Secret beaches

Finally found this lovely beach in East Lothian near North Berwick. A few people have told me about it over the years but said I had to find it for myself as it was so special. So all I'm saying for those who care to find it, its east of North Berwick, and left down a little leafy lane, and down a bit...
Fabulous secret not so little beach, a few people there but all studiously ignoring each other pretending it was just there for themselves. Great views over the Firth of Forth, and Bass Rock covered in guano shimmers in the sun. Bliss.

Blaeberry's and wave chambers

Couldn't resist squishing the blaeberry on the paper to see what colour it was. Went down to Kielder Forest in Northumberland and came across a huge patch of them. Spent what felt like an hour picking them in the heat surrounded by flies and midges, and ended up with only a wee bag of them. Just enough for a pie, but oh what a pie! We were actually on our way to see the Wave Chamber by Chris Drury. A stone built beehive that you went in, shut the door and sat in the dark, until you realise that you're looking at waves on the stone floor. The hut is right on the edge of the reservoir and its a camera obscura reflecting the water into the hut. All you can hear is the water lapping at the shore, and see this reflection. Lovely meditative place. If I ever have a river or a pond, I would build one

To Tatamagouche

 So made it north after the Big Apple. Thought I'd try and draw all the animals I saw whilst up there - was dying to see a moose and a bear, but no luck. Or thought I saw a moose, but have a feeling it was just a deer. Definitely saw a beaver though, very exciting swimming alongside the road in a ditch. And a porcupine. Dead one, but definitely a porcupine.... But by far the most exciting one was what we think was a snowy owl.  Just above my brother's field, circling the trees, huge and beautiful. My brother and girlfriend moved out there last year and have started a flower farm, beautiful place, all organic and free living. Check our their blog if you get a chance, great reading about all their adventures in setting up a farm in a totally new environment to them. I'm so glad we made it out there, and great to be able to contribute my lil bit to their cause!

 Tried to draw the dutch barns all over the place, but this was done from the train across to Nova Scotia, so they flew past, so, I know they look nothing like the beautiful dutch barns, but wanted to capture the feel of them surrounded by thick snow and the water and hills beyond them.

 Jamie and Fay collected their own maple syrup, so exciting going down everyday to see what was in the bucket. Took hours to boil it down to anything remotely resembling the stuff you see plonked down infront of you with your pancakes, but so tasty, knowing you've collected it yourself.

 So many houses had these little lighthouses in their gardens. Loved them. Only managed to get three of them, but they had all sorts of different shapes and sizes.

This was drawn at Peggy's Cove, a beautiful place, a mecca for artists the world over. Not a great representation this as it was drawn in what must have been -10 degree wind chill, so no feeling at all in my hands, or brain, but one day I'll return in the warmth. It has a great lighthouse, and the whole village has been built on granite. William deGarthe, an artist, lived there and when he was 70 he started carving out a 30m mural on this granite dedicated to the fishermen. Amazing piece of work, but 7 years later he died, not having finished it. Amazing dedication to work on something that consistently, to still maintain that vision after all those years.

New York 2

Loved all the different fire (?) hydrants I saw on my trip. Don't know what all the different colours meant, but I especially loved what looked like gold ones on Park Avenue. How decadent.

 Went to a Korean restaurant as we used to live in South Korea when I was a kid, so we wanted to try all the food we used to adore, and it was far better than I remembered. I'm afraid the oil pastels didn't even remotely capture the delicacy and beauty of the food we were served, but great tasting bulgogi and kimchi again. Yum.

 Drew these collection of people from our breakfast table one morning all walking past in their own little worlds getting ready for their day ahead.

Loved all the reflections in the glass. You would see hidden buildings reflected but you could never find the actual original building that made it.

Trump Towers to Tatamagouche

 So, I've been on a transatlantic whistle-stop trip around New York and Canada. A wee taster of two completely different places, both fascinating, and both great. Not nearly enough time spent in each place, but a good introduction to both brothers lives across the pond.

 So, a few drawings will follow in various posts. A sketchbook was filled in all of two weeks, but I won't scan everything. But here are two of the skyline from the hotel.

Loved the water towers that were all over the place in New York. Apparently they all have to be the same style, only one company makes them, just to keep the integrity of the New York skyline. You don't really notice them at first, but once you spot one, you start to notice hundreds all over the place, I just loved the patterns and uniformity they made amongst the totally different buildings.

What a turkey!

Loved drawing these turkeys. Could hardly walk under the weight of their own importance, all fluffed up and noone taking the blindest bit of notice. Never really noticed how beautiful their feathers were, quite subtle until you really look. Wish I had my paints when I drew them, but seeing as I was supposed to be working when I whipped my sketchbook out,  probably would have been really cheeky if I had done so...

Two gone and counting

So where have the past two months gone to? Gone far too fast, but must show I've been having far too much fun. Either that or just got too many things to do and not enough time.

So I'm back to doing my drawing calendar, did it last year sort of, but I tended to draw the days about a week or so later, and couldn't for the life of me remember some of the days, so its only a half filled diary. I've kept this one in the midst of my current sketch book, as last year I kept it separate and never took it around with me. If I can keep this years one going daily, as its always with me,  it would be great, then at least I've got a reminder in the years to come of what a crazy ol time its been lately.