Drawing Stories: Become an Artist Reporter in Monsaraz
Dates: March 12-17, 2026
Location: Monsaraz, Portugal
Participants: All level of drawing ability
Discover how to use hand drawn reportage to tell stories, surrounded by the magic of this Portuguese medieval village. Located next to a 4,000-year-old menhir in the Monsaraz region, this Sofia in Monsaraz art studio is surrounded by nature, history, and unique beauty.
About the workshop
Join us in the hilltop village of Monsaraz, Portugal, for a unique, immersive workshop where drawing meets storytelling. Over the course of six days, you will learn how to become an artist reporter—someone who documents the world not just with words, but with expressive, on-location drawings and visual narratives.
Nestled in Portugal's Alentejo region, Monsaraz is a whitewashed medieval village overlooking the vast Alqueva Lake. Its cobbled streets, stone walls, and sweeping countryside views make it an ideal setting for observational drawing. But beyond its picturesque surface, Monsaraz holds deep cultural roots.
Workshop Highlights:
Introduction to Artist Reporting: Learn techniques in visual journalism, sketch reportage, and field observation. Develop skills in capturing scenes, people, textures, and moments in real time.
The Story of the Rugs: Explore the rich history of Monsaraz's rug-making tradition. Through sketches, notes, and conversations with locals (where possible), you’ll piece together the cultural heritage of these handwoven textiles—turning it into a visual story.
From Sketch to Story: We’ll guide you in combining your field drawings with notes and impressions to create a personal artist reportage zine or journal entry by the end of the workshop.
Getting there
Transportation will be provided to you from Lisbon International Airport.
About Rita Sabler
Rita Sabler is an award winning artist, visual journalist, author, and educator based in Portland, Oregon, USA. In the span of her decade-long career as an educator and visual storyteller Sabler has inspired diverse audiences to cultivate a lifelong passion for urban sketching and reportage illustration. Her work has been featured in solo and group local and international shows.
Questions?
Please contact urbansketcherspdx@gmail.com
Are you interested in joining in Portugal? Get early access now and once we reach the number of interested participants that we need for the workshop to go ahead we will be in touch!
