Sebastian Meade of Freeport helped organize the Freeport Creative Arts Urban Sketchers Group.

The Freeport Creative Arts Urban Sketchers Group, organized by Freeport artist Sebastian Meade, meets every week at L.L. Bean’s Coffee by Design. The Freeport members get comfortable at the coffee shop, pull out their sketch books, pens, pencils, watercolors and crayons and sketch for as long as they can stay. Sometimes, they take it outside for some plein air sketching.

Meade, 36, grew up here in Freeport. He attended Ripon College in Ripon, Wisc., and studied art.

“Growing up, I always made art, grew up helping my mother teach art classes and build sets at Channel 13,” he said. “Art has just always been there. I even tried to not do it for a year in high school to see if that’s really what I wanted to do. I don’t think I lasted a day without my drawing something. I now live in-town Freeport, still plugging away making art that includes sculptures of robots and monsters, drawing and painting the same with a new series in the works that is completely different.”

Meade, whose mother, Kathleen Meade, writes the Freeport news column for the Tri-Town Weekly, also has started a business making button pins for businesses, nonprofits and political issues, and “one-of-a-kind” self-designed work.

“When I have the time, I also take part in yarn bombing with friends, which I am sure people have seen around town,” he said. “We make things fun for people who live and visit here to enjoy and be surprised by in their day. I hear many people pointing out the yarn-bombed items and enjoying them when on my walks with my dogs or from friends who work in various stores around town. It is fun to see visitors to Freeport taking selfies with the yarn bombing.”

Yarn bombing is a kind of graffiti, using yarn.

“At the end of the day, I just plug away supporting art (and encouraging fun) in Freeport, in my own way.”

 The Freeport Creative Arts Urban Sketchers Group meets every Wednesday at 8 a.m. and everyone is welcome. Meade answerd some questions about the group for the Tri-Town Weekly.

Q: The Freeport Creative Arts Urban Sketchers Group is part of an international organization. Who organized the Maine chapters, and how and when did it evolve in Freeport?

A: The Freeport portion of the Urban Sketchers Maine was created when my friend, Tammy Ackerman, director of Engine in Biddeford, and I were talking about this international movement. She said she was starting a Maine chapter and asked if I’d like to come down and take part in the meet-ups. Because I do not drive that would make it a little harder for me, so we then discussed doing a Freeport Creative Arts-supported group in Freeport. I started the Freeport group last August, while she organized occasional sketch-up meets in Biddeford. Shortly after that, we also added a sketch-up group through Running with Scissors in Portland.

Q: What do the Freeport Urban Sketchers do? How many are there?

A: Some people come (to Coffee by Design) for 30 minutes before they go to work, some for a few hours. On nice days we may branch out and go outside and draw in different parts of Freeport. Sometimes we wander around buildings to draw Dumpsters and behind-the-scene piles (more interesting to draw then you might think). We get anywhere from one to 10 people a week. Some sketchers are from Freeport, others from neighboring towns and some from farther away just because they want to meet the Freeport group and just like to draw. Our continuity in meeting in the same place at the same time is helpful in encouraging people to participate.

Q: What kind of artistic talent is needed?

A: None. This is not a “professionals only” group, nor is it a class. It’s all about just getting people together to draw what they are looking at. It encourages people to draw from life. We get people who haven’t drawn since they were 5 to people that have studied art. But all are always welcoming and we encourage people to pick up a drawing tool and create something.

Q: You’re an artist. Tell us about your artistic pursuits.

A: My work has always been about reaching out beyond the art world, which has put me in hot water a few times because some think that I don’t take art seriously because my main method includes using humor and fun. My work includes three ecomaine silver bullets (recycling containers). The first two featured monsters and space, the latest shows row houses. I am always in search of places to show my work. Right now I have some large works at the Freeport Hardware Store. I’m always looking for new places to show and finding the right fit is not always easy when it comes to art and buildings. I also believe in making art that is affordable for all by doing things like making one-of-a-kind, hand-drawn button pins (www.buttonspinzandthingz.com) to hopefully get people to buy some original art.

Q: What about Coffee by Design makes it a good setting for this activity?

A: Coffee by Design is a good base because most people already know it. They are open year-round with plenty of seating and a constant source of new drawing subjects and items. Essentially, there are ongoing options for drawing people, still life setups and outdoor sites through the seasons. Some people (subjects) are there each week and allow for continuing study of their faces and body types. Importantly, we help support a local business. The coffee and pastries are excellent and have become part of each event. The Coffee by Design staff seems to appreciate our year-round support.

Q: What happens to the sketches? Are they for sale?

A: The sketches are done in books and taken home by the people who draw them. The people who created the drawings are the ones who would sell them. The group doesn’t really meet to secure profit, but rather for exercising drawing and creative muscles. Sketching is an exercise that is inherent in making visual arts. An artist sketches to grow, to solve problems, to test out ideas. Drawing is a skill that is exercised and the Urban Sketchers group encourages setting aside the time to draw. It also encourages the exchange of ideas, techniques and even supplies between artists in a casual, consistent, supportive atmosphere. Personally, my style of work is not life drawing but by doing it regularly, my own work becomes stronger.

The idea of putting together a show has been discussed, but not yet formalized. That work may be for sale.