WiD: Sketch Incubator

On a recent sunny August afternoon Women in Design hosted a Sketch Incubator event, the group’s first in-person event since the 2020 lockdown. Sketch Incubators are casual WiD events where people come together to sketch and share their art. It was a refreshing and welcome break from the monotony of virtual meetings, and it gave people an opportunity to dust off their sketchbooks and connect with their peers.

For this particular Sketch Incubator, Melissa Allen chose our location and subject matter. We met for lunch in Post Office Square, which is an ideal location for its mix of architectural features, landscaping and public activity. Melissa chose the pergola that runs the length of the park as the subject of our incuabtor, and each person chose to focus on whatever aspect of the pergola caught their attention. In a post-lockdown city, it was a welcome sight of family outings, co-workers enjoying lunch, and musicians playing smooth jazz for the crowd – so there was plenty of material for us to sketch!

We sketched individually for a short time, but quickly came together at the end to look at our collection of sketches. Some focused on the flowers, trees, and overgrowth on the pergola. While others focused on smaller details, such as the trellis or columns. A few focused on the experience of the place, whether it was the music or the groupings of people. It was energizing to see everyone’s perspective, as all these little vignettes are important components to architectural design. The Women in Design group looks forward to continuing these Sketch Incubators, for offering opportunities for peer-to-peer connections, cross-mentorship between younger staff and firm leadership and showcasing our art and design skills.