The next sketching outing is on Tuesday 21 February

The February outing is on Tuesday 21 February at 11am to the Wellcome Collection at 183 Euston Road NW1 2BE. It is near Euston Square and Warren Street underground stations. The Wellcome Collection describes itself as 'The free destination for the incurably curious' and has free exhibitions, scientific collections, a reading/hangout room, café and loos.

We are booked in as a group for two hours from 11am, reference number 40238. I would expect that we would be allowed to stay longer than this if we wanted, and we usually break for lunch at 1pm anyway. I'll book us in from the information desk at 11am anyway. The Wellcome Collection asks that we stick to dry materials only.

Janet's number for the day is 07815 772857. Janet has drawn there in the past and it is a good destination with lots of possibilities.

Spring time in a secret garden

On a sunny morning in late May 11 artists met up in Culpeper Community Garden to spend time sketching. This proved a very popular outing for IAS members and their guests. Culpeper Community Garden is near the Angel and Chapel Market, so this is a very easy location to get to and the weather was ideal.

The Garden is lovingly maintained by volunteers and was looking lovely and lush in contrast to the nearby densely urban landscape of inner London. There is a good variety of plants, some vegetables and a lawn where workers from nearby offices were eating their lunchtime sandwiches. We hope to go back later in the year  to capture  a different season in the Gardens. A big thank you to Culpeper.

Hamilton Hall, Liverpool Street

Art in the Park first visited this Wetherspoon Pub a year ago after we had spent a few hours drawing Liverpool Street station. We'd had such a good time that it was decided this venue was worth an entire visit and we honoured that decision on Tuesday. Hamilton Hall opens around 7am in the morning so by the time we arrived at around 11am the staff were busy serving everything from breakfast to lunch and coffee to beer.

Five artists in total spent time depicting the décor and the pub's patrons. Three artists settled down in the morning at a small table on the balcony overlooking the bar and two more artists arrived later in the afternoon.

November's sketching trip to Sutton House

Six artists met at Sutton House on Friday to spend time drawing, and exploring, this fascinating and atmospheric Tudor house that over the centuries has been renovated, added to, divided and fianlly restored to one dwelling. It was built in 1535 by a prominent courtier of Henry VIII, Sir Ralph Sadleir when Hackney was a village outside London. Now Hackney is a large borough in London and lost any rural charm it had a very long time ago.

However if you spend any time in the house or garden you can still feel a sense of peace and quiet and it is easy to feel you have accidentally slipped back in time.

So, while we all withdrew into our individual worlds while sketching variously in the Linenfold Parlour, the Cellar, the Georgian Parlour, the Great Hall and the garden we were able later to come together and chat in the café and admire each other's work and look forward to future sketching outings.