Te Henui Cemetery

The old part of the cemetery is far more interesting than the newer sections. The older graves have a sculptural quality to them, each one having their own look. Cemented sections with established trees are placed up and down the hilly bit and not always in rows. The new parts are just straight lines of headstones with wide gaps of grass. I was sitting in a terraced area with angled rows that mimicked the original topography of the hillside. I also noticed that most of these headstone use fancier (sometimes scripty) type than is commonly used on newer headstones.
Last time I was here was two years ago and below is the sketch (and a digitally coloured version) from then. While I was there I noticed a headstone for the Viking Lander out of the corner of my eye. (The 1970's Mars Mission?) Surely, not! At the very least, wasn't it on another planet? (I explain it better on my other blog.)

2011 Sketch

2011 Sketch - coloured

Nissan Micra's Big Day Out

I actually came here to sketch the intersection. There was a street bench with a nice view up the hill that I had scoped out the day before. On the day, a Nissan Micra was parked right in my perfect view. (I guess there was no car parked here the day before.) 

So I thought, if this car was, say, a Maserati I would have no trouble starting my drawing. I thought, even though this car isn't an extreme luxury auto, it could be someone's treasured little car. Maybe it even has name (like Rupert, even)! 

So in the end, I decided to show this little runabout a little love and feature it right in the middle. He's probably really enjoying his day out in downtown New Plymouth. 

Tropical Fernery

Warm winter sketching in the tropical glasshouse of the Fernery in New Plymouth.

Poles & Signs

Now that's it's winter, the priorities of an urban sketcher seem to change. To me, when it's cold and wet, shelter becomes more important than finding that perfect view. It also helped that I was ordering warm coffees by a fireplace watching everyone else get cold.  At first I wasn't sure if I would want to draw out the window here. But then, as I watched the damp people shuffle around, I noticed all poles and signs from the window and decided to give this one a go. Also this building seems a bit art deco in a way but has modern shops with large glass windows, a glass top corner and glass overhangs. I wondered if this is an older building with modern renovations or a modern building with old-timey details.
I also remember the time that a tornado ripped up this street and shattered the overhangs among the rest of the street's debris. I was working near here at the time of the tornado and can still clearly recall the slow walk up this way just after if happened. This area became a bit like a movie scene where someone fought off some aliens or robots.

Reo Moana

I pass these art deco apartments as I cycle to work most days. They have a Māori name, Reo Moana. Reo meaning language or voice and Moana meaning ocean or sea. I you lived here you would be able to see and, maybe more importantly, listen to the Tasman Sea.

The Top of Town & the Bottom of Town

New Plymouth's main shopping area runs from the top to the bottom of a hill. Shops at the top are said to be 'at the Top of Town' while those further down the street are 'at the Bottom of Town'. Radio and newspaper ads for businesses in between are described as 'on the hill'. Although it seems a little weird, I can't imagine how else you can describe it.

(If you are looking at the sign and wondered who won, New Zealand beat France 24-9.)

Ships in the Port

I thought this ship had a reasonably interesting name... Fortune Hero!

Jets

Last weekend, we were lucky enough to be invited to sketch inside the hangar of some local aviators. There were three Yaks, 2 de Havilland Vampires and this L-39 Albatross which is a Czechoslovakian jet fight trainer.
Originally, I though we were going to draw just the Yaks which are Russian propellor planes. When I found out that there were jets there too, I had an ear to ear grin and could have happily sat in there all day and sketched. It was just us and the planes with permission to walk around the building and look inside the cockpits. When we left were were offered the chance to come back again. I wonder how long we will be able to resist?

At the edge of urban - Part 2

This is a sketch of some people at the Taranaki Poultry and Pigeon Club Annual Show. In some ways this feels like the edge of urban sketching since it's a bit farm-related. Still, there are two things make me think that it still qualifies.
Firstly, it is held in a town hall and this is a reminder that all centres in the province of Taranaki are still dependent on farming (in different percentages) to keep the economies running smoothly. And secondly, I've heard that New Zealand has a rule where no birds or eggs are allowed into the country to prevent an exposure to bird flu - so the varieties and breeds that are here need to be well managed. It's also (maybe as a result) starting to be more and more common for someone to keep some chickens on suburban properties. I'm mentioning this since in quite a few places in the urban world, keeping animals like this is probably illegal.
A fellow sketcher even purchased a couple that were for sale to add to her existing coop. As a buyer, she had quite a selection to choose from. There were all types of chickens and pigeons with a few ducks as well.
It makes sense to integrate the rural into the cities since they maybe aren't that separate anyway.
(At the edge of urban - Part 1)

House & 6-Car Garage

I'm mildly fascinated with the fact that this is a small BP gas station and also a house. A newly built set-up would have no accommodation and way more pumps. (Isn't this kind of thing dangerous too?) I wonder how much longer a place like this can exist as it is in our sometimes over-regulated and high-profit world.

Currie Street phonebooth

How many more years until there are no more telephone booths?

Road to the sea

I'm looking down the hill of Brougham Street, through central New Plymouth and out to sea. With sailboats on the horizon and passive pedestrian shoppers, the light cool breeze feels like the end of summer. The Wind Wand sculpture seems like it wants to be just another sign or street light from this angle. And there are lots of signs and lights here directing the traffic. There's way less Volkswagens this week, now that the big VW show is over but way more Porsches and Ferraris.