A Birthday with the Queen

Young Queen Victoria

A more mature Queen Victoria

Today was the Queen’s Birthday and a holiday. Today I could sketch with Sydney Sketch Club.

We met where a young Queen Victoria stands elegantly outside St James Church, with Prince Albert her consort, on the other side of the street. Between them is a view to the majestic Hyde Park fountain.

The second Queen Victoria monument is a couple of blocks away outside a beautiful old building named after her. You suddenly see how much more mature and a lot ‘fuller’ she is than the previous one. However I kept her looking young in both. I thought she’d like that.

Sketch before hopping on the ferry

Getting to the wharf early meant I could grab a coffee and do a quick something of the view towards the city, and see the 2 ferries passing in the distance. Such a gorgeous morning, quiet – nobody going to work. Just the joggers, the early wanderers and people like me who do funny things – like sketch in public.

Managed another with watercolour pencil only, from the ferry as we went past Balmoral beach and I always love seeing Bathers Pavilion – it plays an important part in my painting life.

A glimpse of Balmoral Beach

It was with this group I took up sketching in a more serious way, after returning from painting in France and Italy about 3 years ago.

Jennifer is our tireless organiser, who said that because the Queen was busy today, we could all sketch her great great grandmother instead, and we’d still be celebrating her birthday.

The marvellous thing about Jennifer is that she takes all the pain out where to sketch. She works out where it will be and lets you know. You just turn up and sketch away. It can be anywhere in Sydney.

After a couple of hours Jen takes a pic of everybody’s books. You have lunch if you like and continue sketching the rest of the day if you still have the desire.

Sketchbooks on the steps

40 or so sketchers gathered and sat stood or sprawled around her feet. All doing great work each in their own particular way. That is the joy of sketching. You come away with a memory of that day in your sketchbook and you feel good.

Checking the sketches

©ErinHill2013