I woke up this morning to hear on the radio that it is National Wombat Day.

My non Australian friends may ask What is a wombat ?

I decided that I had wombat enough sketches to show you. All are sketched with watercolour pencil. I have noted which are from photos and which are in real life.

The sketches above were drawn as part of the Kate Johnson’s Watercolour Pencil Workshop in 2009. It was online and interactive with the wonderful Kate (Cathy) Johnson. This is when I really discovered watercolour pencils and have not used anything else since. I was very honoured when she asked to include this sketch (and a few more) in her book, “Artist’s Journal Workshop: creating your life in words and pictures” p 25. 2011 Noth Light Books

(above) Wombat burrows. On location at a friends property. I kept checking all through the night at intervlas, but did not see any wombats.

Happy Wombat Day everyone.

2023

I have submitted my entry in for the Blarney Books and Art Biblo Prize.

I enter each year, not to win, but to be involved and support Jo at Blarney Books in Art, which is in Port Fairy, a few hours from Melbourne, This is its 14th year, staying the same but changing slightly over the years. This year you pay the entry fee and receive a random book title of an Australian book published recently. You then creatively interpret the book in any format. People knot, make installation art, weave or paint,

Of course, I draw in my book.

This is my finished work. my assigned book and my Artist’s Statement .

The Sitter is the story of two women each narrating about themselves and the other. The Writer is writing about the life of Hortense Cezanne, the wife of Cezanne, and also reveals circumstances of  her own life. Hortense is with The Writer as she writes. Much of time, is in Covid-19 lockdown in a hotel in Paris. Hortense tells her own story and that of The Writer. They are each narrating, revealing secrets to us and keeping others.

My drawing in the book is of the two women looking out over Notre Dame in Paris. In my interpretation, Hortense is outside of the frame for once, and The Writer is the one framed.

So where did I begin?

I read the book three times. First, as a story, but being aware of what I might like to draw. The second read is very thorough and involves putting post-it notes on potential pages and writing lots of notes. The third time is spot reading, refining to just a few potential scenes.

When I have decided on my idea, I then start looking for images that will suit me.

I photocopy the page I am going to draw on a few times and then move ideas around.see below.

Below is how I built up the scene

I have submitted my entry and now wait. All entries go online and 100 or so get chosen to be in the exhibition at Blarney Books and Art in Port Fairy from December to February.

My blog posts usually show my sketching at an event that has happened.

This week I am planning for my Nature Sketching with Watercolour Pencil class next Saturday 14 October at Dromkeen homestead, just outside of Melbourne. As I write, there are still places left if you are nearby and would like to attend.

I last taught this class there in 2019 so I am reviewing my notes. The class will begin the same as my Travel Sketching with Watercolour Pencil classes. I explain the gear and then we scribble with the colours and see what happens to the colour on the page when the waterbrush is used on it.

My classes are all about looking and observing the world around you. And making/taking opportunities to make marks on the page.

If the weather permits we will go outside and look at some big picture sketching and then up closer. If the weather changes again in Melbourne, I will bring the outdoors inside, with collections of nature objects from around the grounds of Dromkeen. I will decide on the day. When I arrive I will take a walk around the property and see what os happening with the trees and plants. It is officially Spring here, but the weather has been strange, so the plants don;t know what to think.

Built in 1889, Dromkeen was once the country estate of Judge Arthur Chomley and later became home to the world-famous Dromkeen Picture Book Art Collection.
Now a privtae home it is nestled in the Macedon Ranges at Riddell’s Creek. Dromkeen is a National Trust home with gardens with a range of Australian native and European plants, a gazebo and sometimes two resident peacocks. Guests to Dromkeen are able to visit the Tea Room and browse in the galleries.

Here are some sketches from my previous visits.

Below are some of the Nature sketching books from my bookshelves.

The frst photo is some books that are for practical instruciton and inspiration.

Some more books from my bookshelves. Diaries and narture journalling. More inspiration.

And my newest addition received a few days ago as a birthday gift, along with some magnificent feathers from Woody the Rooster.

I am putting together my sketchkits that can be purchased by peopple attending my class. It will include a “Nature Sketching Hints and Tips” pGE.

We had a long weekend in Victoria (for the Footy Finals (!!?) and it was my birthday. I decided to take myself away on a long weekend to Port Fairy. It is 5 hours by train/bus and is a comfortable long weekend trip.

Below are just a few of the 11 double pages of sketches that I did.

Below is Port Fairy lighthouse sketched on a map from the Tourist Centre.

I started the day by sketching while waiting for the tram, then the train.

Then onthe train then at the bus stop. There is lot of waiting time.

I can’t seem to make this image smaller. so here is my giant licorice ice cream.

I took the opportunity to catchup with Port Fairy Sketch Club, which I had sketched with on their first meeting in February this year.

another giant image.

and that is only half of my sketches. The others still need to be completed and words written on the page.