Our next sketching outing is on Thursday 11 February

The date for the next Art in the Park outing is Thursday 11 February. Having previously enjoyed a sketching day at the Barbican it was decided to make a return visit. We will meet at 11am in the 'Barbican Kitchen' on the ground floor (level 0). There is plenty of seating and the café sells reasonably priced food, or just a coffee. The Kitchen overlooks the outdoor space, City of London School for Girls, the pond and the Church as well as having all the usual café opportunities for sketching, not to mention the foyer itself or from the stairs.

For those who don't know the Barbican, enter on Silk Street and carry on towards the open space on the far side and the Kitchen is on the left, or ask the Barbican staff. Barbican underground station is on the Circle, District and Hammersmith line and Moorgate is on all these plus the Northern Line (City Branch).

Ice skating at Canary Wharf

photo: ©Margaret Cooter

January's Art in the Park outing was to the ice rink at Canary Wharf. We saw and drew schoolchildren wearing 'high vis' jackets pushing other children on sledges, some rather good office workers skating in their lunch hour and some skating novices who had a few bumps. The Christmas lights still sparkled on the trees against the backdrop of the tall buildings surrounding Canada Square.

Our small group of four artists took refuge from the cold weather in The Tasting Room, the pop-up pub that is on site, which proved to be a quiet and friendly location with good views - in fact we doubled their custom. A good day out for the intrepid Art in the Park sketchers.