Last sketches for 2018

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This year both our daughters were away from Sydney for Christmas, so we decided to take the opportunity for a short camping holiday over Christmas and New Year. We spent most of our time in Beechworth, a small, historic town in Northern Victoria, on the edges of the High Country. Beechworth is famous for its excellent bakery, but is also full of history – Ned Kelly, Australia’s most notorious bushranger was tried in Beechworth in 1880, and the area was also well-known for its gold fields. The town retains many of its old buildings which are still in daily use, and the locals are friendly and welcoming.

It was quite hot while we were there, so many of our intentions for long walks were thwarted, but nevertheless we made the 20 minute walk into the town each day, just to check out the bakery, and some very nice clothes shops …. We were camping in a grassy, open caravan park, in a perfect spot right next to the bush, with a lake on the other side of the park. Sitting quietly we were delighted to be joined by numerous birds. The noisiest animals there were koalas – describing their call is not easy. It is not a beautiful sound – a cross between a roar and a resonating belch, and surprisingly loud. Not what you might expect from such a cuddly looking creature. We did see some in the trees, but never close enough to draw or photograph. However, I did manage to find some leaves, pods and pine cones to draw.

After five days in Beechworth, including Christmas Day, which we spent with Sydney friends who were also travelling, we moved on and spent 2 nights bush camping at Geehi, in the Kosciusko National Park. We managed to find a campsite right next to the river, which is called the Swampy Plains River, not a very attractive name for a lovely small river, shallow, with large, rounded river rocks, perfect for sitting on to cool down on a very hot day.

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Our final stop was Broulee, a small town on the South coast of NSW, this time staying with friends, so back to sleeping indoors! Their house faces the beach, a perfect place for leisurely walks and for me to find flotsam and jetsam to draw. We had New Year’s Eve with our friends, then back home again!

Author: anna warren portfolio

I draw, I paint, I am a printmaker. Always searching for the interesting detail in the world around me.

14 thoughts

  4. You must tolerate heat very well to be able to sit outdoors and concentrate, eye and hand working together to make art. The drawings are always a joy to behold, not only are you a master of line but also of colour and overall page design. You make it look easy but I happen to know it isn’t. And the results are glorious.

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    1. Generally I try to do my drawings in the cooler part of the day, I’m not very tolerant of heat at all! Sometimes I go out foraging when it is warm, but put my collections aside till it is less bright. There were some days I had the time to draw, but not the energy. As long as I have the material, I can get stuck in when I’m comfortable. I try to work quickly, to keep the drawings as fresh as possible so don’t need huge amounts of time, just the right conditions!

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  5. I’m a bit late to comment,but these are so beautifully done. It’s always a joy to see your work and looking forward to seeing more over 2019! I hope you’re fairing the horrible weather. Wishing you a cool breeze and rain.

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    1. Never to late to comment Gale! Thank you so much for such lovely words – I have been doing very little art of any kind over the last few weeks, apart from these travel sketches, as we are undergoing major renovations in our house, but the end is in sight … I have your book on my desk, ready and waiting for me to work on it, and I’m looking forward to it! And a cooler day and light rain today, which is very comfortable!

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