Chinese New Year

                                      

Urban sketchers met at Chinatown this weekend to sketch the festivities of Chinese New Year, the year of the rooster.

The lanterns overhead were what attracted me to the scene below. While sitting there, the dragon passed by accompanied by drums and the crowds. A great day!

                                       

Independent Theatre, North Sydney

    

This is the Independent Theatre in North Sydney, the oldest Edwardian theatre still in use in Australia.  This building did not always look like this though.  Hard to believe it was originally a tram depot running from 1880 and  closing in 1909.  In 1909 the building received a makeover to make it more appropriate for the building's next use, as the Coliseum Vaudville theatre.  The facade became elaborately detailed and a large iron cupola was installed above, in the Victorian second Empire style. 

In 1914-1918 the building was used as a munition factory but returned to it's cultural use as a theatre again in 1939. It has remained the Independent theatre since then with a private school buying it more recently.

Barangaroo

                                  

A warm morning at Barangaroo today sketching with friends. 

MacDonaldtown railway station

                                 

Sketch club met at Macdonaldtown railway station last weekend.  Macdonaldtown is a charming little suburb between Redfern and Newtown. This station was built in 1892. I am amused by Wikipedia's information saying that in 1986 a local 18 year old boy and his 14 year old brother painted the station pink. They stuck a table, chairs and pot plant (all painted pink) on it  to enhance it' prettiness. The pink seems to be painted over and furniture removed, unfortunately.

Too hot to sketch outside

                                       

Saturday was very hot and humid and a little too warm to go out sketching. First thing in the morning I had taken sheets off the bed and they were in the washing machine when I stopped to admire the light coming through the one partially opened window.  There nothing to be done but sit under the sink in the ensuite to sketch the light.

          

I used the fish eye technique for this fourth living room sketch, this time focusing on the kitchen and dining area.

Nielsen Park

                      

                                         

In the early 20th century  public access to the harbour foreshore was very rare. Things changed when the Vaucluse estate  carved off some of their harbour side property and sold it to the public, thus making Nielsen Park.  There's a lovely Edwardian tearoom and other original buildings dotted through the large property.  There is also what looks like Virgin forest and beautiful views of the harbour. So...it's a wonderful  place and I really enjoyed spending the afternoon there.

                                         

This is the end of the shark netted area. We went for a swim within the shark netted area and it was wonderfully refreshing.

                                          

Sun bathers.

A great time in Nielsen Park and I'm looking forward to another visit. 

More Fire stations

        

The fire station above is in Randwick and all was quiet there today while we sketched.  It was built in 1908 and is in the Arts and Crafts style. It was designed by Goverment architect, Vernon.

          

This fire station in Balmain is fairly early, 1894 and is Victorian. I sketched this on New Year's Eve on quite a hot morning. Love the colour!

            

This interesting fire station is in Glebe.  It was built in 1906 and it, like Randwick, is Arts and Crafts style with the same architect Vernon. I love the walls which splay out.

Interiors

      

                                

During the Christmas break I spent time inside the house particularly in the afternoon on days that were very hot.  The sketch above is looking down the stairs into the dining, living and courtyard.

       

I was playing with perspective with these two sketches, each from opposite sides of the room. The sketch above was done on December 24, some presents ready to open.