Sketch & Walk: Introduction to Plein Air Sketching with Julie Ourceau

Join us for the first edition of LAT's Sketch & Walk series, a hybrid walk-and-workshop art experience! 🌳

In this session led by architect and artist Julie Ourceau, participants will discover the fundamentals of sketching outdoors while exploring the landscapes, ecology, and public artworks of the Lassonde Art Trail.

Through guided observation, learn how to simplify the landscape by identifying its essential shapes, forms, and patterns. Together, we will explore composition, framing a view, identifying key landscape elements, and translating what you see onto the page using basic line work and tonal values. The session emphasizes slowing down, looking closely, and building confidence through observation rather than creating a finished artwork. ✏️

Participants will encounter several of the Lassonde Art Trail's artworks. These sculptures and installations will serve as points of inspiration and observation, encouraging participants to consider the relationship between art, landscape, and ecology while expanding their approach to sketching in the field. 🎨

This program is beginner-friendly! Participants are expected to bring their own materials. A sketchbook and graphite pencils are recommended. As this is an outdoor program, we recommend dressing appropriately for the weather. Please be aware that the trees in the park system are not yet mature, so there is little shade. ☀️

Julie Berry Ourceau is a landscape and architectural designer, artist, musician, and educator. Having studied architecture and landscape architecture in Toronto and Paris, Julie is a passionate environmentalist and educator. She combines a keen interest in ecological restoration and sustainable environmental design with extensive experience in developing technical drawings, graphic maps, photorealistic renderings, collages, and hand sketching. She often teaches sketching workshops locally, which combines her love of architecture, landscape, teaching, and travel.