SS05 Dundas Street, London

Another streetscape of downtown London, Ontario.

What says history and London more than Kingsmill's. This family run business was established in 1865 by Thomas Frazer Kingsmill, an Irish immigrant. The Kingsmill family continues to offer fine products and services from this art deco style building in downtown London. Keep walking down Dundas Street and you find - The Met, which dates to 1890, currently an artisans weekend market. This location was Canadian head office for Metropolitan Department Stores, and also a Bargain Harold’s, Saan and Red Apple.

SS05 Dundas Street, London, ON

"Drawings" at Sunset Arts

About the Show at Sunset Arts Gallery in Grand Bend

A collection of “Drawings”. Black and white, with a small splash of colour. The human form, architecture and golf. Traditional figure drawing has always been a favourite subject of Cheryl. The human body is truly a magnificent work of art.

In August of 2007, Cheryl spent two weeks in a converted medieval monastery in Limoux, in the picturesque Lanquedoc area of Southern France. She loved the medieval towns and hilltop villages with their rich history and amazing architecture. When she returned home, she began to take more notice of the wonderful architecture right in southwestern Ontario. Sometimes you have to travel half way around the world to really appreciate and notice whats right here.

Another favourite subject or obsession... is golf. For Cheryl, golf is not just about the landscape, it's about combining the figure, history and landscape elements together in a piece of artwork. Golf is truly about respect for your fellow players, the game and the environment.

About the Artist

Cheryl Radford currently lives and works in London, Ontario. She grew up on a farm just outside Londesboro in Huron County. Starting with a diploma in Fine Arts, she went on to work in the graphic arts industry for many years, but recently made the switch back to the fine arts.

With 3 part time jobs; London Potters Guild: Program Administrator, Art Rental & Sales Gallery: Gallery Assistant and Keys by Troy: Bookkeeper, Cheryl spends allot of time doing detailed work at a computer. To Cheryl, one of the real joys is the simple act of drawing. Time to draw, is really an escape from the complicated computerized world. Cheryl believes drawing is the cornerstone of all visual art and there is nothing wrong with being known as an artist who draws. She considers drawing to be a primary medium, not a preliminary sketch for a painting, sculpture or another medium.

“I draw inspiration from all that life has to offer; a variety of people, work, the seemingly ordinary natural surroundings right here in London, to going away golfing at pristine golf courses. In the words of George Bernard Shaw: Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.”

SS02, Mainstreet, Bayfield

SS02, Mainstreet, Bayfield

This is a streetscape of village of Bayfield, a rural village with gourmet dining, art galleries, boutiques and historic buildings.  With a mere 900 permanent residents to that swells to over 2500 in summer, this quaint Lake Huron town has allot to offer.

This is a small portion of Mainstreet, Bayfield, a histoic portion that dates back to 1850.  The Albion Hotel, with it's original Geogain Colonial architecture and the beautifully restored Black Dog Village Pub and Bistro, circa 1850.

This drawing that will be featured at Sunset Gallery in Grand Bend, where I am the Guest artist between July 10 and 23.

Golf Quotes

I received an email a couple weeks ago, with famous golf quotes superimposed on amazing golf courses photography. Some more searching turned up hundreds of quotes by many famous, not so famous and unkown persons. In this peice of artwork I have incorporated some golf quotes that relate to how I feel about the game. Of course, certain quotes bring to mind a specific person... everyone know someone who has thrown the putter!

This is a drawing in the KOLF series. "Walking down any fairway you can sense the tradition and history of the sport. You can almost feel the presence of the likes of Bobby Jones and Babe Zaharias." The hole depicted here is based on Number 1 at Greenhills.
To see more of this series and other works of my art, visit Sunset Gallery in Grand Bend, between July 10 and 23, where I will be the feature artist.

Heron Point, Sunday

Golf on Sunday at Heron Point, at Alberton (near Hamilton). Normally I like to walk and carry my clubs, but we road in a cart on Sunday, mostly because its easier to draw. Playing other Clublink courses, I am more inspired to draw. "Heron Point has played host to several Canadian Tour events, including the 1997 Canadian Masters won by Mike Weir at 18 under par, serving notice that his PGA Tour future was bright. This mix of meadowlands, linksy terrain and wetlands designed by Thomas McBroom provides a true test of anyone's game." Clublink

No. 6 Par 5

No. 8 Par 3

Managed to sketch 6 holes, here is No. 6 and No. 8. Didn't play very well, posted 95 (ESC), real score would have been about 102.  ESC: Equitable Stroke Control, is a system used by the USGA to minimize the effects of "disaster holes" on a golfer's handicap index. Then, playing at Greenhills on Tuesday for ladies night. Game was much better, in fact best this year at 82.

London Clay Art Centre

Small drawing, approx size 1.5" x 1.5" of the London Clay Art Centre, located at 664 Dundas Street in London's historic Old East Village. I did a detailed rendering in Adobe Illustrator, but it was "too perfect". The image needed to have a "hand made" look, as it is to be used on a small label for the paper bags in retail store which sells handcrafted local pottery. The building does not currently look like this, but plans are in the works to restore the building’s Victorian facade.

Robinson Hall

Sketching last thursday night with my friend Kym, downtown London by Robinson Hall, in front of the Covent Garden Market. Was a little cool, so we only sketched for a short time, before going for coffee. A quick reference ink sketch for the series of streetscapes that I am working on. This may have been a bank originally, but I'm not sure?