What better way to spend one's Birthday Morning......

............... than sketching with friends..  I had a wonderful morning.. The Brisbane City Sketchers are the best.. :-)

A4 Sketchbook 0.8 Unipin pen and watercolour

Shafston House - Brisbane Qld

Shafston House is a heritage-listed villa at 23 Castlebar Street, Kangaroo Point, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Robin Dods and built from 1851 to 1930s.

The building is now known as Shafston International College, it is freehold property once again - here is a current photograph. The building is a landmark feature for Brisbane's ferry and CityCat passengers.

Today I went there with the Brisbane City Sketchers to sketch.  Gorgeous day, and a load of fun.

Sketching in Centenary Place in Brisbane

Centenary Park, a heritage listed park,  was designed and constructed for the purpose of commemorating the centenary of European settlement in Queensland (1824-1924). Clearing of the land began in 1924 and the park was formed in 1925.
It covers an area of 8,748 square metres and is bounded by Wickham Street, Ann Street and Gotha Street, Fortitude Valley. The park was one of the last civic projects undertaken by the former Brisbane City Council prior to the formation of the Greater Brisbane Council in 1925. The park has been in continual use by the public since its creation and was extensively refurbished in 1999/2000
Celebrating the centenary of European settlement in Queensland was an important milestone in the state's history, an opportunity to demonstrate how far it had progressed in 100 years. From its beginnings as a penal colony, followed by the arrival of free settlers, separation from New South Wales, Federation and the First World War, Queensland had experienced many tumultuous events in its first 100 years worthy of commemoration and celebration. The creation of Centenary Place provided the public with a tangible means of doing this.

A4 Holcroft Sketchbook 0.8 Unipin pen and a touch of watercolour
  Centenary Park Fortitude valley..

Garden Club

The Gardens Club is a wonderful cafe in the Brisbane City Gardens. It was originally the Curators Cottage, long ago.

Parliament House Brisbane

I was sitting in a quaint Cafe in the Historical Heritage listed building "The Mansions" this morning filling in time before a meeting..

Pen and ink to start

Watercolour added

My travel kit

Awesome sketchout this morning at Words Smith cafe

Fun morning at the university of Queensland at St Lucia.  We holed up in Wordsmiths Cafe as it was some hot after the horrendous thunderstorm at 4.30am.

The University of Queensland was the first university in the state and was officially founded on April 16, 1910

Teaching started in 1911 in Old Government House in George Street, Brisbane. In the first year there were three faculties – Arts, Science and Engineering – and 83 students (60 men and 23 women).

After World War I, the University expanded rapidly and soon outgrew its inner-city location. In 1922, an additional site in Victoria Park (now occupied by the Medical School) was secured. Four years later, Dr James O’Neil Mayne and his sister Miss Mary Emelia Mayne provided funds to buy the St Lucia site where the University’s main campus is now located. Construction started on the St Lucia site in 1937 and the first building, later named the Forgan Smith Building after the Premier of the day, was completed in 1939. During World War II, it became the advanced headquarters for the Allied Land Forces in the South West Pacific.

First sketch of the day on toned pastel paper and charcoal.

 

 

 

 

 BRISBANE CITY SKETCHERS at work

 We had an audience.

Queensland State Library

What a wonderful morning with the BRISBANE CITY SKETCHERS We sketched at the library today, firstly outside, for an hour or so until 10.00am when the library opened.  

I love sketching in the "Red Box".  The "Red Box" is encased in full length windows, which gives the impression of being suspended over the Brisbane River, it is a fabulous place to make art, quietly, and the views are endless.

 This sketch was made with me sitting in the Library Cafe

Sketched on tones pastel paper with charcoal.

A4 sketchbook 0.8 Unipin pen

Finally inside the Red Box.  They have tiered seating at the back of the room and three two seater chairs in the front. It is a quiet room for studying, and makes a wonderful haven for quietly drawing..

REGENT THEATRE - Brisbane Qld

The Regent Theatre is a heritage-listed building, located at 167 Queen Street, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.  It was one of the original Hoyts' Picture Palaces from the 1920s. 
It was constructed as the first and only American-style picture palace, reflecting the opulence and grandeur of the great Hollywood era, to be built in Queensland, and was one of many operated by Hoyts in Australia.

The original interior decoration was a mixture of Spanish Gothic and Romanesque. The mezzanine foyer contains a white marble staircase, made from Queensland marble, along with vaulted cathedral ceilings. A total of 2,600 patrons were able to be seated in air-conditioned comfort.  Sadly the theatre was demolished in 2010 to make way for office buildings.  All we have left is the foyer.  Look HERE to see what is way like..

BRISBANE CITY SKETCHERS sketching Queen Street Mall

Fun morning, sketching in the city.  I love sketching with this group, they are such fun people.  Lots of laughs. :)  

Before 1842 and free settlement, Queen Street was originally a track leading from the main section of the early Moreton Bay Penal Colony, crossing a stream known as Wheat Creek with a deviation going up to the Windmill.  Today, it is a bustling pedestrian mall, that has 25 million visitors a year walk through.

A4 Holcroft sketchbook - Pen and Watercolour.

Wellington Point - Brisbane - Qld

Fun morning sketching with a girlfriend at Wellington Point. It is a beautiful place to go make art..

Wellington Point was named by a surveyor in 1842, inspired by the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 where the Duke of Wellington led the British against Napoleon. 

Sketching Manly Boat harbour with the BRISBANE CITY SKETCHERS

What a fun morning.  Seven of us came out to sketch and it was a blast.

Quick sketch while I was waiting for the group to arrive in my A5 sketchbook

Baywatch Cafe is a lovely cafe to visit.

Sketching at an outdoor movie

I went to an outdoor movie tonight. Filling time until the movie started.
A5 sketchbook watercolour and pen and ink