This week I filmed sketching a cup of tea!
Very quick, unfinished, but complete.
I sketch my tea and coffee all the time. It becomes easier with practice as the are so many ellipses’ involved.
Happy sketching !
The Johnston Collection is an exhibition house of exquisite British and European fine and decorative arts in a historic East Melbourne townhouse. They have guided tours, amazing lectures, and events. I have presented a number Watercolour Pencil sketching classes in 2024 , 2025 and continue in 2026.
This is a unique opportunity to learn to sketch ‘on location’ at The Johnston Collection. Become familiar with watercolour pencils and how to use them. Then test your new skills as you explore the ground floor rooms of The Johnston Collection’s exhibition house, Fairhall. Have a look at their Special Events to book and see what else is on offer. Anyone can book for my event, you don’t have to be a Member.
These are all on location 15 minute sketches in watercolour pencil.I had not sketched any of these previously. Keep in mind I have been sketching daily since 2008.
Book HERE
Your ticket includes a welcome tea or coffee, watercolour pencil class, an on-location sketching experience in Fairhall, and a sketch kit to take home (comprising: sketchbook, 12 Faber-Castell watercolour pencils, and a waterbrush).
Class size limited to eight participants.
No equipment or previous experience is required – just bring your enthusiasm.
Taste & Temptation
This wonderful description is from The Johnston Collection wesbite:
Food and drink in the 1700s was more than mere sustenance. A table could display wealth, style, and luxury, be the setting for gossip and social intrigue, and reveal powerful political allegiances.
This autumn and winter, each room of historic East Melbourne townhouse Fairhall, has been theatrically reimagined to evoke the lavish art of eating and drinking in Europe in the eighteenth century.
Experience The Johnston Collection transformed into a series of atmospheric, period- appropriate tableaux.
Explore a haven for political rebels; a stylish Continental Kaffeeklatch where women enjoyed coffee and conversation; a sumptuous dessert setting; a baroque dining room laden with silver; and an elegant morning room for the rituals of dressing and hot chocolate.
View exquisite fine and decorative arts from The Johnston Collection in an exciting new arrangement, and discover the taste and temptations of eighteenth-century drinking and dining.
About the Guest Curator
Dr Matthew Martin is a specialist in European luxury arts of the 1600s-1800s. For 13 years, he was a curator in the Department of International Decorative Arts at the National Gallery of Victoria and is currently a faculty member in Art History and Curatorship at the University of Melbourne.
There are many fascinating presentation to attend, Have a look at the EVENTS.
See you at one of them.
Happy Sketching
Last Thursday night was the launch of the annual Melbourne Rare Book Week (23 July – 1 August) and bookings are now live! via the website https://rarebooksmelbourne.com/ You can view the program online or pick one up at various places around Melbourne. They will be at the the City of Melbourne Libraries as well as being distributed through cafe etc in the suburbs, Let me know where you see them !
The launch was a meeting for thorganisers, organisatioons hosting event, and speakers. I have been involved since 2015 and it is wonderful catchup with so many familiar faces and meeting some new people too.
I sat at the side of the room for a short time and sketched,
I am very honoured to be part of the MRBW family. My sketches are on the website and throughout the program (not the cover) and in the promotions for Melbourne Rare Book Fair, which is at the and of Melbourne Rare Book Week.
We had an interesting and entertaining talk by Simon Plant about Barry Humphries as a book collector..
I take the week off work and sketch at as many events as I can attend. I have looked tnrough the program and i will be at at least 21 events.of the 43 . The talks usually go for one hour and I stand at the back of the room and sketch the audience and room.
I am presenting a talk (so I wont be sketching at it) on the rare and historic dictionaries in the Supreme Court Library collection! There will also be a displayfor the month of July. I am going back to writing that as soon as I press the Publish button on this!
Many of you may have seen this on my Instragram and Facebook site during the week.This blog is for those family and friends who are not on social media.
Let me know if you have any quesiotns about Melbourne Rare Book Week.