Iconic Fortitude Valley Police Station

First sketch is of the amazing Police Station. Designed by Raymond Clare Nowland, an architect in the Department of Public Works (DPW), the Fortitude Valley Police Station was constructed during an intensive public works building program undertaken by the Forgan Smith Labor Government in Queensland during the 1930s to counter the effects of the Great Depression.

Second sketch is an archway adjacent to the Holy Trinity Anglican Church. 

Handmade sketchbook 8" x 7.5" lamy pen and watercolour.

 

Group might have been small, but the fun wasn't.

BRISBANE CITY SKETCHERS

Brisbane City Sketchers at Wordsmiths Cafe UQ

Sketching at Wordies this morning, and I chose to sketch over a "failed" sketch I started last Tuesday.  Failed, because I got the proportions of the building wrong right at the beginning of the sketch, so decided today to incorporate the wonderful sandstone sculptures created by Rhyl Hinwood (1996) into the sketch.  What do you think?  The crow posed for me for his sketch..

 Handmade sketchbook 8" x 7.5" and Lamy pen.

I am almost at the end of this wonderful sketchbook, so will need to set to and make another.

Allgas Building and the Plough Inn

The Brisbane City Sketchers spent a wonder autumn morning in Stanley Street South Bank.  It was a morning filled with laughs good conversation, and stories..
Both sketches are   sketched in my handmade sketchbook 8"x7.5" Lamy pen and watercolour.

 Allgas Building

This building was erected in 1885 for the drapery and outfitting firm of Allan & Stark, and named Caledonian House Along with a number of prominent South Brisbane firms, Allan & Stark moved across the river to higher ground after the disastrous floods of 1893. Caledonian House was firstly leased to the Queensland National Bank in 1897 and the bank purchased the building in 1909
The South Brisbane Gas & Light Co leased a portion of the building in 1897, and remained there after the building was purchased by the bank. The building went through a series of different changes and was eventually bought by South Brisbane Gas & Light in 1967. This company became Allgas Energy in 1971.
Until just recently DM Jazz bar leased the building, and I have had a few nights in there sketching listening to jazz over a glass of red.  It is now Munich Biergarten.

See the Uni-cyclist above?

Artist John Underwood, made 175 fibreglass and wire 

"Human factor" sculptures for Expo '88 

There are 3 that I know of left in the city, the others were repurposed or sold to international visitors.

 

Plough Inn is significant historically as a rare surviving remnant of the commercial and shipping heart of South Brisbane in the late 19th century. The place is important because of its aesthetic significance. The Plough Inn was built in 1864 by publican Daniel Costigan, an Irish Publican. It replaced a previous, less substantial structure on the site, which had functioned as the Plough Inn since 1864. The new building was erected during South Brisbane's heyday and was part of the 1880s boom-time reconstruction of Stanley Street premises.
There is a story....... The bottom half of the hotel was exactly that, the top floor was a red light area. The publican in the 1920's caught his wife supplementing their income, and throttled her on the top floor verandah, and threw her off onto the road below. her ghost remains, as does the ghost of a wee girl who was drowned in the cellars in the 1893 flood.  It has been said you can still hear the little girl calling for her mummy.

 

This photo of both the buildings was taken in 1987, a year before the clearing of the area for EXPO '88

Three of us made it to coffee

Winchcombe and Carsen Woolstores

I went sketching with the Brisbane City Sketchers this morning in Teneriffe.  We chose o sketch the Winchcombe Carson Woolstore.  Awesome building.

The first Winchcombe Carson building is the oldest extant woolstore in the Teneriffe precinct. Frederick Earle Winchcombe purchased some of the land himself in February 1910, while the remaining homes along the Vernon Terrace frontage were obtained by the company. The building was designed by noted Brisbane architect Claude Chambers.

The Stuart Bros of Sydney built No 1 during 1910-11 and in 1934 were responsible for the rear addition. As the company continued to expand with the wool industry, the adjacent land was acquired by 1955, so that a third store was built and allowance made for yet another. In 1979 Winchcombe Carson merged with Dalgety Australia in Queensland and New South Wales to form Dalgety Winchcombe. As Dalgetys had moved into a single-floor less labour-intensive complex at Rocklea, the Winchcombe Carson stores were no longer required.  The building is now used for local storage.

I went sketching with the Brisbane City Sketchers this morning in Teneriffe.  We chose o sketch the Winchcombe Carson Woolstore.  Awesome building.  The first Winchcombe Carson building is the oldest extant woolstore in the Teneriffe precinct. 

I went sketching with the Brisbane City Sketchers this morning in Teneriffe.  We chose o sketch the Winchcombe Carson Woolstore.  Awesome building.  The first Winchcombe Carson building is the oldest extant woolstore in the Teneriffe precinct. 

 Handmade 8" x 7.5 sketchbook (double spread)  - Graphite first, then ink, then watercolour

 

Sketching on a wintery day in the city

We had arranged to meet at Customs House, but the weather did not lend to sketching in the open, so we went on up to 480 Queen Street to Hobbs Park. This park was named after a Dr Hobbs who lived across the road, or in the day of his era up the hill, and he gave his house to the first Governor of Brisbane for 6 months whilst the Government House was being built at Gardens Point.

This park is up two escalators, three quarters of the way up a high-rise building.  I was planning to sit in the open, but the light showers were coming too quick, so i sat under cover (see photo below) and sketched the Customs house Dome.  It fascinates me. 

Customs House was designed by Charles H McLay and built from 1886 to 1889 - It was originally used for the collection of customs duty and was opened in 1889, when Queensland was a British colony, replacing the original Customs House located at Petrie Bight.

 

Handmade sketchbook 8" x 7.5" lamy pen and watercolour..

 

 

 

 

Bulimba

I had a lovely day today, with fellow Urban Sketcher, Sid, from Cairns.  We haunted Bulimba, sketching the Golf Course,  a house built in 1927, and a quick sketch before a very late lunch..

This golf course was built in the early 1070s.  It is lovely and the staff are delightful.  We have been here before, and they are always appreciative of our drawings..

All drawn in my 7.5" x 8" handmade sketchbook - Lamy pen - watercolour.

This house was built in 1927.  The present owner came home while we were sketching and showed us photos he had of the house back in the 30's and 40's.  He has invited us to go back and sketch the front of the house from his private jetty.

New and Newer..

Autumn/Fall is really here.  Quite cool for this sun-lover.  I left in anticipation of a lovely sunny day in a light three quarter sleeved shirt, to met by very fresh winds in the city.  What to do?  Hole up in a cafe of course.  We sat in Merlo cafe.  They have big glassed windows, perfect for sketching.. 

I chose to sketch the corner of Adelaide and George street.  The green building is one of four Brisbane City Library Buildings.  The other three are orange, yellow and blue. The building behind the tree is still under construction.

I went to great lengths to draw that honeycombed structure, and I really liked what I had done, then for some reason, shrug, I covered it up with foliage..  George Street is a very busy one way street, and there is a quick turnover at the traffic lights.  Challenge to draw the sidewalk. :-)

Still using my handmade sketchbook.  I really love the Saunders Waterford paper, so must order more before I finish this book.