LOCKDOWN CREATIVITY LEADS TO KEEP SKETCH IDEA
WHILE THE ongoing lockdown restrictions have put pressure on people in all walks of life throughout the community those of an artistic persuasion have used the time at home to get creative and indulge their passion for art.
Larry Dunne, who is the visual arts and marketing associate in the Presentation Centre in Enniscorthy, highlighted to this newspaper how the unexpected downtime at home led to him embracing his creative side.
In doing so he also hit upon an idea that enabled other artists to also explore their creative side.
‘This time last year things were looking so good for The Presentation Arts Centre,’ said Larry.
‘Our plays, gigs and exhibitions were more popular than ever before, and the year was set to be our best yet,’ he added.
However, the best laid plans and promising outlook were cast aside in extraordinary fashion when Covid-19 hit.
‘Then came that March afternoon when we got the call saying we had to close for two weeks, which then turned into two months, which has turned into almost an entire year,’ said Larry.
While everyone was left to deal with the crisis it wasn’t the same for all sectors and as the lockdowns progressed the challenges they presented were different dependent on the particular circumstances people found themselves in.
‘People liked to say ‘we’re all in the same boat’ but that wasn’t true,’ said Larry.
‘We were all in the same storm in different boats, and the entire arts industry was left a single mouldy lifebuoy to cling on to,’ he added.
One of the ways Larry passed the time was to sketch and he admitted it kept his mind off growing senses of anxiety and depression — both of which he already lives with.
He said sketching also stopped him from spending hours ‘doom-scrolling on social media’.
‘I started using Google Maps to find new places to draw, and to just enjoy looking at a world outside the lockdown confines of Enniscorthy,’ said Larry.
He had a chat with the Presentation Centre’s Visual Arts Manager, Lisa Byrne, and the two of them realised there was potential in making it a weekly group activity and so began an online sketching group.
Drawing on the many wonderful locations around County Wexford and celebrating the beauty of the Model County the Keep Sketch group was born.
Larry said it was also a way of disrupting the gloom of people’s social media feeds with what turned out to be gorgeous, colourful artwork.
‘Keep Sketch was only meant to last a few weeks until the lockdown was lifted, but it’s popularity kept growing and a steady group of dedicated sketchers were taking part every week,’ said Larry.
Such was the popularity of the group and with most of Wexford covered the members started drawing and painting locations throughout Ireland.
‘People started joining in from all over the country, from mainland Europe, even from America,’ said Larry.
‘I’ve learned that some families are even sketching together with their kids, and I love that such a simple premise is after creating such a supportive and vibrant network of connections,’ he added.
Wexford Arts Centre premièred a video exhibition showcasing the first eight weeks of Keep Sketch and the annual Culture Night festival included presentation of an animation of artwork the group created celebrating the beauty of Enniscorthy town.
Some of the sketchers have gone on to sell the artwork they created after it was spotted on social media.
‘All this from the simple premise of sitting down, switching off, and drawing,’ said Larry.
Such is the amazing success of the idea that the Keep Sketch gallery on the Presentation Centre website currently has around 350 sketches, paintings, illustrations and collages from locations all around the country and Larry has no intention of ending the initiative any time soon.
‘Many of the participants have reached out to say how grateful they are to have this group as a little escape from the pandemic,’ he said.
‘Keep Sketch has helped immensely with my own mental health too, by having something this reliable, supportive and collaboratively creative to look forward to every week in such uncertain times,’ he added.
Anyone interested in taking part in the weekly, online sketching group and find out how to get involved by logging onto www.presentationcentre. ie and clicking on the keep sketch link.
A very significant aspect of the initiative is that everybody is welcome to get involve and no artistic experience if necessary.