24 Oct 2020

Colourful Villa

 Today some of us had fun sketching Virginia's colourful early villa in Devon St West  She tells us it began life as a cottage built in 1862 with the frontage added in the 1870's.



21 Oct 2020

Fitzroy Beach

 A no-breeze glassy-water morning at Fitzroy Beach. Lots of surfers. 2 hours later, a breeze made it cold, the water was choppy and the surfers were gone.

20 Oct 2020

Alfa Romeos

 A calm New Plymouth morning found 50 Alfa Romeos from all over New Zealand parked up by the sea for their 'Show and Shine'.


The oldest there - 1958


All the way from Christchurch - with some coaxing when starting




I gather the cross is derived from the Milanese warriors, the right hand snake part was the symbol of the influential Visconti family.  The crown for when they became dukes in the 15th Century.  However I was puzzled about the bloke in the snakes mouth.  One owner suggested it represented a Saracen.  Alfa = Anonimea Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili. Originally made in Milan in 1910, it was bought by Nicola Romeo in 1915.  The company now owned by Fiat produces in the centre of the country in San Germano, not far from the site of the Battle of Monte Cassino - known to many New Zealanders

15 Oct 2020

Palm tree in the rain


In July, I drew our palm tree in the rain. This week, I added some colour to it.

8 Oct 2020

Unloading a Windfarm

A ship in Port Taranaki, New Zealand, unloads parts for a windfarm. I think that the parts were made in Italy but I'm not sure.