Through the Alamo ColIeges International Study Abroad Program, I have been able to take students to Italy and Japan each summer for the last several years. Drawing helps me to connect with the subject matter. Later, I use the sketches as touchstones for my studio work. Whether in Texas or abroad, place affects my direction. In Japan, my sketches were made while traveling in Hakone, Himeji, Hiroshima, Kamakura, Kyoto, Miyajima, Nara, Nikko, and Tokyo. Other sketches are from Europe (Finland, France, Germany, Holland, and Italy) and Mexico (Mexico City, Oaxaca, and Crucecita). I hope my sketches offer a glimpse of the intriguing cultures and natural beauty of these countries. See San Antonio Current: Japan Sketchbook 2016: A Visual Dairy by Local Artist Sabra Booth.