4 Painter/Sketcher Girls in the South of France

June 4, 2014 by Erin Hill Sketching

May 2 – May 10 2014 We are 3 painter/sketchers who’ve been meeting in wonderful locations round the world for years, and immersing ourselves in what we love doing most. Painting and sketching. We invite a 4th friend on most of our trips. It all started in The Greek Isles. Next came Tuscany.  After that the Rhone Valley in France and then Tuscany again, and all a few years apart. So this year we would come from our homes in […]

Categories: Art, Family & Friends, French sketches, My Artist Friends, Painting holidays, Painting in France, Sketching in France, Travel Sketching, Villages of France • Tags: Painting Friends, Sketch Holidays, Sketching in South of France, Trausse Minervois

Melbourne Cup Day, Hats & High Heels

November 6, 2013 by Erin Hill Sketching

It’s the day Australians dress up. I mean r-e-a-l-l-y dress up. Hats , high heels, designer frocks, Top hats and tails – and everything in between. This is Melbourne Cup. The first Tuesday in November. Big day in Oz. A public holiday in Melbourne CBD. Might as well be a national Holiday. Is anybody at work? Glenys my painting friend from NZ was to be in Sydney on this day and wanted to know what we’d be doing. MMMmm. Lets […]

Categories: Art, Creative food, Local Foods, My Artist Friends, Sketching Chocolat • Tags: Amedei chocolate, Australia, Fascinator, Melbourne Cup, Sydney, Tuesday

Sketching Together

July 26, 2013 by Erin Hill Sketching

A couple of sketches done recently, with Jeanette from country Victoria and Vivianne, one of our effervescent tutors. One in line and watercolour, the other in line and watercolour pencil. Sketching together is so enjoyable. The coffee order placed, then the silence as we sketch away at whatever is around us. We were on the ferry to Sydney together, just Jeanette and I as part of her Sketch & Stay week. This was quite a highlight for her. To think […]

Categories: Art, Great coffee, Line & Watercolour, My Artist Friends, Sydney Harbour, Traveling & Sketching • Tags: Flickr, Food, Jeanette, Sketching, Sydney, Victoria, Vivianne

A Birthday with the Queen

June 10, 2013 by Erin Hill Sketching

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 […]

Categories: Art, My Artist Friends, Places of note, Public Art, Sketchclub • Tags: Queen Victoria, Queen's Official Birthday, Sketching, Sydney

Exhibiting at Raglan Gallery, one of our Sketchers.

April 19, 2013 by Erin Hill Sketching

What a great show. Karen is one of our sketchers, and had made mention that she’d had some work accepted at Raglan Gallery, one of the best galleries in Manly. Known for some excellent contemporary works, glass and ceramics. But that had been some time back. Then she rang to say her work was in a ‘small paintings’ show opening on Friday night. Of course I’d go. This is a huge achievement. To have paintings accepted to start with and […]

Categories: Art, Art appreciation, Art exhibitions, Contemporary Art, My Artist Friends, Painting • Tags: art, Manly, Painting, Visual Arts

Happy Open Day in the Studio

January 27, 2013 by Erin Hill Sketching

It was after all Australia Day! But many interested people happily left their sausage on the BBQ to come and see us and find out about sketching classes.   Joanna was keen to have helium balloons for our festive opening. So we had a couple of bright bouquets of them inside and out. I myself me – made apple and cinnamon muffins which people seemed happy to try! I assure you I am not known for these previously unheard of […]

Categories: Art, Family & Friends, My Artist Friends, My Painting Studio, Out & About Sketch Classes, Sketch & French Classes, Sketching Classes • Tags: Australia, Australia Day, Barbecue, Joanna, Sketch, Sketches

International Sketchcrawl Day

January 19, 2013 by Erin Hill Sketching

This is the 38th International Sketchcrawl. The idea is to sketch whatever happens over that day, and share on line….. Jenny, Ethna and I caught the 8.50am ferry to Circular Quay, and worked our way up those lovely old stone steps to Macquarie St ( reminds of the ones in Montmartre) then through the Botanical Gardens to Palm Court Centre. A big group gathered and Young, one of our Saturday class was excited to be among them. This is big. […]

Categories: Art, International Sketchcrawl, My Artist Friends, Sketchclub, Sketching Gardens • Tags: Botanical garden, International Sketchcrawl, Sketches

Urban Sketching at Pyrmont

January 12, 2013 by Erin Hill Sketching

This is Liz and Alissa’s baby. A get together of passionate sketchers who would rather do this than anything else. With my brand new sample sketchbook from Stillman & Birn, I hit the streets. The word was it’d be 40+ degrees again, so from Liz was, only come if you are keen So that’s a definite. ‘Yes’ for me. I sketch in any weather as do most of the others. This is an early part of Sydney established for workers […]

Categories: Art, My Artist Friends, Quick Sketches, Sketching architecture, Urban Sketchers Sydney • Tags: Alissa, Liz, Sketch, Sydney

Cafe/Sketchup at Belgrave Cartel

January 11, 2013 by Erin Hill Sketching

Still holidays but Monica was back in town, so couldn’t wait to organise a sketch and catchup. When I arrived at 10ish or so, I wandered out to the spacious back room, off the sun lit side passage, to see at least 3 of the girls totally absorbed in their sketching already. Belgrave Cartel is once again one of our fave meetup places to sketch. Since the renovations they’ve opened up a back room now connected by a sunny walkway […]

Categories: Art, Bright Colour, My Artist Friends, Painting Techniques, Sketching Cafes, Watercolour Painting • Tags: Belgrade Cartel, Capetown, Composition & Colour, Liz Steel, Manly, Monica, Sketch, Sketches