Herrick District Library is pleased to announce urban sketcher Marcia Schrotenboer as the library’s Maker-in-Residence for the winter quarter.
Marcia's journey as an artist began a decade ago during her time as the activity director at Freedom Village, where she found inspiration in resident Ruth Donaldson, who enjoyed sketching. With the thought, “I wish I could do that,” she made a decision in 2016 that would shape her future path: to be creative every day. Marcia dove into inspiring movements such as Sketchbook Skool's "A Drawing a Day" which proposed a different creative prompt for her to follow each day. Sketching became a passionate practice that led her to discover more about herself, sketching, and the world.
After hearing about Urban Sketchers—a global community dedicated to the practice of on-location drawing—Marcia began to use the name Urban Sketchers West Michigan. When she had an opportunity to visit the founding chapter in Seattle, her imagination was sparked with dreams of growing a local sketch community. A friend helped Marcia envision what that active local chapter could look like, and the group became an official chapter in 2022. Urban Sketchers West Michigan currently has more than 900 members.
Recently, Urban Sketchers West Michigan had the chance to visit the archives of Grand Rapids Public Museum. Marcia was struck by a building replica she saw there, inside of which a tiny woman was sketching. The moment reminded her of the mission of Urban Sketchers: “We see the world one drawing at a time.”
“What we see—our different perspectives—we all see the world differently. By sketching, we see each other’s stories and views,” Marcia states. Nine years into sketching, she finds herself still realizing how differently we all see the world. “Through sketching, you learn a lot about life,” she says.
Marcia recently finished her 80th sketchbook and regularly shares her artwork on Instagram, @a_cup_of_happy. While she still loves to sketch on her own, she also appreciates sharing what she has learned. It gives her great joy to see others “catch a little spark of inspiration.”
Looking back, Marcia would never have seen herself as a proficient sketcher. In fact, she would not have considered herself good at drawing prior to being inspired by her friend Ruth at Freedom Village. Marcia believes the great thing about sketching is, “You don’t need any experience. Even if you think you can’t draw—all you really need is something to make a mark with and something to draw on.”
She is eager to share her work with the community that has inspired so many of her drawings through her upcoming residency at Herrick District Library in the Groundworks department. “Groundworks is such a gift to the community,” she says. “People need a place to do something creative that tells the story of a life.” Groundworks is the library’s DIY space for creativity and collaboration on the main level of the main library.
Through her residency, Marcia intends to offer seven drop-in sessions where community members can give sketching a try while also learning from her experience. Each session will begin with a brief introduction to Urban Sketching, then head out for a sketch walk to various locations near the library. The events are free and open to all ages—no experience necessary. A mini sketchbook and drawing materials will be supplied. Participants may bring their own sketchbooks if preferred.
Urban sketch drop-in sessions with Marcia Schrotenboer are planned for the following dates and locations (weather dependent):
- Monday, December 29 | 10 AM – 12 Noon | Holland City Hall*
- Tuesday, December 30 | 2 PM – 4 PM | VeloCity Bicycle Shop*
- Saturday, January 17 | 2 PM – 4 PM | Centennial Park*
- Saturday, January 24 | 10 AM – 12 Noon | Holland Farmers Market*
- Saturday, February 7 | 2 PM – 4 PM | Holland on Ice*
- Saturday, February 14 | 10 AM – 12 Noon | Herrick District Library*
- Saturday, February 21 | 2 PM – 5 PM | Levitate: Holland Arts Festival*
Participants will make a postcard with an Urban Sketch to be displayed as part of a library urban sketch exhibit celebrating HDL’s winter Lift Every Voice initiative. HDL invites the community to share, listen, and connect through music, memory, and meaningful conversation during this winter’s theme.