Sketching History is a new exhibit open at the Prince of Wales Armouries. A group of local artists get together to sketch different places in Edmonton. Their goal is to preserve the city’s identity.
“As Historian Laureate for the City of Edmonton, one of the things I’ve noticed, and I think most people have noticed, is our disappearing architectural heritage,” said Marlena Wyman. “I wanted to bring some attention to how we can come to appreciate it a bit more and preserve more.”
Urban Sketchers Edmonton started in 2011 and Wyman decided to curate this exhibit with their work. She paired the sketches with related images from the Edmonton Archives and included stories from the history surrounding these places and spaces.
The art group meets once a month to sketch the city in rain or shine and anyone is welcome to join the group. From beginner to expert, any artist is welcome.
Visitors can wander through multiple levels of the exhibit to see sketches organized by neighbourhoods and look for familiar places. There are historic sites like the Hotel MacDonald, sketches of the River Valley and unique homes around the city.
“I think that art is a way of making us look at things differently, which is why I wanted to approach it this way,” said Wyman. “When we pass by the same buildings every day, we don’t notice them and take them for granted. I wanted to bring attention to these buildings and look at them with a new eye.”
The exhibit will be on display for the next year. The information boards have stories and sketches, but the original sketchbook and prints are also on showcase.
