Due to technical difficulties, I was not able to access my blog until now. This is a last minute post with sketch done this evening at the Royal Historical Society of Victoria book launch.

I had left my sketchbook at home on the scanner and attended an event with my watercolour pencils and ink pen only. This was no excuse not to sketch! I borrowed some sheets of photocopy paper from the front desk.

I used my ink pen to draw across the A4 page, and onto a second page. I decided not to add watercolour pencil, but leave it in pen.

If I had forgotten my sketchkit, I would have borrowed a blue pen.

The book is Melbourne Ghost Signs by Sean Reynolds, published by Scribe. Amazing photographic documentation of stories of ghostly ads, aged signs and iconic architecture of Melbourne. Read more and purchase it here .

It looks so interesting and I can”t wait to dive deeper into my copy and discover Melbourne.

I had such a wonderful holiday in England. I was continually observing the sights, sounds, tastes, smells and touch of the England I experienced.

I had many exciting and fulfilling days in London, but the majority of my time was spent in a small English village in the South Cotswolds. I don”t drive, so arrived by train to a nearby city and the property owner collected me, helped me get groceries and dropped me off at the cottage, explaining how to use everything. From then on I walked everywhere and caught the local bus a few times.

I was happy to walk down English country lanes, past bramble hedgerows and drystone fencewalls. There were squirrels, robins, and everything I hoped for.

I soaked it all in and there was so much to sketch at every corner. As I was there for three weeks, I knew that I had time. I had to time take things slowly, revisit places, and look closer. I also had time to talk to people, ask questions, and read about the places I was sketching.

I only had my phone to use to record, and had not (then) figured out a way to record as I sketch. I did not bring my larger filming setup, even though it is in theory portable. I have since discovered a small attachable device that I could have taken with me to film as I sketch. A future experiment.

Here is the only sketch filming I did. It is watercolour pencil, and captures a special moment on my English holiday. Sketching in the churchyard of St Mary the Virgin, in Wotton Under Edge. The first record of Wotton Under Edge appears in 940AD as Wudetun, Settlement in the Woods, It is known that there was a church there at the time. This church was consecrated in 1283. Many changes have taken place over the last 700 years, but the basic layout has remained the same.

The organ was originally presented to the church of St Martins in the Fields in London in 1726 by George I who engaged Handel top play at its dedication. Installed here in 1800.

I walked passed this church most days and through the churchyards.

The bell tower, from which those wonderful bells tolled has eith bells, originally cast in 1756,

I was fortunate to be there for the Church Fete. and I went up the very very steep stairs to the bell tower and listened to the Bell ringers explain what they do. Fascinating. I could not sketch up in the bell tower itself, but did sit in the pews.

Below are those sketches.

Writing this page and adding the sketches has brought back wonderful memories.

There are more to be shared in future posts, although life returns to normal here. I start back at work on Monday and am sketching in my everyday sketchbook and giving some talks and classes. These will be added to my website soon.

I have returned from my six week holiday in England and a little break after that.

I had a wonderful holiday, fulfilling all my dreams. I have so many sketches to share with you and I am not sure where to begin. I photographed my sketchbook and posted daily while I was away to instagram ( alissaduke1) and facebook Alissa Duke Art. You can look and see them there.

I completed four watercolour sketchbooks (13x19cm) with my watercolour pencils and ink pen. I still have to scan all of these. This will take some time as some of the sketches still need to be finished and I have to write notes on many of the pages.

Here is just a glimpse.

ten days in London

three days of Goodwood Revival

three weeks in Coombe near Wotton Under Edge in the South Cotswolds

Each sketch tells a story and takes me back to the moment I was there .

I will share more with you.