Since August, local artist and TRU instructor, Arts Council board member, and mentor, Clement Yeh, has been running the Urban Sketching Club in Kamloops. And if you’ve ever wanted to embrace your inner (or outer) artist, you are invited to join in on the good times. 

What it looks like is a group of people gathered around tables at Red Beard Café on the last Wednesday of the month, ordering drinks, opening sketchbooks, chatting about life, and sketching whatever they may be working on or sparks joy. There are no rules, no technical requirements, no judgment.

And that’s sort of the point.

“When I started it, I said there were no rules and no fees,” Clement Yeh, local artist, teacher, and creator of the Urban Sketching Club, explained. “I wanted all skill levels to feel welcome.”

He had said he wanted something meaningful and not overwhelming. Between teaching, mentoring, board work, and life, it had to be manageable. It had to work whether people came once, every other month, or even every session.

So, he kept it simple.

On the last Wednesday of every month, the group meets up at Red Beard. “They’re really cool, they set up the tables and make sure I have enough space,” said Yeh. There are usually between 10 and 20 artists of all kinds, and there are almost always newcomers.

People can bring their sketchbooks and work on whatever they want. They talk. They laugh. They sit quietly. Nobody has to perform or explain themselves or their work. The point is connection, community, and being present in the community and their own experience. 

“It was really refreshing how many people were okay with doodling, even if it wasn’t their main identity,” Yeh had said.

And that openness matters, especially in a city where creative communities don’t always overlap easily.

“There are so many talented people here,” said Yeh. And even in a small town, it can be challenging to bring those talented people together sometimes. 

Kamloops has unique challenges. Artists are often branded in certain ways. People stay in their own circles. Sometimes our arts scene struggles with unity and growth.

The Urban Sketching Club is doing its part to bridge some of those gaps. It brings teenagers and retirees out to the party. It brings pros and hobbyists together. It brings people together who may not otherwise cross paths into one supportive space. 

The Urban Sketching Club is more than just drawing.

It helps people get off screens, focus, reflect, and create little time capsules of their lives. It’s low-cost. It’s low-pressure. You can buy a sketchbook at the dollar store. You don’t have to be “good.” You just have to be curious.

Yeh himself has started around 40 sketchbooks over the years. None of them are technically finished. None of them are perfect. And, thankfully, none of that matters.

What matters is showing up.

In a town where every single person makes a difference in keeping arts and culture alive, this informal, word-of-mouth, once-a-month gathering is building a community. And community matters. 

If you’ve ever thought about ways you can connect with other artists, this is your sign.

Come out on the last Wednesday of every month at Red Beard Cafe on the North Shore from 6 to 8 p.m. Bring your sketchbooks, your supplies, stories, and your chill vibes.