Gardenworld

Gardenworld, Braeside, Springvale Road, Victoria. What a place for garden lovers and sketchers! A HUGE garden centre with a grotto and waterfall, a big desert/cactus display like a movie set and a bonsai area. Plus regular plants, garden paraphernalia, a gift shop specializing in fossils and a separate lotus/waterworld area. Not to mention a bustling cafe with an unexpectedly large selection of good food. Today was busy with visitors including what looked like a tour group of geriatrics.

Here's the dim, cool and damp mossy area where the sound of a waterfall made for a relaxing sketching spot. Drops of water kept falling on my page and helped my wet-on-wet painting attempt. Next to the bridge was a popular photo taking spot. The lady was acting up trying to look coy! 

A great day out with a few sketch friends.

#Sailorfude pen, watercolour, #Stillman&Birn Beta Sketchbook, 7.5”x 7.5”.

#Gardenworld

Courtyard Cafe

Here I am back in a medical establishment yet again! This hospital had a cafe with an unexpectedly pleasant outdoor courtyard. One large wall was covered by huge tropical plants. An balmy, sunny 24 degrees, my sketchbook, a hot lemongrass drink and an apple muffin filled in the 3 hours very peacefully.  It felt like a real treat! 

Brought to an end by the phone call...time to pick up the patient. 

I've come to like drawing people. I wonder what their story was on that day, waiting in a hospital. 

#Tombow marker pens, #Stillman&Birn Zeta Sketchbook, 7.5”x 7.5”. 

Caftans and Circuses

The past week has taken me (with my sketchbook) to a hospital cafe and a medical clinic, waiting while my spouse is seen to for a cataract procedure. What would I do without a sketching hobby! 

Here's a lady wearing a striking striped caftan with a headscarf in the rather small and quiet hospital cafe. 

It turned out a much more stimulating experience than expected when a mandarin-only speaking man asked to share my table. With my primary school mandarin and the translation app on his phone, we managed to strike up a long conversation and exchanged life stories! I was impressed he knew mine was a sketch and he taught me the mandarin term for it (su4 miao2). He was very happy to have me sketch him too! Urban Sketchers just keep on having good experiences. Art does bring people together!

Here's people in the waiting room of an eye clinic while my spouse had a checkup after his successful procedure a couple of days ago. 

Is that a circus I see in the distance out of the window!? Yes indeed! It is the Circus Royale Australia near the Fountain Gate Shopping Centre. As I learn, it is an Australian owned and operated circus that travels around Australia. Currently closed on a belated Christmas break they will soon be back performing!

Marker pens, #Stillman&Birn Zeta Sketchbook, 7.5”x 7.5”, #HandbookJournal 5.5" x 5.5".

Christian's Meeting House

The former Christian’s Meeting House in the outer suburb of Berwick, Melbourne was built for the Church of Christ in 1886. It was sold to City of Casey in 1975 and is now privately owned. Unfortunately I found little else about it. 

I did this sketch of the heritage building after a sketchmeet with friends when my spouse stopped for coffee opposite it. An enjoyable sketch using just a marker.

Marker pen, #Stillman&Birn Beta Sketchbook, 7.5”x 7.5”.

Berwick Arcade in 2025

The Berwick Arcade has always been an interesting short cut between streets. Unfortunately due to Covid, the big trees in planters were removed, the popular Touch of Dutch cafe and several shops closed and it became a hollow shell. 

I'm pleased to say, now, with a new cafe called Shack with its cheery tables outside and newly planted trees, the arcade is coming back to life! Fella Hamilton the ladies clothing store with its window mannequins is one business which has stood the test of time.

#Sailorfude pen, watercolour, #Stillman&Birn Beta Sketchbook, 7.5”x 7.5”.

Yarrow

In past years, our Salvias have always been the survivors in our garden but this summer the couple of 40C degree days got to them. Their flowers are looking decidedly fried but surprisingly this yarrow has done remarkably well. They even look great at night when our motion sensor light comes on! The rose hips and faded roses? That’s just neglect on my part.

#Sailorfude pen, watercolour, #Stillman&Birn Beta Sketchbook, 8.5 x 5.5”.

Waiting

In the last two years, sketching while waiting during everyday activities has become the norm. 

Here's a school girl waiting to be picked up after a MIGHTY thunderstorm this afternoon. No wonder there was a thunderstorm asthma warning for today! Only box-top buildings in this new area called Officer on the eastern outskirts of Melbourne. There's still some undeveloped empty land close by but I'm sure that will change very soon. Sketched this through the glass doorway while waiting for my spouse.

You get to a certain age and medical clinics become your second home. This was my first free (old people's) government provided annual health assessment. Thankfully I passed but I was taken aback that it was so lengthy! This sketch was done in 2 time slots while waiting, firstly to see the clinic nurse and then later the GP.

Marker, pen and ink. #HandbookJournal 5.5" x 5.5".