Durham Plein Air/Urban Sketching at Duke Gardens

Grab your travel-friendly painting supplies and/or sketchbook and join us for some art outdoors. All levels and types welcome!

This month we're meeting at Duke Gardens. We'll focus more on the area around the new visitor center which opens in early April. The white garden and rose garden are also nearby. The event officially starts at 10am, but come whenever you like and start sketching whatever inspires you (some of us arrive closer to 9am).

We'll meet at the end for the throwdown at 11:45am near the new cafe area.

The new parking lots should be open again. If they are full, overflow parking will probably still be available in Lot H on Anderson Street.

Event will be canceled in case of poor weather. I will send an email update from Meetup if this happens, so RSVP here to get the updates (will only send to people who replied yes).

Tips

• Wear comfortable clothing for the weather and supportive shoes for walking on uneven terrain.
• Bring a hat, sunscreen, and bug spray.
• Bring water and any other beverages or snacks you may want.
• If you don't have an easel or don't prefer standing, bring a folding chair/stool or picnic blanket.
• Make sure you're able to carry your supplies for short to medium distances, depending on your preferred painting location.
• Be aware of your surroundings and the weather. Watch out for uneven terrain and signs of heat exhaustion. Hike at your own risk. Stay hydrated.
• Leave the area as you found it or better. Bring any trash out with you.

Want to see more area events like this? I made a website to aggregate figure drawing, plein air, and urban sketching meetups in the area: ncartmeets.com. Find us on Instagram and Bluesky too.