Argentina - episode 1

The Urban Sketchers Symposium in Buenos Aires enabled me to visit South America for the first time in October 2024

Plaza de Mayo - BA

After a week in Buenos Aires where I had not much time to visit and sketch, I spent three weeks visiting the rest of Argentina

La Bombonera - BA

In such a big country, I had not enough of three weeks and must make some tough choices

Fletes - BA

The Buenos Aires metropolis is home to a third of the national population and the other cities are quite remote

La Boca - BA

As a mountain lover, most of the destinations I had selected were natural sites located in mountainous areas from the Capricorn tropic to Tierra de Fuego

Long bus ride

I boarded a coach to take me directly to the northern province of Salta, on a direct but very long 22-hour daytime journey

Salta's Cabildo

In Salta I realize I'm in South America: Spanish colonial architecture, Andean folk street music, tropical heat, vegetation and exotic birdsong

Tilcara's bus terminal

Tilcara in Jujuy province is a 3.5-hour bus ride away, a small town of adobe houses in the altiplano

Hostel Tierra Andina

This first day of visiting and sketching this charming place ends with this vintage Chevrolet pickup in front of my hostel

Uquia

 

I spend the day after in Uquia, a village reknown for la quebrada de las señoritas, an incredibly colourful rocky gorge shaped by the winds

El Hornocal - Humahuaca

 

The next day, I head for Humahuaca and la Sierra del Hornocal, known as the mountain of 14 colors. This sketch is the highest I've ever done, at 4300 m above sea level. I'm running out of oxygen to gallop up the slope as usual.

To be continued…

Urban Sketchers Symposium Buenos Aires

The Urban Sketchers 2024 symposium took place in Buenos Aires from October 9 to 12. This was my twelfth international meeting, and for me, my sixth participation. 

Sketching on the sidewalk of El Caminito in the La Boca neighborhood

Le symposium Urban Sketchers 2024 s'est tenu à Buenos-Aires du 9 au 12 octobre. Il s'agissait de la douzième rencontre internationale et pour moi, de ma sixième participation.

Having breakfast and sketching with friends met by chance

After Barcelona in 2013, Manchester in 2016, Chicago in 2017, Porto in 2018 and Amsterdam in 2019, I had the honor of being an instructor in the Argentine capital.

     

Après Barcelone en 2013, Manchester en 2016, Chicago en 2017, Porto en 2018 et Amsterdam en 2019, j'avais l'honneur d'être instructeur dans la capitale argentine.

The second workshop on Plaza de Mayo

The symposium is always a great party where participants, volunteers and instructors meet altogether and share in the greatest conviviality. What a pleasure to discover new talents and establish new relationships with sketchers from distant countries on other continents.

Third workshop

Le symposium est toujours une grande fête où participants, bénévoles et instructeurs se côtoient et se mêlent dans la plus grande convivialité. Quel plaisir de découvrir de nouveaux talents et de tisser de nouvelles relations avec des sketchers venus d'autres continents.

Demo making on the banks of Puerto Madero

I'd like to extend my warmest thanks to everyone who took part in my workshops and demos for their enthusiasm and curiosity.

Half of the French speakers at the BA symposium

Je remercie chaleureusement les personnes qui ont participé à mes ateliers et démos pour leur enthousiasme et leur curiosité.

 

The official group photo