Drawing on the history of Hong Kong in an insightful way

Photo by Rebecca Lo/China Daily

Walkin's English-language guide Haider Kikabhoy and Cantonese-language guide Chow Chung-wah explained how the tour would work, and then Draw Together's founder Marissa Fung Shaw gave people some basic instructions on drawing in situ.

"There are no mistakes," Fung says. "That is why we didn't give you an eraser. All you need is your pencil and your observation skills. But if you are really desperate, come find one of us with a tag and we'll lend you our eraser."

Chow says: "This walk and draw event aims to get people to slow down, savor and sketch our urban surroundings as a way of creatively engaging what we too often take for granted. We believe that with a bit of curiosity, imagination and some new angles, there's a lot of fun, surprises and fresh knowledge to be had by walking into the city, pen in hand."

Fung agrees: "Creativity and the role of the arts are advanced through the willingness to experiment outside regular conventions."

Kikabhoy and Chow led their respective groups initially to Asia Art Archive's library, where people got a bird's-eye view of Possession Street before venturing onto it.

Fung, assisted by graphic designer Gloria Wong and architect Jason Nogoy, then encouraged participants to capture what they felt around them not only with their eyes but with all their senses.

At the next stop in Hollywood Road Park, Nogoy led a stretching exercise where he encouraged participants to close their eyes and visualize what they remembered seeing, then open them to sketch it.

We proceeded to other landmarks in the neighborhood, including Pak Shing Temple and Hong Kong Museum of Medical Science, ending with a sharing session of the new artworks at Blake Park.

With quirky insights and advice provided by our guides, we all got a chance to record our own versions of history. It was a fun way to take a closer look at what we take for granted daily.