In Memoriam

I went to the ANZAC dawn service this year again. It was another large turnout of people paying respects to those lost during different wars. I liked the darkness of the pre-dawn night together with the bright spotlights. It's hard to draw if your page is in a shadow so I found it more difficult than last year. (2015's is below)

Both of these were inspired by the 2014 sketch by Auckland's Murray Dewhurst. I really liked the blackness of the night, the strong shadows and the bright coloured spotlights on the monuments. This drawing of his (below) made me want to try my own:

Also, fairly recently, an urban sketcher from Germany, Florian (Flaf) Afflerbach, passed away. He freely admitted that he was starting to be known as 'the car guy', but didn't seem to mind. (I'd be okay with drawing cars like him too!) They were usually European cars in a three-quarter view with a slight 'fish-eye lens' distortion to the middle/closest area of the drawing. When our local sketch group was invited to draw a local car collection, I tried to draw a 1973 Triumph Stag in his style as a sort of tribute. (See Florian Afflerbach's sketches here.)

Classic cars

Vehicles from a 2009 Porche 911 ( a favourite for me  ) to classis American cars including this 1939 Cord -  among plenty of others  .  Thanks for the opportunity . MLB

Classics

A wonderful opportunity to sketch a tiny part of a private collection of very special cars. We were spoilt for choice

1951 Chevrolet Corvette although the shiny teeth (grille) went into production later in 1953

1932 Chrysler Six CM two door roadster - six cylinder engine with cast iron block, 217.8 cu in 80hp

Loved the chrome work around the windscreen and even the spare was a story in itself

Pridham House

Pridham House . The  New Plymouth Boys' High School assembly hall in my time , now named after a past Headmaster. Gracious design fitting the era and standing of this nationally famous school.   MLB ( 1961-65)

Pridham Hall NPBHS

Built in 1918 at the end of the Great War, this Harry Potter like building with ornate woodwork within was home to several of our sketchers during their High School days.  Pridham Hall is an important part of New Plymouth Boys' High School's history.  Ernest Pridham was the first headmaster from 1881 till 1911.

Trees

Sketching Pridham Hall on the NPBHS cricket field

Sketches by Patricia

Paritutu

Paritutu is a 150 metre tall volcanic rock on the coast of New Plymouth at Port Taranaki. It's a pretty weird mix of nature and industry here. You can climb the thing and see Mount Taranaki, the Tasman Sea and the natural coastline of cliffs and black ironsand beaches. Then turn around and you get the start of the port and tank farms. The smokestack that's there is from an old gas power station and is taller at about 200 metres.

Sketchers at work, Pukekura Park.

Here are a few of us in action:

 Mary and Brian

 Alan and Maurice

 Angela, Trevor, my empty spot, Patricia, Norah, Liz

Brian

Poet's Bridge, Pukekura Park.

A lovely sunny afternoon sitting sketching by the lake in Pukekura Park today. I decided to try
the Poet's Bridge again today.

Here is my sketch:
Pen and wash with watercolour.

The Taranaki Herald reported on 24 April, 1883 that, "the lucky winner who drew The Poet in the Auckland Autumn Handicap Sweepstake resides in New Plymouth, and has determined, in consequence of his good fortune, to erect a suspension bridge across the lake in the Recreation Grounds, to be called, we believe, "The Poet's Corner."

The lucky punter was James T. Davis, a local New Plymouth businessman, and the sum donated was £150. In the end the bridge was a fixed wooden structure with a span of 70 feet and has always been known as "The Poet's Bridge".

It was designed by Mr Henry Vere Barclay and the contruction was the responsibility of Mr Hooker. He was assisted by Mr William Campbell (carpenter), Mr James Bellringer (painter) and Mr James Revell (blacksmith). The bridge was officially opened on the evening of 10 March, 1884 by the Mayoress, Mrs Bayly.

In a tragic twist of fate, the donor, Mr Davis, was found drowned under the bridge in 1891.
The original bridge was rebuilt in 1938. Its colour scheme is based on the famous red-lacquered Shinkyo Bridge at Nikko,Japan.

Ref: Kete, PukeArili, George Fuller Collection.

Pukekura Park Tea Kiosk

In 1905 a Ladies bathing shed with tea rooms attached was constructed for 68 pounds.  It sent the Recreation Grounds Board well into overdraft.  The original land was purchased in 1876 and was called "The Rec".  Only in 1907 was the term Pukekura Park used, named after the stream which had been dammed to form the lake.  Pukekura meaning "Red Hill".

In 1931 the tea rooms were removed and a new tea kiosk constructed.

A steady stream of ice-cream purchasers queued up at the counter.