- Lisbon, Portugal
- VMarquesArt
Valério Marques' journey into art exhibitions began through his experience in Ian Fennelly’s Urban Sketch Course. The structured lessons and hands-on assignments gave him the skills and confidence to experiment with different techniques and subjects. Encouraged by the progress he made during the course, Valério decided to take his work beyond the sketchbook and into the public eye.
Urban Sketch Course Experience
Although he had only a handful of sketches from the Urban Sketch Course, Valério set himself a new challenge: to create enough artwork for an exhibition. He applied the methods and principles learned in the course to refine his style and build a cohesive collection. Through persistence and determination, he secured a venue at a local foundation for May 24–26, 2024. With just four months to prepare and only four sketches completed, he set an ambitious goal: one sketch per week to build a strong collection.
Reflecting on his first exhibition, Valério identified areas for improvement, including learning how to properly flatten watercolor paper, extending the exhibition duration, and investing in targeted advertising. Despite these challenges, the experience was overwhelmingly positive, leading to several commission requests and reigniting his passion for sharing art with others.
Valério credits Ian Fennelly’s Urban Sketch Course as a crucial foundation for his success. The course refined his technique, built his confidence, and provided the structured learning he needed to take his work to a public setting. While his style continues to evolve, he remains inspired by the creative freedom and expression learned through urban sketching.
“"It would have been impossible - or at least silly - for me to take this endeavour before going through the Urban Sketch Course. It’s true that my “style” is a bit far from Ian’s. I do try, but my arm still hesitates when picking bold colour schemes or applying the fun patterns that Ian masters so easily. But regardless of the “style” I currently have, it was a direct consequence of the numerous sketches we’ve been doing in the course, as well as of the incredible lessons and workshops. A big thank you to Ian and the whole team for this incredible journey."”
– Valério Marques
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