It has been a busy time: two of the art courses that I have been tutoring concluded; I've run a workshop as part of the Harwich Festival of the Arts; I have had drawings being exhibited at Old Bank Studios (the exhibition closes today); and the garden project continues. Finally, I have managed to do some sketching. This is the latest and the model was fantastic sitting very still. What have you been doing?
The New Town Gardeners were very lucky on Sunday as the sun actually came out for the event. It was lovely wandering around the area and I saw and sketched many beautiful gardens. Most, I sketched on-location in pencil, but one garden I watercoloured, and it made the local newspaper. As you can see from the top photo, I took the almost finished sketchbook to Friday's monthly gardeners meeting, where it stretched across 2 tables.
Last Sunday, I didn't manage to visit all the gardens, but am hoping to visit more when the sun comes back. Where have you been sketching? Back in February, I was invited to sketch the New Town Open Garden event. The event is this afternoon, but I made a head start yesterday by sketching the Community Garden and both of the organisers gardens too. I shall do all the initial drawing on site using a Seawhite concertina sketchbook, but finish inking and colour in the studio. Eighteen to go this afternoon! Wish me luck. ![]() I was recently commissioned to paint someone's old dog. He is a real character and at 14 years old still loves a good roll in the grass and saying hello to his friends up the park. He is called Harley, but everyone calls him Brown Dog. I delivered the painting yesterday and right is him checking it out. Below are the WIP stages. The eyes were tweeked after the last photo to create the final painting above. I finished this piece a little while ago. Hope you like it.
![]() On Friday, I arranged a drinkdraw event to coincide with the Colchester Morris Men (colchestermorrismen.org) dancing at the Alma, Copford. The dancers move very fast and I filled several pages of movement sketches. Above, is a general scene, which was my final sketch of the evening and below one of the dancing. What do you think of my sketches?Please leave a comment below, I really appreciate reading your thoughts.
Last Sunday, I arranged for the Colchester Sketchers to sketch at the bandstand in Colchester Castle Park where The Band of the Parachute Regiment were playing. The concert was great, the sun was out for the majority of the afternoon, and there was a good turn out of sketchers. The only negative has to be my wonky perspective and roof on my watercolour. After doing the watercolour sketch, I did the two quick pencil sketches above.
What do you think of them? The band liked my watercolour. ***** Next Sunday, if you are in the Colchester area, you will find me at the Farmers Market at Bourne Mill, where I have a table showing sketches, paintings and selling prints and cards. Pop by and say hello :) Have a lovely week everyone. I seem to have developed a minor fascination with sketching my neighbours chimneys and rooves, so far all from the confines of my house. However, now the warmer weather has arrived, I may be sketching further down the street. After 15 years living abroad with hardly a chimney in sight, I wonder if it's the novelty of seeing them in their different shapes and sizes. What do you think?
Yesterday, I arranged a sketchmeet for the Colchester Sketchers at a local garden centre. It was an inspiring afternoon albeit very chilly. *****
Have you signed up for my quarterly newsletter? The spring edition is almost ready to be sent. ![]() I was invited to sketch the Egg Hunt at Bourne Mill, a National Trust property, over the Easter weekend. Good Friday was a glorious spring day, clear skies and sunshine, and the Mill proved to be a very popular venue for an egg hunt as there were over 300 entries, so more Cadbury's bunnies were needed for the rest of the weekend. On Saturday, the forecasted rain held off and saw many more families completing the hunt. Unfortunately, due to Storm Katie and the 50pmh plus winds, the mill was closed on Easter Monday. Sitting at a picnic table alongside the pond, I sketched the children trying to solve the clues. It was funny watching many of the dads work it out, spot the eggs, almost point, then clamp their mouths shut until their son or daughter could do it. Eggs were hidden throughout the property and I had to find places to sketch without giving the location away and refrain from looking at the eggs when children were near. Here are a couple of them: ![]() Finally, the egg hunters returned to the desk and claimed their Cadbury's bunnies. (Top image) Left is a photo of me sketching in the wheel room. Behind me is the wheel, which was incredibly noisy, but it was an atmospheric place to sketch. I have to confess, I am disappointed the weekend is now over as it was a great event to attend in a lovely location. |
About me
I am a nomadic artist travelling the world for inspiration. Here, I publish my sketchbook work alongside my new finished pieces. Tags
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