Sculpture at Wilson Botanic Park

The sculpture ‘Still Moment’, designed by Zabelski Han Sculptures, is inspired by the natural environment, the spread of feathers in a bird’s wing, the movement of leaves in the wind and people as they journey through Wilson Botanic Park. The sculpture opened on 24 Aug 2007. 

What a peaceful setting! The added reward of a nice cool breeze on a 29 degree day influenced the feel of my sketch. 

Wilson Botanic Park (opened in 1992) is in the outer Melbourne suburb of Berwick. It was once a basalt (bluestone) quarry and is of great geo heritage importance as it houses the oldest dated eucalypt fossil deposits in Australia.

#fabercastellpittpen, watercolour, #stillman&birn Beta Sketchbook, 7.5”x 7.5”.

Sketching at a Rural Property

It was a different venue for my small group of sketch friends - a rural property! There were so many things to sketch. From sweeping vistas and quaint old sheds to kangaroo poo outside the window. The temperature was just right (such a treat). The sketch group had a really pleasant experience. Our host provided a cup of tea to go with the assortment of biscuits and cakes we had brought. 

As my subject for the day, I  picked this busy, colourful area near the house with equally busy sketchers. 

I've left the page spread unfinished.

#sailorfude pen, watercolour, #stillman&birn Beta Sketchbook, 7.5”x 7.5”.

A Yellow Cockatoo Feather

A yellow cockatoo feather I found has made a nice addition to my collection on our windowsill. Using here a Faber Castell Pitt marker pen, a tool I abandoned some time ago in favour of the more difficult-to-use Fude ink pen. It was an unexpected pleasure to use the old marker pen again today. So easy to use compared to the Fude but of course I don't get the variation in line width. A successful sketch nonetheless.

The blue tile was given to me by an Urban Sketcher from Portugal I met in Singapore in 2014. The other tile was a gift from Ash who bought it in Singapore last year. 

Yes, that is a teeny tiny succulent growing in the tiny pot. 

#fabercastellpittpen, watercolour, #stillman&birn Beta Sketchbook, 7.5”x 7.5”.

Christmas Decorations on The High Street

Christmas decorations on the High St, Berwick even made The Age newspaper recently. The owner of local restaurant Bodega On High and partners donated $300,000 to give the local community a photo-friendly Christmas hub in the garden strip that runs along the main thoroughfare of the suburb. 

I went to sketch the decorations on 2 consecutive days but on the second day, before I could finish, lo and behold the removal people arrived in 2 big trucks and all their moving equipment! Well if you can’t beat them, join them. 

#sailorfude pen, watercolour, #stillman&birn Beta Sketchbook, 7.5”x 7.5”.

A Trip to A&E

Sketching sure is my best panacea for anxiety! Sketching on location at A&E, Mulgrave Hospital. 

No need for details here except to say J has recovered well after 10 stitches to his head and 10 more for his ear after an altercation with a door frame and some furniture. Just before Christmas is the best time for such shenanigans. 

An injured foot is still needing the physio's attention. 

#hahnemuehle soft cover sketchbook A6.

Surfers Paradise Trip

I really have been soo tardy in keeping up this blog due to one thing and another. Better late than never so here goes with a short post about our short trip to Surfers Paradise last December. 

I won't go into the cancelled flight (after we had checked in), spending the night at brother-in-law's as it was too far to go home. Delays on the replacement flight the next day, our disappointment with Surfers Paradise, delays on the way back...and J coming down with a bad case of flu after we got home. He probably picked up the flu bug from sharing our flight home with a plane load of sleep deprived coughing schoolies! 

Surfers Paradise is in the northern state of Queensland where tourists go for sunshine, beach and night life. 40 years since we were last there and this trip didn't make us want to go back again. Thankfully the ALS conference J attended was more successful than he expected. So from that point of view it was a trip worth making. 

I'll just share my 2 favourite sketches from the trip. 

Firstly, Castaways Cafe. There was a cold wind blowing (even at Surfers!) and the lunch was an uncuttable slop of a nightmare.

Macintosh Island Park was a lovely oasis, away from the high rise of Surfers Paradise. It sits on a canal from the Nerang River. Large shady trees, streams, it’s a bird sanctuary. We had peacocks walking all around us…and lots of ants! A Bush Turkey kept us company. 

I rather like my choice to do the watercolour background first and the ink drawing over it. Reflective of the restful experience. 

#sailorfude pen, watercolour, #stillman&birn Beta Sketchbook, 7.5”x 7.5”. #macintoshislandpark

Drawing People

 I've come to love drawing people when I'm out somewhere. My aim is to do it with as few lines as possible. Frequent practice is I think making me more proficient. My tools of choice in these situations is just a marker pen as mostly I have to "down tools" as soon as I'm called.

Here's some sketches done in my physio's waiting room, while waiting for a flu shot at a healthcare clinic and during a seniors club's monthly meeting.

Marker pens, #handbookJournal 5.5" x 5.5".