Two Rivers Arts
Elevating Art and Artists
Urban Sketching Lancashire with Pat Southern Pearce
September 12 - 19, 2026
Sketch Lancashire: A Journey Into the Heart of England
Where dramatic landscapes, dark history, and timeless villages
meet, sketchbook in hand
Some places simply beg to be drawn. Lancashire is one of them. Tucked into the northwest of England, this is a county that has never quite surrendered to the modern world — and that is precisely what makes it extraordinary for artists. Norman castles rise from mist-wrapped hillsides. Ancient villages sit so quietly in their valleys that time itself seems to have paused. The moors roll endlessly toward the horizon in sweeping shades of purple, amber, and grey, shifting character by the hour as the light moves across them. Every vista is a composition waiting to happen.
Lancashire doesn't give you one thing — it gives you everything at once. Imposing medieval fortresses. Unspoiled country villages lifted straight from another century. A literary landscape that shaped some of the greatest writers in the English language. And woven through it all, the haunting legacy of the Pendle Witch Trials of 1612 — a history that gives even the most beautiful hillside a compelling, atmospheric depth.
Above it all are the dramatic moors — wide open skies, sudden weather, and the kind of light that painters have chased for centuries. Between sketching sessions, classic British village life wraps around you like a warm blanket: country pubs, afternoon tea, and a pace that gives you the rare gift of truly seeing what is in front of you.
Lancashire is dramatic and gentle, haunted and welcoming, ancient and alive. It is the kind of place that changes how you draw — because it changes how you look.
Come sketch it with us.
Pat Southern-Pearce: Artist, Instructor, and Traveling Sketcher
Pat Southern-Pearce is an accomplished artist, instructor, and world traveler whose creative journey was shaped during five formative years studying painting at art school in the UK. Guided by an energetic tutor from the Welsh valleys, she developed a lifelong passion for outdoor sketching in all weather conditions—working in oils, gouache, and with a fearless embrace of creative freedom. Rigorous critiques and immersive practice laid the foundation for the confident, expressive approach she brings to her work today, much like the spirit seen in Urban Sketchers gatherings around the world.
Pat’s sketching style captures the essence and atmosphere of a place rather than simply its outlines. She works intuitively across the page, building organic, balanced compositions that convey light, movement, temperature, brilliant color, and quiet moments of stillness. The discovery of toned sketchbooks such as Strathmore greys and Seawhite kraft papers expanded her creative range, leading her to experiment with vivid color grounds, prepared backgrounds, and digital media. She draws constant inspiration from architectural detail, natural landscapes, textures, and the subtle character of everyday scenes.
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Her career spans international exhibitions, published illustrations, sponsored workshops, residencies, and instructional leadership. She has completed commissioned projects ranging from sketchbook cover designs to documentary drawings and served as an adviser for a film drama. From 2013–2016, Pat held a three-year Arts Council UK–funded residency across linked schools. Since 2016, she has taught at major Urban Sketchers symposiums in cities including Manchester, Chicago, Amsterdam, and Leeds.
With sketchbook always in hand, Pat continues to travel, teach, exhibit, and document the world’s vibrancy—living her creative dream through exploration, connection, and an enduring love of sketching on location.
