Merry Christmas Everyone!

Hope you all have a great Christmas and a very Happy New Year!

Made by my Grandson.

Jackie.

Te Henui Cemetery.

Our last Saturday afternoon sketching for the year was at Te Henui Cemetery. I tried old rusty wrought iron railings.

Port Taranaki near The Bach.

A beautiful day to be out sketching today!

Manous Cafe

Manous is run by a friendly Iranian, featured here in the doorway in his distinctive hat.  The place is an eclectic collection of nautical gear, ropes, portholes, life savers and flags.

The Port

Sketched by Patricia

Not summer yet

The weather lately has been shocking and more rain for this weekend too. People dressing down to battle the elements.

Wednesday Sketching

I have been thwarted lately with my Saturday sketching, but here's a couple of sketches from Wednesday Art.

Borage in Eileen's Garden.

 

China Duck on Eileen's Wall.

 

Puke Ariki

From Alan's garden

Puke Ariki

Sketched by Patricia

Melbourne

Melbourne ... I could either shop or sketch...so Trish did a bit of the first and I people watched and sketched....made us both happy !!  MLB [ click on the image for a bigger view ]

South Bank

While the Taranaki Sketchers have been hard at it ...see the great work on this site... Trish and I spent a few days in Melbourne visiting our family.  This image of the 1888 bridge was from the Southbank -MLB

Stone Carving

Denise -Te Kupenga

 

 Resident chooks at Te Kupenga

Stone Carving

 
Sketched by Patricia

Flowers & Bikes

Mike's Bike - up for a ride from Wanganui

 

Fernery Flowers

People



Brian  

The Landing

 

Sketches by Patricia

Restored Kaponga Church

This old church as been very tastefully restored by Paul and Pat Ekdahl. They now have it on their Junction Road property amidst a beautiful garden that they use to host weddings.

This Anglican church was built in 1901 on a site in Egmont Street, Kaponga. The architect was Mr Swan and it was built by Mr Robertson, a local tradesman. This is an archival photo of it from the 1920's.

Here's a few photos as well:

Rainy Weather Sketching

The local sketchers made the call to sketch inside on this soggy morning so I've been practicing drawing plants today. 

(This is in the Fernery at Pukekura Park.)

This old church

This old church was just up the road from where I lived in Kaponga, south Taranaki.
It has been beautifully restored by Pat and Paul Ekdahl and is now on Junction Road New Plymouth. The quick sketch is probably more as I remember its condition rather than the wonderful presentation it now offers.  MLB

Kaponga Church & Caddy Eldorado

The 1901Anglican St Marks Kaponga church was relocated to Junction Road and beautifully restored. A special setting for weddings with white blooming flowers surrounding.

Three stain glassed windows adorn the northern end.  St Mark flanked by St Peter and St Barnabus.

Paul also restores classic American cars.  Check out the teeth on this Caddy Eldorado convertible

Kaponga Church

Relocated Kaponga Church - beautifully restored by Paul and Pat Ekdahl and used for weddings

 

Sketched by Patricia

Day at the Races

Mud Café Urenui

 

Day at the New Plymouth Races - including Jack Russell races

 



Race Day fans - three tattooists quenching their thirst

 

Jack Russell owners & trainers

Optimus Prime

I just got back from my original hometown in Canada, visiting family and friends. Lots of nostalgia and memories! We drove by my old school where, back in the 80's, we discussed the details of the latest episode of the Transformers. This time (in 2014), at a hotel across the street from the school, was a real Transformer. We stopped by and checked it out. Sure enough, it was the real deal. It was an Optimus Prime that I overheard was used in the some of the driving shots in the movies. The truck had Kentucky license plates and was in town for a truck show. Lots of people were stopping by and the kids with the ear to ear grins would shout something to their parents like, 'See?! I told you it was an Autobot!' At first I thought that there were security guards walking around the truck but it turns out that they were just cops who also stopped to check it out (and to snap a few selfies).

(I protected the identity of the cop in this picture... not because he was a police officer, but because I didn't want to get a transformers fan in trouble for not working!)

Zoo

Brooklands Zoo.  Can you spot the cartoon chook lurking amongst these creatures

Zoo

Sketched by Patricia - Brooklands Zoo