Parramatta River at Meadowbank

Last week I went over to Meadowbank where I went to art school about 10 years ago. I went to see an exhibition but the gallery was closed. I had lunch with a friend, then visited the art shop. Tried the gallery again, then went down to the river where they used to take us to draw and paint en plein air.

Before I went to art school I never painted landscapes because they didn't interest me. I painted my first one here in oils. Thank goodness for Fariha who helped me a lot and it turned out rather well, though consigned to the rubbish bin years ago now.

This one is in my sketchbook and not on watercolour paper. I was battling a stiff breeze, a fit of sneezes, and a barrage of text messages on my phone.

Capital time in Canberra

Took a couple of days visit to our country's capital to do a bit of sketching. Canberra has so much space and so perfectly planned it is so different from Sydney. It's also a lot greener too which was nice. And incredibly quiet. Today I've uploaded my bus stops of Canberra and a few other pieces. Tomorrow I will add some more.

These bus stops are out of some 70s science fiction movie, and may have reached iconic status as part of the Canberra urban landscape.


We took the train down, and I found a lovely combination of three inktense pencils (mustard, leaf green and iron grey) that I used in these window thumbnails.
This is the Carillion, a long-time landmark in Canberra. It is a free standing bell tower situated on Lake Burley Griffin. I remember the last time I was there I saw an outdoor performance of a Midsummer Night's Dream.
This is a large scale sculpture group of pears outside the National Gallery. It doesn't have the granduer of the glass pyramid at the Louvre, but it is synonymous with the gallery for so many generations.

2012 Sketchbook

As mentioned in a previous entry I completed my first Urban Sketches book end of 2011. Well, I am happy to say I have made a good start on my new sketchbook. My theme is Scenes From A Bus Stop. Most will still be of Marrickville and the surrounding inner-city suburbs, but as I catch public transport quite regularly, there will be the odd other location in Sydney as well. I'm still sticking with the artline pen and waterbrush pen combination, as I quite like it. I've also decided to "square off" the scenes too. It keeps each page scene and looks neater.

I had to draw this Newtown scene over two days. The first day my bus came quite promptly, which is unusual for this route (370 - I'm always waiting forever). So I came back the second time as part of my exercise/walk. However, the second time was so much busier with so many cars and people it made me a little frenetic in my actions trying to finish the drawing at the same pace.
This was the return trip on the 370, and is what I'm use to, I had plenty of time to finish this sketch. I think these are fire hydrants.

Hot, hot, hot, cold!

Spent the day with my family while my nephews are still on school holiday. We first went to see The Art of the Brick Lego exhibition at Sydney Town Hall. I managed to fit in some quick sketches while we were there, but its always hard when you're with others who aren't sketching too.We later headed back to my brother's place, and popped over to Maroubra Beach to throw a little frisbee. The ENTIRE week was sooo hot, but the day we went – it was so cold, and so freakin windy. People were flying kites and paragliding! But I was determined to do some sketching as I vary rarely visit the beach.

Encounter Inspiring Book at Sydney Uni Bookfest

Hi, Friends, how are you going?
I enjoyed "The 2011 Bookfest" at Sydney university = Big Secondhand Book Sale for uni fundraising.Saturday 17 to Wednesday 21 September, in the Great Hall, Camperdown Campus.

• Saturday to Tuesday 10am to 4pm
• Wednesday 10am to 2pm

This year, I got the very inspiring book, "No One's Perfect." The upbeat autobiography of Hirotada Ototake. Born without arms and legs, but he is very cheerful and fond of sports. After uni, "Oto" becomes a sports journalist and a primary school teacher. He has got married and now has 2 sons.

Amazing story...and Oto's smile is so nice and fresh. His positive attitude up lifts me so much. Not only Oto, his friends, family, teachers and others wonderful support is very touchy. I know very well that Japanese society is more difficult than Australia, for people with disabilities, to live on what they are. It is a great challenging.

Oto proudly asserts, "(disability) is my feature and strength. My identity." What a matured youngish guy! His sense of humour is brilliant. Often his sentences make me giggle. At the same time, his book makes me think of myself. If I were without arms and legs, could I smile or laugh or live in a positive manner? Truly amazing. Oto's will power has opened doors and believes in hope, but he knows well what he can do and not. Wonderful realistic dreamer.

For me, it takes years to say so like Oto.
When you come across me in person, you find a walking stick, a brace and an orthotics for my left leg. All of a sudden, my whole left leg got paralyzed several years ago. Today, I walk much better. But Oto shows me the wonderful role model. I should say, "Yes, indeed, mine is a mosquito bite!" That's the spirit! Thanks, Oto!!

This annual book fair is very popular, because uni offers interesting academic books at a cheap price. As far as I know, most(all?) books are less than $10. Donated books come from local libraries and individuals. Book conditions are quite good and categorized into varied sections such as...
art, children literature, language, dictionaries, psychology, sociology, feminism, history, religion, occult, erotic, travel, craft, rare books, fictions, gardening etc, etc.

I got at the Hall at 10:30 on Saturday, the first day of a bargain. Already so many people were there. Volunteer workers told me that some people made a queue before 10! Wow, everyone wants to find a lucky treasure.

(*Great Hall is just in there)

Now, treasure hunting, start!
I dashed to the section, "Children Picture Books" and bought favorite illustrators' work such as "The Midnight Feast" beautifully illustrated by Ann James and others. Nowadays, soon picture books become "out of printing." Besides the short availability, picture books are expensive. This Bookfest is Sadami's life saver!

I observed others and learned, The Tips How to Get Target Books.
1) dash & pick up favorite books "first"
before other people touch it.
2) check each collected book 3) then, buy them!
OK, Friends, sounds nothing different from a bargain of clothes?! Or if you have any suggestion, I'd really appreciate it.
Then, I moved on to a Japanese books section.
Wow!! I can't believe it! The biiiig and thick Japanese dictionary was at only $5. I bought some Japanese and English teaching materials.
Then, I found, "No One's Perfect" as above. I could get the wonderful books this year.

Did you enjoy this post? Friends, if there's anyone with a weary heart, come over Sadami's Graffiti. I'm with you. Let's share time over more posts and my art work.
Thank you for cheers. Friends, your cheers make me go forward. Let us move on!
Enjoy your week! Happy painting!!

Narrabeen Beach

Hi, Friends, are you enjoying autumn or spring?
We, Australians are at the beginning of spring. Today, I'll take you to my favorite spot, Narrabeen beach in Sydney. I sketched a rough sea from the car below. It was a storm. Wild waves caught my eyes and heart. There, I listen to the voice of waves. Sometimes, they cry, weep, laugh, giggle etc, etc. Probably, it's up to a listener's feelings. I have a CD that mixes the sounds of waves with "Pachelbel's Canon." Simple and endless. I listen to it for hours.
If a weather allows me, I always enjoy swimming. Narrabeen beach has big waves and surfers love there.
Little Sadami wondered why an ocean has so beautiful, dark, but a bit sad, greeny blue. I thought... a sky fell in love with an ocean. The ocean, too. But they could not become "one" and turned to be so blue.
...ocean rolls make anyone sentimental and a poet?!

I often walk up this stairway to enjoy a beautiful overview of the sea. Many athletes and joggers love these steps.
Anyway, enjoy Narrabeen beach!
If you want to enjoy my sketches more, come over Sadami's Graffiti and let's have a chat together. Cheers!

Pub Crawl In Newtown

Hi, Friends, pub crawl is fun(...depends on a budget!?).
Let's start from this pub. Still the sun is high. Chat, chat, chat and sip, sip, sip. People come to a pub to find something they seek for. Students enjoy freedom after a semester. Working people find an escape from reality such as one-night dream or entertainment or a rest.

OK, let's try another pub. Hey, an outside is getting dark.
When a night softly falls on Newtwon, pubs begin to shine through and swallow people more and more in darkness.
Time for adults begins.

Technically, not an ideal spot for sketching, because of poor light, especially, in the evening.

Kind people pretend not knowing my sketching and let me work on. (Thanks millions!)

When I look at a street from a window, light is very fascinating. Colours diminish in darkness. Paradoxically, good value study.

A gig is another fun as well as alcohol and chats with friends.

Once, I did play an acoustic guitar and sang at a folk song cafe, but NO PAY. So, I'm totally empathic for gig performers. Hang in there, guys!! Survive and strive for a dream!

In the middle of night, a fiasco is over and people go home before morning comes.

Friends, have a good time at a pub!
...but be careful, it is said...
"Bacchus(=Dionysus) has drowned more people than Neptune(=Posaidon)."
If you want to enjoy my sketches more, come over Sadami's Graffiti and let's have fun together. Cheers!

Marrickville & Tempe

After a hard morning's exercise I went and had some fish and chips at my local fish shop – the oldest F'n'C in Marrickville, so I'm told. They wanted me to come back at a better time when their window is full of fish. So I may return with watercolours next time.

I went for a walk down to Tempe, as I knew the circus was in town. Wasn't sure what to expect, the circus site was pretty small and the weather was a little crappy. But it is a nice spot and plenty to draw. Well worth another visit, but with better weather conditions.

To see and read my full Urban Sketches of Marrickville you can visit my blog site.

Great Fun! Sketching at Luna Park Under Sydney Harbour Bridge Opposite to Opera House

Hi, Friends, did you have a nice weekend?
On Sunday, Sydney Sketch Club enjoyed an event, ArtAlong, I joined it as an invited artist by North Sydney Council. There, people can enjoy watching local artists working on paintings on a pavement. The event (9am-3pm) is a painting competition at
the same time.I set up a stall just in front of Luna Park, a children's heaven. But I did not see other artists around me. It puzzled me and I realized all other artists wanted to paint "landscapes" for the competition.
I enjoyed quick watercolour portraits. Well, men and boys would not sit for me. Mmmm....they might be much shyer than us?! Only girls and women cooperated me. GIRLS POWER! Thank you all the models and ladys.

People showed a great interest in my sketching. My idea to display original and copied works on "boards" worked out very well.
Passerbys often looked at my other works and picked up business cards. We really enjoyed lots of chats. Some friends came to see me. Later, the staff told me that my stall became quite popular among watchers and tourists. I was too busy to realise it. I could not look at other artists.

I often enjoyed a chat too much and might be a bit distracted.
BUT the point was to communicate people there. I do not need to make a masterpiece everytime or all the time.
Making portraits is a very intimate human interaction between a model and an artist. Indeed, each model and I had a long chat. Usually, I make a quick sketch in 15 or 20 minutes, even in a train cart, I do it (My blog readers well know it). Today, I was a bit slow for watercolour.
Only the problem was...we, human beings cannot keep a laugh or a smile for minutes = we go back be serious soon! The conversations were very interesting. Each model gave me their life stories, which was an artist's privilege to share a model's inner world.With one lady, we chatted over when & who & what is the most important. I quoted Tolstoy, "Three Questions." The answers are, "Now," "A person whom I'm with," "Do good a person whom I'm with." The answers always remind me of a Japanese tea ceremony. It has philosophy that "Do your best to a guest at a ceremony, because we may not see again on the earth."

When I sketch people...I feel the same above.
Of course, I had a great fun today, but also these sketches are my prayers. I hope I will keep on and learn lots.Finally, special thanks to Jennifer, our guardian angel of the Sketch Club, who took all these photos and other members' as well.

Happy painting & have a nice week!!

Time Travel In Macleay Museum

Hi, Frieneds, did you have a nice weekend?
On Sunday, we, Sydney sketch club members enjoyed sketching at Macleay Museum in Sydney University. It's a museum of natural history, ethnography and history.

Let's enjoy a time travel from 18th C and from a micro to macro world. Indeed, the biiiiig bones welcome you at the entrance. Manmos? No, an elephant. Ohh...huge!Regarding nature, the museum has more than half a million insect specimens in the collection. Wow...!! A wide range of collections impressed me so much. Pioneers' passion and enthusiasm for study also touched me. The display showed used devices, too.However, the Macleay Museum is often overlooked by visitors. I have to confess I did not realize it and only know Nicholson museum till today. A bit shame, the Nicholson Museum seems to to be very popular. I wonder if the Macleay museum has got enough budget to maintain the collection. I saw one insect collection being damaged. Hopefully, more public attention and a financial support will come to this historical and precious Macleay museum.

Yes, I was sketching...

In respect of ethnography, more importantly, the Macleay museum has a great collection of Aboriginal people's culture and life. An amazing number of photographs are there. So, researchers and professors still visit here for study. I had a fun in finding a historical Japanese new year greeting card and Japanese old fashioned geta(="wooden sandals") in display.

(*Can you guess what animals are they?)

But some collections in ethnography surprised me such as an ornament made of human teeth. Another historical one is human foot bones used for an educational purpose. (*I did not sketch them all...a bit scary at night?!)

Imagine. Once upon a time, no internet, no DVD, no computer! Certainly, lecturers and scientists have used these collections for education, research and study. These influential data has contributed to the development of science, anthropology and so on, even though today, internet and computers are taking over some part of the museum. I sincerely hope we can maintain this museum for the future.

Apart from the serious stuff above, sketching was really a fun. Very dim and dark. One friend had to "keep dancing" on a floor in order to get light. Why? A light sensor turns off every several minute. Oh, poor girl, but we giggled. Other friends said, "feel a bit headache" from too much concentration. But Friends, you know, I sketched Chinese First Emperor at NSW Art Gallery nearly in the darkness. So, the Macleay was quite kind to me.

Well, I whispered to other club members... one day... after the explosion of nuclear power plants...
humans are in a window and cockroaches look at display.
Of course, the friends burst into laughter!!!

But Friends, this is a scientific joke. According to a biological research data, cockroaches would survive radiation exposure.
"Sadami, they don't understand literature."
"Well, after the nuclear exposure, they will achieve a miraculous evolution--get a great brain! That needs education for kids, too. Excursion for Macleay Museum."
"Hahahahaha!!!" we laughed, but...hopefully, it will never happen on homo sapience in the future.
Anyway, have a wonderful week and happy painting!!

Garden SketchAbout#2

Hi, Friends, thank you for wonderful cheers for my adventure, "SketchAbout" in the Garden. The Garden has precious historical, cultural and natural heritages of Australia for the future.

Government House

Despite rain, we enjoyed sketching. I also made some sketches Friday before rain (lucky!). But eventually, I finished them up in rain. A bit tough work was Government House.

OK, you and me, let's have a walk together in this huge Garden. Have a look of the map. Enlarge it, please. Get it? How big it is! Opening: 7am to 6:30pm.A strategy, "How to Conquer the Garden" is essential. Otherwise, waste of time and you cannot go home?! (*no worries, in fact, so many rangers always patrol.) Let's walk around the left side of the map.

Head to Government House and the end of the path to see Sydney Opera House.
From the Herb Garden to the Government House, there are beautiful greeny open fields full of biiiiiiig trees. How big? Good question! Trees are "monstrous" big and gigantic. Can you see a person under a tree? How small it is!

Sculptures are here and there along path ways or on lawns--some are extraordinarily big and contemporary art. The below depicts "waves," according to Toni from the Garden Trust. Ooohhh! Waves!! The left side, a white one is another huge sculpture of natural rocks and an inside is hollow where bats's sweet home. *Please respect a bat. Toni says, "One bad eats thousands of mesquites,"!! Salute bats!

Sculpture "Waves"

Still, we keep walking ahead. Now, left hand side, see "Government House" (*please see the first image and the map.) Although a bit miserable to sketch it under a tiny umbrella in rain, it has paid off. Wow, how gorgeous and elegant!! One more surprise is a freebie to see an inside. So, next time, I'll definitely try it and report you.

Finally, we get to the end of the path. Yey, "Opera House"! This egg-shells-like building is our cultural icon! Many people take a rest here and sit on lawn sunny days.

Sydney Opera House

From now on, I'll boast, "Hahahaha! Sydneysiders, we're living in the GORGEOUS castle and the Opera House is in my backyard!" Yes, our legends are in the Garden.


Did you enjoy a walk with me? More photos are in my blog, "Sadami's Graffiti."
Next time, I'll try the middle section or the right section.
So, come and join us, the event, "Sketchabout" ʚ(ˆ◡ˆ)ɞ.