A History of the World in 100 Objects – Perth Museum

A visit to Perth Museum while the rain fell with the Perth Sketchers, the museum is closing soon for a 4 year refurbishment, expected to re-open in 2020. Last and only exhibit on at the moment is the “A history of the world in 100 objects” – items lent by the British Museum. The oldest is a hand axe dated at over a million years old created by one of the first humans, found at a site in Tanzania, quite astonishing the age of this rock shaped by human hands. The most recent object is a credit card (expired)! Exquisite statues from around the world.

The above image is a composite from 4 separate pages of sketches.

“The Green Cactus” – Forrest Place, Perth

This is “The Green Cactus” sculpture in Forrest Place – the heart of Perth’s CBD. It’s a large green amorphous structure created by Perth born artist James Angus. There are mixed opinions of the work hence the “cactus” nickname. In my opinion it’s a welcome shot of colour in an area dominated by grey concrete and red brick. I believe that there’s a similar creation somewhere in Sydney but in a red colour.

Lamy Safari EF nib fountain pen, De Atramentis Black Document ink, Watercolour pencils (Faber Castell – Albrecht Durer), Pentel waterbrushes, White gouache on homemade sketchbook, Bockingford medium 150gsm paper.

Karrakatta Cemetery

Visited Karrakatta Cemetery yesterday and today. …..I was intending to paint something to enter for James Gurney’s graveyard challenge (plein air painting of anything graveyard related but with the restriction of using only 3 colours plus white).

This restriction on colour made painting (for me at least) really difficult and frustrating. I wasn’t happy with yesterday’s painting of this head stone (watercolour raw sienna, quin burnt scarlet and Indigo plus a little white gouache).

So I tried again today with marginally more success a horizontal grave (there may be an offical name for the types of graves, I don’t know).

Although the grounds were very peaceful with beautiful trees and flowers….I did find it an unsettling place even mid morning….my sense of unease wasn’t helped by a somewhat bewildered lady who was wandering around calling out for “John” (I presume her relative or husband).

The first burial at Karrakatta took place in 1899 when it took over from East Perth Cemetery which was filling up rapidly as the population expanded due to the gold rush. Adjoining Railway Road it covers quite a large area (almost 100 hectares) and there are many different styles of ornamentation (or lack of) according to the deceased’s religion and culture.

Kings Park Great War Memorial

Painting with the Perth Plein Air Painting group in Kings Park this morning, the day started cloudy and overcast but by mid morning the sun had broken through. This column is a memorial to the Jewish soldiers killed in the “Great War”, it’s a lovely piece of sandstone hiding underneath a giant Morton Bay Fig.

Arches 300gsm rough watercolour paper, Cobalt blue, Indigo, Raw Sienna, Burnt Sienna, Winsor Lemon paints, Toffee Brown ink.