Taranaki across Lake Rotomanu.

Last weekend we went to Lake Rotomanu and Te Rewa Rewa Bridge. It was a beautiful fine winter's day, and the views were stunning. There were even some hardcore jet skiers on the lake!

But they were far too fast to sketch!

Te Rewa Rewa Bridge and Mount Taranaki.
You know you are home when you can see the Mountain!

Maurice's Sketches.

Here are three sketches by Maurice:

The first two were done on the 40th Worldwide Sketchcrawl Day

 Bridge at Fountain Lake, Pukekura Park.

Japanese Torii Gate, Pukekura Park.

Taranaki Cathedral.

California

Blue skies, no wind, 28C every day....

Caltech Campus Red Door Café

Pasadena City Hall

Crystalaire Soaring academy tow plane on edge of Mojave desert.  Towed us up over the back side of the San Gabriels

Glider

Chevy's at Ojai

Venice Canal

Art Deco/Mission style Union St Station - Down town LA

Ynez Valley Model T outside vineyard

San Buenaventura Mission

The Getty Center

The View From Trevor's Window.

This week the weather wasn't up to much so we went to Trevor's new house which has wonderful views and sketched out the window.

We have sketched this house before. Last time Scott was up a ladder to see over the trees. This time we were much more civilized as we got a great view out of Trevor's window.

Cheers!
Tricia, Trevor, Liz, Eileen, Brian, Jackie and Mary.

Wednesday Art Group

Sadly today was our last day with Jane, so we took her out sketching and then to lunch in Okato.

This is the Stoney River Swing Bridge on Old South Road. It is at the start of the Stoney River Walkway.

Tricky, but fun to sketch!

Worldwide Sketchcrawl Day

This is Trevor's sketch done in the fernery at Pukekura Park.

Tropical Fernery

Warm winter sketching in the tropical glasshouse of the Fernery in New Plymouth.

40th Worldwide Sketchcrawl Day.

Today is the 40th Worldwide Sketchcrawl Day. SketchCrawl is a global drawing marathon: taking a day to journal and draw all that is around you. Our theme this time was local parks and reserves. It was a bitterly cold day. I initially went up to the Kunming Garden, and drew the Spring Wind Pavilion.

I then went and met the others in Pukekura Park. I was so cold by that time I decided to go to the fernery and sketch there. A lot of us were of like mind. It's lovely and warm in there, plus very peaceful.

I had a go at the fish:

The challenge was to get the effect of water and the mist floating across it.

You can throw coins into the pool and Make a Wish. The money is used to buy fish food. A lot of people must make wishes as the fish are quite fat!

Poles & Signs

Now that's it's winter, the priorities of an urban sketcher seem to change. To me, when it's cold and wet, shelter becomes more important than finding that perfect view. It also helped that I was ordering warm coffees by a fireplace watching everyone else get cold.  At first I wasn't sure if I would want to draw out the window here. But then, as I watched the damp people shuffle around, I noticed all poles and signs from the window and decided to give this one a go. Also this building seems a bit art deco in a way but has modern shops with large glass windows, a glass top corner and glass overhangs. I wondered if this is an older building with modern renovations or a modern building with old-timey details. 

I also remember the time that a tornado ripped up this street and shattered the overhangs among the rest of the street's debris. I was working near here at the time of the tornado and can still clearly recall the slow walk up this way just after if happened. This area became a bit like a movie scene where someone fought off some aliens or robots.

The Huatoki and St Mary's Cathedral

Two Saturday's worth of sketches, two by the stream and one in the beautiful, atmospheric cathedral. I sketched from the annex through to the altar and hugged the heater.

St Mary's Cathedral

The Pro Cathedral of St Mary, New Plymouth, is the oldest stone church in New Zealand. The first part of the Church was begun in March 1845, and completed and opened for worship on St Michael's Day, September 29th 1846. The land on which it was built had been secured from the Plymouth Company of New Zealand by Bishop Selwyn in October 1842, during his epic journey around his Diocese on foot, ministering to new settlement communities.

After several weeks of not sketching, I have finally managed to get out again! Here is the result.

Have a look at the following website for old photos and information about St Mary's Cathedral:

http://www.elibrarynz.com/BLOG/WEB/St%20Marys%20New%20Plymouth.htm

St Marys Cathedral

A piece of New Plymouth's history - 1846 - NZ's oldest stone church.
View over to the annex