![kathryn hockey, vejer sketchers, urban sketchers, drawing](http://kathrynhockey.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/1620530_10206002789728915_6945065399623519976_n-218x300.jpg)
my first outing with the Vejer Sketchers
Late last year (2014) I was delighted to be invited to join Arte Vejer, a community organisation which aims to promote visual arts and creativity in and around the Andalusian town of Vejer de la Frontera.
Vejer Sketchers is a subsidiary group of Arte Vejer and part of the worldwide Urban Sketchers movement.
![vejer sketchers, vejer de la frontera, urban sketchers, pen, drawing, sketch](http://kathrynhockey.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/C-Sagasta-2-kathryn-hockey-artist-illustrator-web.jpg)
Calle Sagasta, Vejer, pen
![sketch, vejer sketchers, urban sketchers, drawing, pen and coloured pencil, vejer de la frontera, andalusia](http://kathrynhockey.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/Azotea-de-Annie-B-kathryn-hockey-artist-illustrator-web-300x233.jpg)
Vejer, pen and coloured pencil
![kathryn hockey, vejer sketchers, urban sketchers, drawing](http://kathrynhockey.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/10408630_10155024331615332_7143000755334384381_n-144x150.jpg)
sketching on a roof terrace, Vejer
The sketching enthusiasts, from various walks of life, of different nationalities and ages, meet once a week; usually to draw in the streets of Vejer, sometimes joined by sketchers from other towns,
![vejer sketches, concentrarte, vejer de la frontera, urban sketchers](http://kathrynhockey.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/11150998_837620989660259_312939185587748618_n.jpg)
Vejer Sketchers with sketch groups from other towns at Concentrarte, Vejer’s annual art street fair
![sketch, vejer sketchers, urban sketchers, drawing, pen and water colour, vejer de la frontera, concentrarte vejer](http://kathrynhockey.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/Concentrarte-kathryn-hockey-artist-illustrator-web.jpg)
Calles Reyes Cátolicos and Rosario, Vejer, pen and watercolour
![sketch, vejer sketchers, urban sketchers, drawing, pen and water colour, vejer de la frontera, concurso de patios, patio competition, andalusia](http://kathrynhockey.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/Patios-kathryn-hockey-artist-illustrator-web.jpg)
some of the entrants in Vejer’s annual patio competition, pen and watercolour
![sketch, vejer sketchers, urban sketchers, drawing, pen and water colour, baelo claudia, bolonia, andalusia, roman ruins, poppies, cadiz, ayuntamiento vejer](http://kathrynhockey.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/Ayuntamiento-baelo-cadiz-kathryn-hockey-artist-illustrator-web-300x298.jpg)
Ayuntamiento Vejer, Baelo Claudia Bolonia, 47th Sketchcrawl Cadiz, pen and watercolour
sometimes traveling to join sketch groups in other locations,
![kathryn hockey, vejer sketchers, urban sketchers, drawing](http://kathrynhockey.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/11052420_884086691650621_8407459907923308749_o-150x100.jpg)
sketching in the rain in Bolonia
life drawing with a model,
![vejer sketchers, life drawing, charcoal, crayon, sketch](http://kathrynhockey.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/Patricia-sketches-kathryn-hockey-artist-illustrator-web-1024x360.jpg)
charcoal and crayon
![ejer sketchers, life drawing, charcoal, sketch](http://kathrynhockey.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/Lucia-sketches-kathryn-hockey-artist-illustrator-web-1024x391.jpg)
charcoal
![ejer sketchers, life drawing, charcoal, crayon, sketch](http://kathrynhockey.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/Fer-sketches-kathryn-hockey-artist-illustrator-web-1024x396.jpg)
charcoal and crayon
or even drawing each other.
![vejer sketchers, watercolour sketches, portraits, sketch](http://kathrynhockey.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/Elian-Merche-Liliana-kathryn-hockey-artist-illustrator-web.jpg)
watercolour sketches
In this Arte Vejer video, which features stills of some of my pre-Sketchers artwork, I talk (in Spanish) about my New Year’s Resolution to join the Vejer Sketchers, saying that street sketching in a group is brave and interesting and a great contrast to my usual controlled method of drawing and developing images in my studio with photos for reference.
![vejer sketchers, urban sketchers, drawing, pen and water colour, vejer de la frontera, chorizo](http://kathrynhockey.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/Chorizos-kathryn-hockey-artist-illustrator-web.jpg)
chorizo, pen and watercolour
Actually, the Vejer Sketchers experience has surpassed all my expectations; the group dynamic is incredibly friendly and supportive and diffuses the potential self-consciousness associated with drawing in public places (safety in numbers!).
![sketch, vejer sketchers, urban sketchers, drawing, pen and water colour, vejer de la frontera](http://kathrynhockey.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/Plazuela-Merche-y-Antonio-kathryn-hockey-artist-illustrator-web.jpg)
Vejer, pen and watercolour
I’ve enjoyed painting with watercolours since I was a child and the Vejer Sketchers have inspired me to try new techniques and different formats – my confidence, speed, motivation and skill have all improved.
![sketch, vejer sketchers, urban sketchers, drawing, pen and water colour, vejer de la frontera, hibiscus](http://kathrynhockey.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/Hibiscus-kathryn-hockey-artist-illustrator-web.jpg)
hibiscus, pen and watercolour
Come and join us if you can!