Buddy

Sketchbook - Buddy

Poinsettia

Sketchbook - Poinsettia

"Poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima), members of the diverse spurge or Euphorbiaceae family, have become a modern-day symbol of the holiday season in many countries around the world. Indeed, they are also known as Christmas Stars. Their scientific name, which translates as "the most beautiful euphorbia," is very appropriate." More info

Kris Moose

Sketchbook - Kris Moose

I decorate very little for Christmas. I don't put a tree. I do however have a couple stuffed toys that I bring out every year. Of course they are high off the floor, so the dogs are not temped to think they are toys for them. 5am and can't sleep, they become my subject matter.

Mac and Buddy

Sketchbook Pages - Mac and Buddy

We got a new dog at the beginning of September. Buddy is a beautiful six year old Golden Retriever, whose owner couldn't look after him any more. Mac, our eight year old chocolate lab mix rescue dog and Buddy get along great! So now, on evenings when I  just want to draw something I now have 2 models. By about 7pm they are usually both sound asleep on the couch.

Mac and Buddy

Sketchbooks

I have a shelf of sketchbooks. Some from the early 1980's, but most are from about 2001 to now. They range in size from 4.5 x 4.5 inches to 14 x 17 inches. Some are filled with pencil sketches, others are ink and watercolour. I have tried different brands, hard cover, soft cover, spiral bound. Size and brand depends on season, of current project or sometimes just which sketchbook is on sale. My preference is hardcover which withstands constant use over the time it takes to fill one. Sometimes I have more than one going at a time. Small ones fit in my golf bag and are easy to take on location and large hard cover ones for everything else.

Shelf of Sketchbooks

Commission - Dairy Dip

Cheryl Radford, Dairy Dip, Grand Bend 
Ink & Graphite, 5 x 8 inches, ©2015

This building is not really historic, but the Dairy Dip and Pizza Place in Grand Bend has been a family tradition since 1960. The building is very colourful and busy, characteristic of the shops on the strip in Grand Bend. The photo reference was taken at unique angles, so it was challenge. Google street view was a great tool to get more visual information in order to complete the illustration.

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.

Commission - Courthouse Sqaure

Cheryl Radford, Goderich Courthouse Square
Ink & Graphite, 5 x 8 inches, ©2015

Over the next couple of weeks, I am going to post some recently completed commissions. I spent two summers living in Goderich, whose downtown has an octagonal traffic circle known as 'The Square'. This ink and pencil illustration, approx image size 5" x 8" was completed about a month ago. I think I should draw all the sides of the historic and beautiful square."The unique layout of Goderich's core encompasses eight primary streets radiating from an octagon bounded by eight business blocks. READ MORE."

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

End of Golf Season?

The golf season may be coming to a close, but it's not over yet... as long a weather cooperates on the right days, I plan to get a few more rounds in. Looking back in my summer sketchbook of golf, I have sketched over 300 golf holes, some holes more than once. With 16 different golf courses and a total of 288 different holes, its been a great summer!

Season is changing and it's time for something new ... but what will it be?

Ironwood

Sketchbook Page ~ Ironwood

Ironwood Golf Club, located just outside of Exeter, started in 1965 with just nine holes. The original 9 hole architect was Dave Ferguson. Architect John F Robinson did a rework of original nine and added nine more, with the new 18 hole course opening in 1990. Tree lined fairways, gentle rolling hills, some water make this walkable course enjoyable to play.

Heron Point

Sketchbook Pages ~ Heron Point

Designed by Canadian architect Thomas McBroom, Heron Point Golf Links is a mix of rolling meadowlands and wetlands, dense stands of trees and links-style golf with fescue-covered mounds. One of his earliest and still one of his best and boasts one of the greatest finishing holes in Canadian golf.

Montreal Golf

Sketchbook Page ~ Le Fontainebeau

Its a long drive from London to Montreal for just a long weekend! We were staying in "Old Montreal" but did not have enough time to really enjoy it. But did enjoy the three golf courses we played. Some sketched on location and some sketched later from photos.

Club de Golf Le Fontainebleau opened in 2003. "Designed by Graham Cooke and Darrell Huxham, the 7,105-yard, par-72 layout has strong green sites with large putting surfaces that are highly contoured and protected by bold bunkering."

Sketchbook Page ~ Le Matre

Le Matre is ranked No. 2 in Quebec by SCOREGolf in 2010. "Le Maître reflects the precision and power of Masters champion Fred Couples who, along with architects Gene Bates, Graham Cooke and Darrel Huxham, designed 18 superb holes along the Riviere Diable (Devil's River) in Quebec's spectacular Mont Tremblant region."

Sketchbook Page ~ Islesmere

Club de golf Islesmere, which opened in 1919 is a traditional parkland course that offers an enjoyable but challenging walk through the woods. "Islesmere is a tree-lined, narrow, strategic course; patience is truly a virtue here."

Muskoka Golf

Sketchbook Page ~ Rocky Crest

The inner organizational freak started to take over and I started to draw my grid of nine holes before I got to the golf course, so that I could neatly capture the front nine on one page and back nine on the next page. The other change is using brown ink with coloured pencil. Some sketched on location and some sketched later from ipad photos.

"Rocky Crest Golf Club celebrates the natural features of the Canadian Shield in Ontario’s Muskoka region and was designed by Thomas McBroom."

Sketchbook Page ~ Lake Joseph Club

"In 1997, The Lake Joseph Club caused jaws to drop around the golf world. Architect Thomas McBroom utilized the granite crags, towering trees and heaving topography of the incomparable Muskoka vacation region north of Toronto with such success that the course was named the best new course in the country by Golf Digest."

Innerkip

 

Innerkip Highlands Golf Course is a public golf course that opened in 1978 as a 9 Hole course, and became 18 holes two years later. Trout Creek brings water into play. The 5th hole features an island green.

Glencairn

Glencairn Golf Club was established in 2005and designed by architect Thomas McBroom. "It’s been said that Glencairn is the closest you’ll come to Scotland without crossing the Atlantic. From the moment you pass the stone gates and wind your way between rock fences to the majestic multi-turreted clubhouse, you will feel like you just arrived at a Scottish links."

TPC Michigan

TPC Michigan a Jack Nicklaus signature course. "Built on land originally purchased by Henry Ford, the course was the world’s first to receive the John James Audubon Environmental Steward Award for ecological restoration. As a testament to its TOUR quality excellence, the course hosted The Ford Senior Players Championship for 16 years – one of only five majors on the Champions Tour."

Summer of Golf

All summer I have been taking a break from large projects with deadlines (the last couple of years have been too busy with book illustrations and shows!) My plan was simple. Play golf and sketch all the golf holes. I was able to sketch some on location, but many were done after the round from photos taken during the round. It's refreshing to sketch/draw for no reason!

Over the next few weeks, I will share some of the pages from my sketchbook.

June 2, 2015 played Greystone Golf Club."Sculpted into the edge of the Niagara Escarpment, Greystone is one of the most scenic and respected parkland courses in the ClubLink family."

from sketchbook ~ Greystone Golf Club

Historic Woodfield

Large mature trees and intact Victorian streetscapes make up historic Woodfield district of downtown London. (between Richmond, Dundas, Adelaide and the CPR tracks to the north). When I walk to work, I walk thru this area and at the corner of Queens Ave and Adelaide Street is this building. This small original illustration, along with other Old East Village illustrations are available at The Rusty Gate, 524 Adelaide St N in London's Old East Village.


Cheryl Radford, Info-Tech Research Group
Ink Watercolour & Gouache 4 x 6 inches ©2015

Aeolian Hall

The Aeolian Hall is home to the Aeolian Hall Musical Arts Association and is located at 795 Dundas Street East in London. An illustration from the book "Hopping into History, London's Old East Village"

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of the book "Hopping into History, London's Old East Village", visit one of these London retailers.

Palace Theatre

The Palace Theatre is home to the London Community Players, operated as The Park movie theatre from the 1950's until it closed in 1989. It is located at 708-712 Dundas Street East in London. An illustration from the book "Hopping into History, London's Old East Village"

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of the book "Hopping into History, London's Old East Village", visit one of these London retailers.

London Clay Art Centre

London Clay Art Centre is owned and operated by the London Potters Guild is located at 664 Dundas Street East in London. An illustration from the book "Hopping into History, London's Old East Village"

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of the book "Hopping into History, London's Old East Village", visit one of these London retailers.

Banting House

Banting House, National Historic Site of Canada is located at 422 Adelaide Street North in London. An illustration from the book "Hopping into History, London's Old East Village"

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of the book "Hopping into History, London's Old East Village", visit one of these London retailers.

Hopping into History

Hopping Into History, London's Old East Village

Art Show Reception and Book Launch:
Wednesday, March 11-15

From 6:30pm to 8:30pm

Show runs from March 11 to April 12, 2015

 

Location: The Aeolian Hall, 795 Dundas St East, London