The Collective Sketchbook: Virtual Open Studio & Community

Artist with her sketch book in hand and her laptop open - Avenue Road Arts School Art Collective Sketchbook

The Collective Sketchbook: Virtual Open Studio & Community

Advanced
Beginner
Intermediate
Fall 2026
When
Wednesdays November 18 - December 9
11:30am - 1pm
Where
Virtual
Fee
$165 + HST
The Collective Sketchbook: Virtual Open Studio & Community

About this course

Establish a dedicated and collective drawing routine in this open studio designed to build artistic connection, creativity and accountability. Every session begins with a prompt that focuses on media or process, with examples of contemporary and historical artists’ drawings, and/or a demonstration. The prompts are designed to inspire and inform your independent drawing time and serve as a common thread connecting everyone’s work. The subject matter is up to you; whether you draw still life objects, faces, figures, landscapes, cityscapes, or make non-representational drawings, the prompt will challenge you to use familiar media differently, or try a new approach to drawing. While the core drawing time is self-guided to maximize your creative autonomy and individual focus, each session concludes with a group review, allowing time for discussion and reflections. Led by drawing artist Rose Montgomery-Whicher, these sessions provide an opportunity to exchange constructive peer feedback and insights, offering a balance of solitary artistic freedom and community connection.

*No class September 30

What you'll learn

  • Cultivate a Studio Routine: Build a consistent, weekly drawing habit within a virtual environment.
  • Respond to Drawing Prompts: Expand your creative boundaries by adapting individual projects to specific media restrictions or thematic constraints.
  • Engage in Constructive Art Critique: You will be encouraged to articulate your own creative choices and provide meaningful feedback to peers.
  • Strengthen Self-Directed Problem Solving: Gain confidence in navigating your own creative process.

Your instructor

Rose Montgomery-Whicher
Rose Montgomery-Whicher
Ph.D. Art Education (Alberta) · Routledge Author, 2022 · Taught at University of London, Kettle's Yard & Royal Winnipeg Ballet School · Observation Drawing
Rose Montgomery-Whicher is a distinguished artist, educator, and author whose practice is centered on the meditative art of observation drawing. With a PhD in Art Education from the University of Alberta and an MA from Concordia, her teaching is deeply informed by a philosophical and historical research background. She has shared her expertise across prestigious international institutions, including the University of London, Kettle’s Yard in Cambridge, and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School. Through her work, she helps students of all ages find confidence and innovation while discovering the joys of the creative process. Rose is also the author of a 2022 Routledge publication exploring the phenomenology of drawing as a way of preserving fleeting, specific experiences. Based in Toronto, she balances her academic pursuits with her family and a dog with the excellent name of Tapioca.

FAQs

If you're still in doubt, don't hesitate to contact us: contactus@avenueroadartsschool.com