The challenge to sketch one hundred people in five days is the brainchild of artists Marc Taro Holmes and Liz Steel, who jumpstarted the initiative seven years ago. During this week, thousands of amateur and pro artists worldwide line up beside them to sketch people, live or from reference photos. It doesn’t matter, as long as you keep the stream going, putting out as many sketches of people as you can, and posting them online to share with the wider community.

Genoa-Lisboa Sketch Connection

March: Baccalà / Março: Bacalhau

This is one of the thousand ways Portuguese have of cooking cod fish, and happens to be my favorite. Gather the ingredients: cod fish, potato, chickpeas, carrots, egg and a choice of your preferred greens (broccoli). Boil everything and serve soaked in olive oil and vinegar. Garlic optional. Simple, effective and tasty!

Genoa-Lisboa Sketch Connection

February: Waterfront / Fevereiro: Beira-mar

The waterfront of Lisboa, on the Tejo river, is 17km long, but for many years, most of it was only partially accessible and difficult to get to. Between shipping containers, port equipment and the railway line along the shore towards the ocean, just a few spots were available to promenade. Nowadays, the city is improving its relationship with the river, and giving the waterfront back to its citizens.

Genoa-Lisboa Sketch Connection

January: Narrow streets / Janeiro: Ruas estreitas

Have you ever lived in an apartment where you could handshake your neighbor from the building across the street? Or even collect their hanging clothes? Narrow streets are a feature of the old parts of both Genova and Lisboa, sometimes even coupled with stairs. In Lisboa, the narrowest alleys can be find the old districts of Castelo, Alfama and Mouraria.

Genoa-Lisboa Sketch Connection

For the next 12 months, Valentina Raiola and I will share with the world the similarities between Genova and Lisboa, through sketches and text, in our blogs and social media. We will each post one sketch per month, each one based on a theme that connects both cities. Think Inktober but less frantic and establishing a bridge between two places and two people.