Teen Art Lab: Drawing Realistically with Umulkheir Abdi

May 18, 2026, 1:30 PM to 5 PM (Victoria Day) in the Tuey Art Studio at the Gibson Art Museum.

Open to all youth aged 13–19. No prior experience needed.

Free with registration. Limited space. All materials provided.

Registration closes May 11.

This workshop is about drawing realistically. It focuses on looking carefully to analyse shape and shadow and making marks on paper to translate what you see onto a flat two-dimensional surface, and the possibilities for storytelling that this gives you.

Through hands-on exercises and experiments with graphite, charcoal and other drawing media, you’ll learn how to tune-in to what your eyes and brain see, and how to share what you see with others through your drawings.

This workshop will be of interest to any kind of illustrator. Whether you are an experienced drawer or just starting out, this workshop is for you!

Please note: Upon registering, a parent or guardian will need to sign a consent form on behalf of their teen.

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Umulkheir Abdi is a Vancouver-based artist of Somali-Kenyan heritage with an international practice spanning three continents. She is a self-taught illustrator working with both digital and traditional paper media. Holding a BA in Art History with minors in Curatorial Studies and African Studies from the University of Toronto, her practice is grounded in both critical research and visual storytelling. Her work centres underrepresented communities, particularly Black and Muslim identities, addressing their historical absence in traditional art spaces. Through intimate, tonal portraiture, she explores everyday expressions of dignity and presence, while engaging questions of visibility, authorship, and the politics of representation. Informed by her African and Islamic heritage, her practice reflects an ongoing interest in diasporic identity and the construction of cultural narratives.

This workshop is generously supported by the Tuey Charitable Foundation, the Deux Mille Foundation, and Friends of the Gibson.

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The Gibson reserves the right to cancel this workshop due to low registration, and will make every effort to reschedule it.

Banner image is a work-in-progress by Umulkheir Abdi. Photo courtesy of the artist.

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