I write a blog post at this time each year looking back at what I have done during the previous year with my art.  I have found this is a very useful way of realising how much I have accomplished in a year, as I usually forget about some events or do not realise how productive I have been. It is a good reality check for me.

Below are my art projects and commercial activities in 2024. This year once again was a little different. There were more special projects and classes were at the end of the year.

Sketchbooks

Below is a photograph of my sketchbooks from this year. There are eleven 13cm x 19 cm Moleskine watercolor pencil sketchbooks. Some are in landscape format and some are portrait. I sketch every day and carry my sketchkit which includes watercolour pencils and sketchbook with me everywhere.

The numbers on the spine are the sketchbook numbers since I began my daily sketches in these Moleskine sketchbooks in December 2008. Can you tell that I am a librarian?

I usually scan every page of my sketchbook and put them all on Flickr (an image-sharing website). I add tags and group them into Albums of events Holidays or Projects.

I put sketches daily on social media Instagram and on Facebook. Facebook at Alissa Duke Art. I post daily on Instagram alissaduke1

I use Flickr as a depository of sketches. For example to locate sketches I have done of coffee if I am giving a class on food and drink. You will notice four of the sketchbooks are England Holiday. This was over six weeks around September. It was wonderful and I sketched all the time, just as I had planned. However, I have sketches from the holidays that still need to be uploaded. A project…

On Instagram I have 3246 posts and 2108 followers. It is interesting, but I am not really interested in numbers. I post to show everyone watercolour pencils, what they can do and also that everything is sketchable. Unfinished is ok.

Weekly Art Blog

I have maintained this, my weekly art blog. Thank you to the 78 followers of this weekly art blog. I hope that you find it enjoyable and interesting to read and full of information. Sometimes I write about hints and tips when using watercolour pencils, other times the blog will be about art events I am involved in and the rest are usually my sketches from the previous week. I hope that I can share a bit of my passion for drawing and watercolour pencils.

Please let me know if you have any questions or would like me to explain anything I do. If you would like to receive this weekly email you can Subscribe here.

Newsletter

I have 153 people who subscribe to my newsletter. The newsletter is for people who are interested in my art and would like to know when major events happen – new card designs, markets, exhibitions, and classes. They may not necessarily be interested in my Weekly Art blog, but still want to be updated.

I have had technical issues this year and have not been able to send a Newsletter since February.

in 2024

Melbourne Rare Book Week

I sketched at Melbourne Rare Book Week (MRBW) when I first moved to Melbourne in 2015 and since 2016 I have been the official sketcher on location for the week of talks, culminating in the Melbourne Rare Book Fair on the final weekend. I have met so many interesting people and made lots of friends through this event.

see all 35 sketches on Flickr and read my blog posts:

https://alissaduke.com/2024/07/melbourne-rare-book-week-and-fair.html

https://alissaduke.com/2024/07/melbourne-rare-book-week-days-1-3-2.html

This year, some of my sketches were used in promotional posters for Melbourne Rare Book Fair.

Below is the entry to Melbourne Rare Book Fair.

I did have a non artistic events in Melbourne Rare Book Week, by presenting a talk The Oldest Book in the Supreme Court Library. where I am a Librarian . We invited people to sit amongst the historical collection of the magnificent Supreme Court Library and learn about the oldest book in the Library, Statham’s Abridgment, which was printed in 1491. Discover what it is, and how this book came to be in the Library. Hear about its place in the history of law reports and how this five-hundred year old book relates to law reporting in Victoria today. You can listen to the presentation.https://www.lawlibrary.vic.gov.au/events/oldest-book-supreme-court-library

Royal Historical Society of Victoria – Artist in Residence

From RHSV :

Through a donor we’ve been able to commission talented artist, Alissa Duke, to do a series of sketches of life at the RHSV. So, if you come in to the Drill Hall over the next few weeks you might see Alissa sketching corners of our library, our volunteers lunching together, books (of course!), suitcases, manuscripts etc  These sketches will appear in our 2023 Annual Report and I hope they’ll end up in the book shop as ‘merch’.

the drawings below are from the Annual Report. See all of them and learn about the RHSV in the full report.

Melbourne Athenaeum Library – Artist in Residence

Over twelve months I identified and drew some unique items and features that are part of the Melbourne Athenaeum’s history and current life. I wrote about it in January and then again, when I gave a presentation about my year in November.

Watercolour pencil classes in 2024

I have run a number of classes in 2024. I did not run my own private classes as in previous years, but through relationships with other organisations. I have been a member of these organisations and was approached by them to hold classes.

Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria

I have been teaching one class for each Season

Read my blog posts at :

https://alissaduke.com/2024/03/nature-sketching-class-at-rbgv.html

https://alissaduke.com/2024/06/sketch-prep-at-rbgv.html

The Johnston Collection

I held two classes at The Johnston Collection, which has a superb collection of English Georgian, Regency, and Louis XV fine and decorative arts, and objet d’art which was a gift from William Robert Johnston (1911-1986) to the people of Victoria.  The Collection is displayed in a constantly changing domestic setting, in his former residence, Fairhall, This was a special event as you usually can book guided tours of this amazing collection, but you can’t stop and sketch along the way.

This event is supported by The Colin Holden Charitable Trust”

The first theme was ” A Home of One’s Own ”https://alissaduke.com/2024/01/sketching-in-the-johnston-collection.html

In the session the house was rearranged for the exhibition of Fit for a King. The class was just before Christmas and we titled it “Festive sketching.”

Athenaeum x 3 classes as part of Artist in Residence

North Gold Coast U3A

Coinciding with my visit to friends at the Gold Coast and Brisbane in Queensland (2 1/2 hours flight). I was invited to give a in-person class to North Gold Coast U3A in their final Advanced Art class for the year

Private commission x 1

Greeting Cards

My printed greeting cards with my drawings of the Supreme Court and the Library books and shelves were on sale to the legal community in Melbourne. At Law Books at Law Institute of Victoria and Ludlows.

East Melbourne Community Seedbank

I contributed to the establishment of a free seed library at East Melbourne Library by drawing images of the plant of the seeds in the packets. Read more about it here. https://alissaduke.com/2024/04/seed-bank-drawings.html

Clunes Booktown Festival

A highlight. I feel like this was made for me. I have a stall with my “Drawn in Books”. A whole weekend of books at Clunes Booktown Festival. Read about my time there https://alissaduke.com/2024/03/clunes-2024.html

ETSY online sales

I have a variety of greeting cards printed from my watercolour pencil drawings on my ETSY online store. I also have my “drawn-in books”  available for purchase there. 

Local Markets

I was happy to have a market stall with my cards and books at One local Christmas event. It was so lovely to catch up with local friends and meet some more!

… and looking forward to 2025

I have plans…

Melbourne Rare Book Week – the dates have been set. I have applied for the week off work.

Clunes Booktown Festival, I have been accepted to have a stall for my Drawn in Boks at Clunes. The weekend of 22 & 23 March.

The Johnston Collection. The new reimaging of the collection is “Inspired by Women. An amazing collection and presentation. The next class is on Sunday 19 January “Summer Sketching with Alissa Duke” This event is supported by The Colin Holden Charitable Trust”

Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. There will be a class in Summer. watch this space!

I hope that you have had a creative year and continue into 2025 Thank you for your support and questions.