I continued sketching my ranunculus last week as they opened.

all of sketches are in watercolour pencil

and some other sketches during the week

It was a cold Wintery week in Melbourne

On Saturday I held a class at The Johnston Collection.

The day before the class I drew some of the objects from around my own apartment for practice.

The Johnston Collection is a house museum of Georgian fine and decorative arts in a historic Melbourne townhouse.

It is a unique opportunity for a small group to sketch ‘on location’ at The Johnston Collection. We start with a cup of tea or coffee, and become familiar with watercolour pencils and how to use them. Then we try out new skills and pencils and explore the ground floor rooms of The Johnston Collection’s exhibition house, Fairhall. Everyone selects objects to record in their sketchbook, and record their impressions.

No equipment or previous experience is required, a sketchkit is supplied on the day – just bring enthusiasm.

The current exhibition SWAGGER is inspired by interior decoration and the performance of fashionability, Swagger examines the life of an English gentleman of the 1700s and 1800s. Each room of Fairhall, an 1860s townhouse in East Melbourne, has been re-imagined to evoke the worlds of Regency rakes, dandies, military figures, and men of business and leisure.The adornment,  surroundings, and behaviour of fashionable gentlemen reveal their unique tastes and style. 

I filled in some time waiting for the class to arrive and sketched some of a frame of a painting in the room.

Here are some earlier sketches I did on location.

This event is supported by The Colin Holden Charitable Trust.

Everyone had a lovely time and had lots of questions to ask along the way. I think some of them may continue to be inspired and motivated to keep sketching when they got home.

I look forward to ongoing involvement with The Johnston Collection and to see ther next reinterpretation of the house in September.