Sketching Cadiz, Costa de la Luz
A couple weeks ago, I submitted one of my sketches to a sketching competition. I don’t know why I did that. Probably because it was very easy to participate. No complicated criteria, no fee, and the submission was done in just a couple minutes. Also, I thought, nothing to lose, it’d be just fun. This was only my 2nd participation in such event. The 1st was long time ago, when I was a high-schooler — hey that’s like a hundred years ago! At that moment, encouraged by friends I participated in the national sketching competition held by the the Institute of Technology Bandung’s architecture students association. I was a second winner and received a set of (expensive!) Staetdler rapidograph pens that I’d use for the next 6-7 years. Yeah, at that moment, I still thought I was really good. Now, oh well, I know better. So probably I participated in the competition in my unconscious search for a post-retirement career — that’s me in my dreamy mode. Once awake, I am satisfied just by being a doodler, a travel sketcher.
Back to the sketch. Surprisingly, my sketch of Cadiz of Andalusia (Spain) was shortlisted as one of top sketches in the final. The organizer sent me the link to share with family and friends. Apparently, in addition to the Jurors’ choice, there’d be People’s Choice awards, too. So, I posted the link to Facebook on July 3rd.
This morning, on July 7th, I got an email saying that “your entry has come first in our Urban Sketching Competition People’s Choice Award“. It’s such a strange feeling…. but grateful, nevertheless.
As for Cadiz, Costa de la Luz (the City of Light), it is a beautiful little city by the coast in the southernmost tip of Europe. I do hope my sketch does justice to its beauty.
And, about a post-academic career as an artist… oh, well, don’t take it seriously.
