Kath Macaulay: Meet Your Sketchbook Teacher

Kath Macaulay Pocket Sketchbook Gallery

Below is a selection of Kath Macaulay’s pocket sketches from her travels and pictures from her workshops. Kath’s approach is based on working anywhere quickly and fearlessly.

Art Walk Interview with Kath Macaulay

Why do you do what you do?

Because I absolutely love the reaction! Suddenly people find they can sketch in public
successfully, bring home memories, without fear. That’s a bunch!

How do you work? What is your teaching style?

First I demonstrate. Then you more-or-less copy the technique and subject. After that, I evaluate, finding wonderful things beyond  your expectations. Surprisingly, “mistakes” are usually advanced watercolor.

Often, students do far better than they expect. They are soon ready for more advanced exercises. Each exercise is more advanced, and they are ready to try the next step. It goes from simple to sketching outdoors in public – fearlessly!

What is your background?

Extensive, like anyone who is not young in age. (Attitude is another matter!) In art, I studied under 4 masters. I competed successfully nationally and had several major one man shows. In related work, I spent a year as an artist’s agent and studied business for four years at New Mexico State, all aimed at marketing art. Following that I invented and developed Pocket Sketching and trademarked it. It has been wonderful teaching it in workshops throughout the U.S. and Canada. Pocket Sketching was even featured in a 13-episode PBS special released nationally. Most recently I have been teaching online for art museums and art organizations.

What inspires you?

1. People excited because they are learning. 2. The opportunity to quietly sketch and space out.

What attracts you about travel journaling?

There are so many wonderful things to see and record! New places, new people, new inspiration, new light, new color. Relaxing and falling into a meditative state while sketching. New food, new wine. Catching on paper what I think I see. (The camera can’t come anywhere close!)

Why do students attend a Kath Macaulay art course?

To learn to sketch so they can immerse themselves in their travel. It’s far deeper than shooting pictures on the fly. It’s the ‘slow cooking’ version of travel where you intensely feel your subject and catch it on paper. You drop into a meditative state while sketching. It’s a whole new adventure and the sketches bring back not only what was the focal point, but the smells, sounds, atmosphere and all the details you left out of the sketch. It’s a quiet adventure.

What have you learned from creating while you travel?

The soft joy of putting on paper what I think I see. Meditation while sketching for only 25 minutes at a time (or even less). The fun of trying to capture beauty, peace, energy: whatever catches my eye. I love trying to catch rushing water, but also people and animals: there’s really no limit of inspiration.

There’s never an end.