Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Busy Elsewhere



I'm busy with another project right now, so I had to put my sketching on "pause". I hope to pick it up again next Tuesday, and I can hardly wait! Every time I walk past this stack of sketchbooks, I can hear their little voices calling to me.

I name them alphabetically, like hurricanes, because it helps me to keep them in roughly-chronological order. Here are Flo, Gabby, Hilda, Isabelle and Julia. My current one is Kelly. As soon as the other project is off my desk, I intend to celebrate with a wahoooo of sketching and colouring, so please brace yourselves. In the meantime, I hope all is well with you and yours, and I'll be back soon!

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Painting Murney Tower



I drew this one from life a few months ago, and am just getting around to posting it now! At the beginning of the summer, these guys were making Murney Tower all spic-and-span and ready for the tourist season. Now the tourists are starting to drift away and the students have flooded in to take their place. Where did the summer go?

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Sydenham Church Bench



Some mornings, I think so slowly it scares me. On my way to work the other day I noticed this bench and kept on walking. Meanwhile, my thoughts were plodding along like this:

"Ho-hum, where shall I go to sip my coffee this morning?"
Plod - plod - plod
"I'm actually early for work. I guess I'll just go and sit at my desk."

(You can see where this is going, eh?)



"Hey, look at that bench. It's facing backward."
Plod-plod-plod
"Maybe some students were horsing around with it."
Plod-plod-plod
"Or maybe it's supposed to be like that, so people can sit there and look at the garden."
Plod-plod-plod
"Or sit on it while they're sketching the garden."
Plod-plod-plod
"DOH!"

By that time, I was so far down the block I had to re-trace my steps. But it was worth it. I spent a gorgeous, satisfying half-hour sipping coffee and sketching. What a brilliant place for a bench!





Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Simultaneous Kingston



There's always a lot going on around here in the summer, but on Friday I think we outdid ourselves. On my way home from work, I counted EIGHT activities going on around City Hall, all at the same time:

1. The Confederation Trolley was loading up with tourists.
2. A couple of visiting sculptors from Zimbabwe were demonstrating their art.
3. A drum-and-bagpipe duo was playing some kind of Celtic-rock fusion.
4. A singer was belting out "Wastin' Away in Margueritaville."
5. A tour boat was leaving the dock for a dinner cruise of the 1000 Islands.
6. A motorcycle club was showing off a bunch of fancy-looking bikes.
7. The Movie-in-the-Square people were inflating their giant screen and getting ready for an evening show.
8. A jazz band was playing one old favourite after another for a happy audience.

Do we know how to launch a long weekend, or what? I hope yours was grand, as well. Welcome to autumn!



Friday, September 4, 2009

Coffey's for Breakfast



I don't mind waiting a few minutes for breakfast when George is busy, because the food is always hot and good. Also, his restaurant is on a busy corner and there are lots of interesting people to watch (and eavesdrop on!) I didn't draw the clientele this time because it was too early, and I was still trying to wake up. But I did manage to sketch half a chair and a couple of juice coolers before I hurried off to work. I coloured them when I got home.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Church for Sale



Queen Street Church has stood on this corner since 1863. More than once, it was destroyed by fire and rebuilt. In 2005, for the usual reasons--high cost of upkeep, dwindling congregations--it was put up for sale. Yesterday I noticed that it had been sold.



It's just a block away from the laundromat, so I sketched it while my clothes were in the dryer.



I wonder what will happen to it now?