Sketching Queens park on a beautiful winters morning...... with the Brisbane USkers

Queens Park is a site that, being so integral to the early days of Brisbane, has a lot of history. The Anglican Parish of St John stood in this park from 1854 to 1904, and it became the pro-cathedral when the Diocese of Brisbane was created in 1859.

The gardens were originally called the Executive Gardens, after the Executive Building, but were renamed Queens Park when a statue was dedicated to Queen Victoria was erected.. The old Executive Building has been refurbished and is now the Conrad Treasury Hotel.  The gardens were renamed Queens Gardens, but known these days as Queens Park.

A statue of TJ Ryan, who was Premier of Queensland from 1915 to 1919 stands with his back to the Queen on the North West corner. The statue was sculpted by Bertram MacKennal and was commissioned by public subscription. It is situated at the entrance to the park on the corner of William St and Elizabeth St.

Queens Gardens was established in its present form in 1963, after the buildings which had occupied the area had been demolished. A statue of Queen Victoria, based on an original in Portsmouth and created by English sculptor Thomas Brock, was unveiled in 1906 in the gardens in front of the Lands Administration Building.
Also in the gardens is a  Royal Australian Air Force memorial and field gun.



Trophy of British Valour The trophy of British valour is a German World War I field gun located in a corner of the gardens. It was presented to Queensland by Lord Kitchener, on behalf of His Majesty King George V on 18 August 1917.

I sat in the sun on a park bench and looked across George Street, and a tiny Historical Building - Sutton House (1928) Nestled amoung the huge high rise buildings (Sketch number one)

Sketch number two, I turned towards the Treasury Hotel, and saw the "Tower of Power" peaking over the top.  This hug4e building is almost finished externally.

 

Victoria Barracks

Sketching at the Victoria Barracks Brisbane (Australia)

Army Museum South Queensland (formerly known as the Victoria Barracks Museum) is a Heritage-listed site containing many reminders of early life in the Colony of Queensland and the early days of the Commonwealth. The buildings date from 1864, for the British Imperial Garrison to specifications from the War office in London, although the majority were built just before or just after Federation. The Barracks is still in use today as a Tri-Service institution

 All are Sketched in my Mont Marte A5 Sketchbook Pen and ink - watercolours

This building was the stables.  A false floor has been put in over the cobblestones and the building is now a function hall.

Once the Stables, now a Function Hall

Was once the Ammunition Magazine

Officers Mess in the front, Accommodation quarters at the back

City Botanic Gardens Brisbane ( Australia)

It was a lovely day, windy but sunny.  I had a ball sketching with he Brisbane Urban Sketchers..

Sitting with my friend on the edge of the river pathway

11" x 15' Arches rough Hero fountain pen fude nib

This is  the corner of the rotunda shaped visitor information centre

A4 pastel paper Hero fude nib pen and waterbrush

A quick setch whilst waiting for another friend to finish her sketch.  I didn't get it finished, sadly, as I was loving the shadows and values happening on the fauna.

A5 225gsm Holcroft sketchbook Hero fude nib pen and waterbrush

 

WAR MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

Sketching the War Memorial Hospital at St Johns Cathedral.

I was told today, that the dome I was sketching used to be the old Operating Theater.

A5 225gsm Holcroft Sketchbook - Lamy Pen - Watercolours.

 

 

Brisbane Urban Sketchers go to Ipswich

What  a super day it was today.  Three of us went to the Ipswich Medieval Market and Fantasy Faire to sketch.  This event is held yearly, but I have never been to this one before.  I don't remember going to the Ipswich CBD before either.  I is only a 40 minute drive from Brisbane, and is full of gorgeous historical buildings.

First sketch of the day was a dashing cavelier 

 Next was Edmond a Coin Minter.

Third was Jabadaw, playing a Hurdy Gurdy and a recorder.  

Followed by Rebecca playing Greensleeves on the harp

Bonnie was separating Drysdale sheep fleece

Lastly Gypsy Love and her Gypsy van

Sketching at the GOMA looking over the Brisbane River

Sketching on the river was wonderful today.  A glorious Autumn day, warm and fun.  I started off sketching with Liane on the grassed area, and then we both moved on up to Kurilpa bridge to sit with a group of sketchers sketching our beautiful river.   My sketch is 3 separate sketches overlapping.

The University of Queensland (Australia)

The University of Queensland, UQ, is an Australian research university founded in 1909, UQ is one of Australia's oldest and most selective universities.  You can read about the history of this beautiful and historical university HERE You can read about the Great Court where I was sketching HERE, and about the Coats of arms I sketched and the Grotesques..

The columns that support the cloister around the Great Court are adorned with coats of arms representing the tertiary institutions of the British Commonwealth, other significant international universities, and the UQ residential colleges. The external walls of the cloister feature archways and roundels that depict native Queensland flora and fauna and exotic and agriculturally significant species.

 

 

 

Perhaps the most intriguing features are the carved stone caricatures or grotesques that decorate the outside walls of the Great Court. These portraits are popular because of the light-hearted quality they bring to the otherwise formal architecture. Their quirky designs reflect the whims of the stonemasons who created them. Subjects include UQ academics, fictional characters from literature, mythical creatures, a portrait of stonemason John Theodore Muller, and a self-portrait of sculptor Rhyl Hinwood.