my heart with joy when sketchers say, “I have never been here, never knew this park existed, it is so beautiful”. This park is a hidden gem in the NE, and well loved by the surrounding communities.

The tour of the Mosque was interesting and informative.
Thank you Imam Asif Arif for the warm welcome.

Next sketch is an evening sketch, on Sept 8, Wed, at McDougall Centre. Apologies to those at Prairie Winds, I not only missed announcing this sketch, but I said the Sept 12 sketch was a Saturday, when it is a Sunday. Next time, I will just tell you to look at the website 🙄 , which will be updated soon. 😊

Please note the time of the August 28 sketch has changed!!!

Same start time, end time is now 12:40, Photo Op now 12:45

I was able to book a tour at the Baitun Nur Mosque. It starts at 13:30 sharp. By finishing earlier, you will have time to drop your supplies off at your vehicles, and just walk over, and be at the entrance by 1:15. There will be a short presentation first, then the tour. They are having prayers at 14:00 so our tour will be interrupted, but we are welcome to observe the prayers. Note: no shoes are allowed in the prayer hall. They have scheduled us until 15:00 to finish the tour and for questions. You are always welcome to start sketching early.

Mask are mandatory inside the Mosque.
If you forget, they have some at the door.

August 28, Saturday
10:30 – 12:30, Photo Op 12:45
223 Castleridge Blvd NE

Description: Prairie Winds Park opened 1990 September 8, and between 2014 – 2017 was renovated. At the south end is a huge hill, which you can climb be either going straight up or by following the path that goes up the west side of the hill. From this hill are two great views, the Baitun Nur Mosque or of downtown Calgary. Also there is an interesting public art installation on the top of the hill, Seed Pod by Incipio Modo.

For a bit of trivia, Rod Z, one our administrators, was involved with the design drawings of the mosque. He tells me, “The repeating inset arches evoke the traditional Islamic architectural motif. Originally they were set in precast concrete but due to cost they were changed to stucco on built up layers of foam insulation. The bulk of the building is a rectangular box except for the dome, which is expressed on the inside main hall, and the minaret. Both are iconic.”
I am working on getting us a tour at the end of this sketching event. I will post to let you know if it comes to fortition.

Meeting Place: Park in the south parking lot. Find a spot and start sketching when you arrive. Feel free to arrive earlier. Plan to meet up at 13:05 at the bottom of the hill, south side.

Here are some pictures I took while checking the place out. Also Google to see images of how spectacular this building is in the right light.

Inclement Weather: Event will be cancelled.

Please stay home if you feel unwell, exhibiting any COVID symptoms, or are uncomfortable meeting in a group where some may or may not be wearing a mask.

https://www.alberta.ca/guidance-on-outdoor-activities.aspx

This turned into a golden nugget. 12 sketchers explored the area, and as always produced fabulous sketches.

Next sketch outing is on August 28 is at Prairie Winds Park, which has several intriguing views including Baitun Nur Mosque.

August 21 – Saturday
10:30am-13:00, Photo Op 13:05

So I lied to those at The Lougheed House, the next sketch is this Saturday, not next at Prairie Winds Park, ooops….🙄

Description:   The Wandering Island is described as “slow art for the audience of birds, bats, beaver, fish, and the occasional curious wanderer.” This island was suggested by Dianne A and Kent P, and has a lot of potential to explore. In January 2021 Dianne sent me an email, and she says, “This week we went for a walk in the little Elbow Island Park, which is accessed from a stairway off the 4th Street SW bridge at Elbow Drive.  It has just reopened after habitat restoration work last year. We think it might make a nice spot for a sketching event in the spring.  From the island there are views of the backs of some nice houses on the south shore and an interesting new stairway.  There will be people sitting and walking, and of course the river and vegetation.  There are a few seating areas (the public art), …..”. Please bring your own chair, and bug spray maybe a good idea. 🦟🦟🦟🦟

https://www.calgary.ca/csps/recreation/public-art/elbow-island-park-public-art.html
https://incandescentcloud.com/2021/04/18/the-wandering-island/
https://vimeo.com/383087650

Meeting Place: Find a spot and start sketching when you arrive. Feel free to arrive earlier. Plan to meet up at 13:05 at the bottom of the stairs off 4 ST SW.

Inclement Weather: Event will be cancelled.

Please stay home if you feel unwell, exhibiting any COVID symptoms, or are uncomfortable meeting in a group where some may or may not be wearing a mask.

https://www.alberta.ca/guidance-on-outdoor-activities.aspx

After such a cloudy start to the day, the evening turned out perfect. The sun even made an appearance for awhile😎. 11 sketchers took in the evening. Welcome to the 3 new members🥳. The gardens were stunningly vibrant🌻🌺🌼🌷. They even have a vegetable garden with the tallest corn ever. It was enjoyable to watch the birds in the birdbath. I think I saw the fattest Magpie ever!!!! A couple of sketchers even sketched Magpies in their sketches.

Next sketch outing on August 21 is at Elbow Island Park: The Wandering Island! (Sorry to those I said the next outing is Aug 28😏)

For those attending tonight’s event at Beaulieu Gardens at the Lougheed House, we will meet at the bottom of the stairs on the east side of the house at 20:15 for the photo op and share. See you there!!!