(Take part in all 4 Sessions or just join one)
Thursdays, October 8, 15, 22, 29, 2026, 9:30 am – 11:30 am
Week 1: Learning to See: Shape, Silhouette, and Purpose (October 8th)
The opening session introduces the collection and encourages participants to look at historic implements as functional objects, visual compositions, and carriers of human stories.
Rust, Rope, and Iron: Sketching Cape Cod’s Working Heritage, is taught by artist, photographer, and science educator, Mark Kesling, whose work explores the intersections of art, science, and perception. His series is a four-session art, history, and technology workshop exploring the tools and implements that shaped everyday work on Cape Cod.
Throughout the series, you will examine objects associated with cranberry farming, agricultural machinery, mechanical repair, lifting and hauling, grinding and sharpening, fishing, and shellfishing. Weathered wood, rusted iron, worn handles, pulleys, gears, ropes, hooks, rakes, baskets, and other working surfaces will become subjects for close observation and creative interpretation.
Your cellphone will serve as both a camera and a visual research tool. You will learn to photograph objects from useful viewpoints, isolate compelling details, explore light and shadow, and create a collection of reference images for drawing. Cellphone-compatible endoscopes will offer an unusual way to peer beneath, behind, and inside selected objects, revealing hidden mechanisms, fasteners, joints, repairs, textures, and evidence of repeated use.
Guided exercises will introduce accessible techniques for drawing complicated objects, understanding mechanical forms, suggesting texture, and combining sketches with photographs, labels, written observations, and historical information. You will gradually develop a series of studies leading to a finished illustrated heritage page or small collection celebrating Cape Cod’s agricultural and maritime past.
No previous drawing or photography experience is necessary. The emphasis is on curiosity, careful observation, experimentation, and discovery rather than technical perfection.
Recommended Supplies:
- A fully charged cellphone
- Charging cable or portable battery, if available
- Sketchbook or several sheets of drawing paper
- Graphite pencils
- Black waterproof pen or fine liner
- Eraser and pencil sharpener
- Optional colored pencils or a small watercolor set