You might be wondering why everything is so quiet on the blog front. It’s simple really. I am currently walking the Camino di Santiago across Spain with my partner. I am posting to other social media channels and I have run out of steam for the blog. Sorry!
We are sketching as we are walking. We walk up to about lunchtime, find our accommodation and then go out sketching in the afternoon .
The church at San Juan de Ortega Looking from our hostel to the church tower in Villafranca Montes de Ocas Abandoned buildings in Redecilla del Camino.The entrance to Burgos Cathedral
I will just share some photos as I haven’t reached any conclusions about the year. I’ve made work, communed with like-minded friends both online and in person around the world. Thank you all for being open and sharing your year with me as well.
Part of a major piece going on show in 2023.Some silliness with friends in Indonesia. A female (left) and juvenile male (right) Eastern Koels, summer visitors to our part of Australia. Sketching in my own backyard, late December. Sketching in other people’s back yards, Hila, Ambon, Indonesia in October. The Dutch built Immanuel Church, 1659 and locals fishing on the pier.
March turned out to be the month that we finally returned to cafe sketching – so far. I must say that I am a little bit rusty and am having to re-learn some of that flow I had previously. The fact that we have drawn every week for a month is quite a development in itself.
I am at the end of a very brief encounter with Ikara-Flinders Range National Park and I would desperately love to be giving it more attention.
The southern end of Wilpena Pound with a headcovering of cloud.
We have just spent the second of two full days staying at Wilpena Pound. Tomorrow we leave. The weather has been vile. Cold, rainy and blowing a gale. But, but, but … it’s breathtaking.
The view from Razorback Lookout with a rainbow between showers (PS that funny line in the photo is one of the wires around the lookout).
We have sketched from our car, all of the first day and some of our second day. But my biggest frustration with this experience is finding my own voice because I seem to be painting other people’s paintings.
Wilpena Pound from Razorback Lookout, sketched from the car while it rained and blew a gale.
Australians will have some familiarity with the work of watercolourist Albert Namatjira and possibly with photographer Harold Casneaux, whose image ‘Spirit of Endurance‘, was made only a short distance from where we are staying.
Before (left) and after (right).Thinking like me on the left and then remembering all those deep blue shadows in Namatjira’s paintings.
So when I start painting I see Namatjira’s work floating in front of me. It’s a challenge to paint with that over your head. However, the more I thought about it I realised that I should learn from those artists, before I worry about my own style.
Our hope for a day of sketching more at the farm disappeared along with the good weather.
As there were cows on hand, so to speak, I decided to start with them. In fact this is one cow and several calves, two which have been abandoned by their mothers and one belonging to said cow.
A cow and calves. Felt tip pen and watercolour.
I then moved back to the riding arena (the family breed stock horses) and sketched this still life. The orange ‘ropes’ are slings used in conjunction with the heavy machinery for lifting things.
Farm equipment on the wall. Watercolour and pencil.
leonieandrews 