Heron Point Golf

Sketchbook ~ Heron Point, Front 9

Sketchbook ~ Heron Point, Back 9

Figure Drawing

Untitled Female No 21, ink and watercolour, 4.5 x 3.5 inches, ©2017

Initial sketch at figure drawing session on Tuesday, inked on Wednesday and watercolour on Sunday. Just playing around with simple and spontaneous lines and colours.

Figure Drawing

Untitled Female No 20, ink and watercolour, 6 x 6 inches, ©2017

The Village Idiot

The Village Idiot, ink and watercolour, 3 x 4 inches, ©2016

The Village Idiot is a record store located in Wortley Village. They have all kinds of music from the 1920s forward, stereo equipment, furniture to house it and posters. With a slogan like “cool stuff for cool people” and that beautiful red paint, why not visit in person at 135 Wortley Rd (I couldn't find a website for them).

This illustration is available at The Art Exchange.

Commission - Old South

Cheryl Radford, McKenzie Ave.
Ink & Watercolour, 6 x 4 inches, ©2015

The big old tree in front of this home on McKenzie Ave is so beautiful, capturing the character and atmosphere of London's thriving, unique and historic Old South district.  Image size approx 6” x 4” and framed 8” x 10”.

On another note, I just read an article "Crediting your artwork" on The Art Biz Blog by Alyson Stanfield. It is important to do give yourself credit and to be consistent with the format of the credit. I have started now (and I have also fixed a couple of my images from recent posts) and will continue with this format in the future.

CEEPS 125th Birthday

Famed London watering hole the Ceeps celebrating 125 years in business. (By Hank Daniszewski, The London Free Press.)

Built as a hotel and tavern in 1890, the Ceeps has been a popular watering hole for Western university students for more than a century. It's the only historic pub in London with its own brew house on site, and also boasts the city's largest downtown patio bar.

This illustration (original sold) was completed for "Barhopping in History, London Ontario" book. Prints are available, at The Rusty Gate 524 Adelaide Street in London, Gift of Art - 19 Main Street in Grand Bend or contact the artist.

CEEPS

The Front Stairs

The Front Stairs

Another small painting that was at "Art of Old South" Available at The Art Exchange, 247 Wortley Rd. London.

Title: The Front Stairs
Medium: Ink and Watercolour
Image Size: 6 x 3

The Church Key Bistro Pub

More research for the upcoming book ... "Barhopping into History" took us to this pub for a beverage.

The Church Key Bistro Pub at 476 Richmond Street follows in the British tradition of the “gastro pub” … a bar / restaurant that serves high-end beer and food. This building was the London Mutual Fire Insurance Building, built in the 19 century. The elaborate front façade has Corinthian capitals atop granite columns with large amounts of stone on lower level. Because the south side faced the open space of St. Paul’s Cathedral, the architect carried elements from the front façade to side elevation. Today this is a great location for the summer patio.

Call the Office

Located at York Street and Clarence Street is Call the Office, a bar with decades of history. I had previously drawn this building in black and white, this time a colour version. This painting along with other black and white streetscapes of downtown London are available at Market Crafts, their new location at 121 Dundas Street.

(From www.neighbourgoodguide.ca) “Formally known as The York Hotel, CTO was once the hang out for the likes of Greg Curnoe, The Nilist Spasm Band and Jack Chambers. Now you can expect any given band on any given day of the week to stop in and play a show. Yes, the bathrooms have seen better days and the monitors have 20 years worth of spilt beer in them but that's why it's a gem. Everyone from ‘Radiohead’ to local heros ‘The Matadors’ have rocked the stage of Call the Office.”

Ink & Watercolour, Image Size: 3" x 4"
Framed Size: 8" x 10"
Available at Market Crafts, on Dundas Street, London

SS57 Call the Office

The Ceeps

Continuing with my Tavern Tour Series: The Ceeps. This is one of London’s oldest and most popular night spots. It was built and opened in 1890. An iconic place, super popular with the students of Western University. Over the last 120 years, many of the students have made and will continue to make this tavern their second home. Over the years, the Ceeps has tried to maintain a consistent atmosphere. This includes the huge round wooden tables that have been all carved up.

Ink & Watercolour, Image Size: 3" x 4.5"
Matted Size: 8" x 10"
Available at Gift of Art, on Richmond Street London



TT17 The Ceeps

Gift of Art

Dropped of 5 of my original drawings today, (including this one - TT14 Honest Lawyer) at a Gift of Art located at 575 Richmond Street in London.

 

228 Dundas street is current home to The Honest Lawyer. I stopped in for a beverage on a Wednesday evening, a couple weeks ago. Some history…  In 1909, Moore Henry and Munroe designed this four story building for the Ontario Furniture Company. Unique features include dentils atop the three stories of large bow windows, brackets supporting a protruding shallow roof. For decades it was the Duthler Textiles, I remember that store very well. Metal cladding hid the original beauty for years. Today it looks this.

 

TT14 Honest Lawyer (size 4" x 3")

Sketches of People

For the past couple of years, the majority of my drawings/paintings have been of architecture and streetscapes and of course a few golf courses mixed in there. A new project that I plan to start in couple of months will involve people ⁄ portraits ⁄ characters. I am currently filling up my sketch book with quick line sketches with splashes of colour, capturing the personality and mood of people.

From Sketchbook, Jan 24

Black Shire Pub

The Black Shire takes its name from the Black Shire breed of horses of England, which are known for their strength and nobility. For the past century, Shire horses have delivered beer daily in the city streets of London, England, and are the breed that carried knights into battle in the armies of King Henry II. Visited the “The Black Shire Pub” at 511 Talbot Street with friends Jordana and Sharon and enjoyed a Denison's Dunkel.  

 

Formerly: The Last Drop, which got its namesake from a pub in Edinburgh where prisoners actually had their last meal and drinks before being publicly hanged.

 

TT07 The Black Shire Pub

Portrait: Heidi

Heidi

With this portrait of HEIDI, I have focused on the face and eyes and faded out the body.  I have added a graphic element of quotes, with my favourite being “Again, I must remind you, that a dog's a dog-- a cat's a cat. T. S. Eliot.

Coates of Arms

The Coates of Arms is a British Pub at 580 Talbot Street (corner of Albert Street), just a short walk from home. I like this ‘historic, old home’ converted into a pub. High ceilings, lots of dark wood, traditional wall paper and lots of soccer trophies over the bar. It was the Alex P Keaton (closed March 2009). The beverage of choice, this visit was Boddingtons, based in Manchester, England, since 1778.

TT06 The Coates of Arms

Desert Golf

GH13 We-Ko-Pa, Saguaro

After watching a little of the Champions tour in Scottsdale, Arizona last weekend, I was inspired and reviewed my photos from our golf trip to Arizona earlier this past spring. My favourite course was We-Ko-Pa, Saguaro Course, designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw. This course was like no other that I have ever played. We were in the middle of a desert, with lush green fairways, century old cactus and surrounded by mountains… not a house, townhome or condo to be seen, truly in the middle of the desert.

Don Giovanni

Last fall on my trip to Italy, I attended the opera "Don Giovanni” at Teatro La Fenice. Thoroughly enjoyed it, despite the fact that I did not understand a word of it.... the music of Mozart was amazing. I was working on this artwork last Saturday afternoon and listening to Saturday afternoon at the Opera on CBC Radio. Ironically featured was "Nézet-Séguin’s first release Don Giovanni, featuring Ildebrando D’Arcenagelo, Vitalij Kowaljow, Diana Damrau, Rolando Villazon, Joyce DiDonato and Luca Pisaroni." Again, I didn’t understand a word of it, but enjoyed it. (Watercolour and ink, image size 7"x10")

SS45 York St, London

SS45 York Street, London

I worked at Charles Chapman Co. Ltd for almost 6 years. This was my first full time job, silk screen technician and later graphic artist. Chapmans was located on York Street, when I started working for them and later moved to Elias Street in East London. The Chas. Chapman Co Ltd was established in 1855 in London by Charles Brightmer Chapman, a former school teacher and a landscape artist of some renown. (size 3" x 6")

SS44 Richmond St, London

SS44 Richmond Street, London

Another Richmond Street streetscape, this is close to Victoria Park area. Coffee Culture, P’lovers (since closed), Romans Leather, and Executive Travel. I have to admit, this is one of my least favourite streetscapes that I have done, I prefer black and white. (size 4" x 10")

SS42 Talbot St, London

SS42 Talbot Street, London

I worked at MC Group for almost 15 years and part of the time was spent at 350 Talbot Street. Built in 1890, this building is associated with Massey-Harris Co. Ltd, a Canadian manufacturer of agricultural implements.
This was a showroom and repair shop for the company until 1950. This is a good representation of Romanesque Revival commercial architecture, a  style that shows strength and solidity with the rusticated stone-block base and stone coursing on the building facade. Large arched window openings and a vehicular archway on the first storey are also typical of Romanesque design.  (size 3" x 4")