(VOVWORLD) - Tran Thi Thanh Thuy is the founder and leader of the Urban Sketchers Hanoi group. Over the years, its members have drawn thousands of sketches of Hanoi, contributing to preserving the heritage beauty of the capital city.
 Painter and architect Tran Thi Thanh Thuy (Photo:hanoimoi.com.vn) |
Painter and architect Tran Thi Thanh Thuy was born in 1975. She graduated from the Hanoi University of Architecture in 1997 and now works as a lecturer at the university.
In 2016, Thuy set up the Urban Sketchers Hanoi Group to show their love for Hanoi’s beauty and raise public awareness of the need to protect and promote the capital city’s heritage and culture.
From its 4 initial members the group has grown to include more than 5,000 members of all ages, many of whom live outside Hanoi.
“While drawing sketches of Hanoi as an art exercise at the university, I had the idea of doing something to preserve the beauty of Hanoi, the city where I was born and raised,” said Thuy.
“When I first established the Urban Sketchers Hanoi Group, I posted the group’s information on Facebook. Surprisingly, that post attracted an immediate response from many people from all walks of life. Many of them are not painters or artists, but they all share a great love for Hanoi.”
Every weekend members of group gather at some place in Hanoi and sketch a well-known scenic spot or historical relic site. Sketching requires a good technique, which can quickly record what the sketcher’s eyes are seeing. The group gives members an opportunity to learn from and exchange views with other people.
“I draw many pictures about Hanoi. That makes me love the capital city even more,” said Nguyen An Duy, a member of the Urban Sketchers Hanoi Group.
 The book “Impressions of Hanoi from the Sketches of French Colonial Buildings.” (Photo: danviet.vn) |
Thuy organizes many get-togethers where group members can meet and exchange their ideas about Hanoi’s cultural and historical relic sites. Her great love for Hanoi is an inspiration to many people, including Le An Bich Ha.
“Thuy is so enthusiastic. Her passion have attracted a lot of people to join her effort,” said Ha.
Thuy has connected Hanoi with many international friends. Representatives of her Urban Sketchers Hanoi Group attended annual meetings of the Asia Sketchers Association held in Thailand in 2016, in Malaysia in 2017, and in Taiwan, China in 2018. The group is a recognized member of the World Sketchers Group.
Trinh Ngoc Lien, who works with Thuy at the Hanoi University of Architecture, said, “Thuy really loves Hanoi and is dedicated to the capital city. She is fond of talking to locals and drawing sketches of Hanoi. She knows many stories and depicts Hanoi from many different angles.”