Just a quick sketch from Marine Parade… South Cottesloe driving home from Freo. A strong South Westerly blowing in from the ocean whipping up the Indian Ocean, a few kite surfers about. Rottnest Island on the horizon, container ships waiting to enter Fremantle Port out at sea.
Month: November 2015
Fremantle Prison Courtyard
Fremantle Prison courtyard this morning, this is a world heritage listed Australian convict site….a very solid looking and imposing building built by convict labour from 1851 to 1859 using local materials…tons of limestone blocks. It was in continuous use for 130 years until 1991 when replaced a new facility partly as a result of a major riot and fire caused by the unhappy inmates. The sketch is drawn from just inside the main gatehouse with the clock above the gateway which chimes every hour. The weathered limestone wall is a lovely mix of white, yellow ochre, burnt sienna and indigo. The doorway I think leads to offices, the main entrance is to the left.
Jonathon’s excellent painting is also shown in the right hand picture below.
South Fremantle Power Station (disused) – Coogee
A quick visit to the abandoned South Fremantle Power Station today, a real quick sketch done at midday in the full sun, sitting on top of the sand dunes. This power station was built just after the second world war and constructed on North Coogee beach where it had its own seawater ponds for cooling the coal fired generator (there were originally four chimney stacks). It was decommissioned in 1985 and is heritage listed with various plans spruiked over the years to convert it to real-estate or commercial use but so far nothing has happened…it’s slowly deteriorating in the salty air. The building is fenced off and considered unsafe (asbestos and missing floors) although there’s lots of graffiti on the exterior walls and apparently a vast amount of paint on the inside walls. All the massive banks of windows appear to be devoid of glass. It’s a very striking building with strong lines and the huge windows appear to be several stories tall letting a lot of light inside (you can see right through the building from one end to the other from near the car park.)
Painted perched on top of the sand dunes at North Coogee beach, Mc Taggart Cove road, midday sun. (Usual painting equipment)
Bathers Beach, Freo
Bathers Beach, Fremantle on a windy morning…. strong Northerly wind blowing in along the beach, sitting in a large wooden beach shelter to hide from the sun. A few people about, tourists and school kids. The stripy beach huts were fenced off (next to Kidogo Art Gallery) not sure if they’re real huts for people to use or if they’re art installations! I changed some of the buildings to simplify the background and also moved the sea a little closer to the steps for better composition.
Lamy Safari EF fountain pen, De Atramentis Document Ink Black, Various watercolours in Pentel Broad waterbrush, homemade sketchbook with Bockingford 150gsm medium paper, some watercolour pencils.
East Perth Power Station (disused)
Quick sketch of part of the East Perth Power Station this morning.
Built around 1916 it originally provided power for the whole of the Perth metro area…. it’s location close to the CBD and on the banks of the Swan River enabled shipments of coal to be delivered to the door and the elevated shed in the picture was part of the coal delivery system…the conveyor led out into the main building for firing the generator. The station stopped operating in 1981 and is now heritage listed with the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority hoping to turn it into apartments (though in the present economic climate it could stand empty for another 30 odd years).
Soul Cocina Van
Stopped for coffee at this little food van parked on Mounts Bay Road this morning (between Eliza at Crawley Baths and the old Swan brewery). Good coffee, fabulous views across the Swan River and lovely shady trees to rest under. The crocheted cushion cover on top of an upturned milk crate added a little extra colour into an essentially green picture.
Lamy Safari fountain pen, De Atramentis Black Archive ink, various watercolours with Pentel waterbrushes (broad and fine) on homemade sketchbook (Bockingford 150gms medium)
Little Willy’s Cafe, Northbridge
Coffee at Little Willy’s Cafe on William Street, Northbridge this arvo. This table decoration was so striking …. two cactus in full bloom sitting inside a yellow pottery rhino, brown sugar and Tabasco sauce optional extras.
Lamy Safari fountain pen with De Atramentis Black Document ink, various watercolours, Pentel waterbrush, gouache on homemade sketchbook (Bockingford medium 150gsm)
Tranby House / Peninsular Farm, Maylands
Tranby House also now known as Peninsular Farm in Maylands, Perth. This is I think the front door as is has a large (I drew it a bit too large) iron door knocker on the front, a brass round knob handle and an old fashioned key hole. The stone plaque attached to the wall reads “Tranby house was built early in 1830 by Joseph Hardy, An experienced yeoman farmer from Yorkshire who arrived in Western Australia by the ship Tranby. during January of that year and settled upon this spot. This home was the first to be established in the district and this memorial has been erected the the Perth Road Board to mark that event.”
The house sits on the banks of the Swan river and is a very peaceful and quiet spot with a great cafe. The house is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
sketchbookblue 