Benedictine Monastery

Yesterday I spent a day at Alton Abbey, an Anglican Benedictine Monastery. I'm an oblate of the Order (a layman trying to live by the Rule of Benedict in the outside world). It's good for my soul to go there. For me prayer and drawing, art and contemplation go together; here ar 2 pendrawings with colour splashes:

 

 

the Abbot's stall

 

 

 

 

and

 

 

mental health unit closed

This is fine line and nib pen drawing on mountboard done to day. I worked there for 15 years; now it is closed for "efficiency savings"! Gradually nature is reclaiming it, and mental health service users struggle on reduced care: suicide rate increasing, but money is being saved; the vulnerable pay the price of economic recovery! Sorry, bit of a rant!

Gunwharf Portsmouth Uk sketches

two customers sitting outside at The Café Rouge, Sat 25 may. The old mine in the background is a reminder of the former use of this site; home of the Royal Navy's minehunting fleet.

drawing of a customer on a previous occasion

getting cash out of the hole in the wall: Gunwharf

 

another customer at Café Rouge

small A6 sketches done quickly before the moment passed

 

 

 

Going to school and going to work

 

 

 

 

car wash man Sainbury's car park

 

 

 

 

 

young man on bus (studies)

 

 

 

 

shoppers hurrying though cold wind ,buying for the Bank Holiday

Preserving old transport

It's strange how inspiration works, or doesn't! Yesterday I went out to paint a scene, which was ok,but..........it didn't really "float my boat" as they say. I turned around to come home and saw the scene below:

The old buses are being restored and used occasionally for nostalgia trips. The central one carried the number and colours of the route with which I was familiar as a boy. Then the horses moved into part of the picture providing a counterbalance (I've never drawn horses before); then the two men emerged from working on the buses. I really enjoyed working on this drawing: I hope you have equal enjoyment looking at it.

mental health unit closed

Tomorrow, May 19 is something of an anniversary for me: I started my work as a mental health chaplain on May 19, 1997. The unit in which I worked closed last year: today I sketched it

The Meadows: closed

bus journey to work yesterday

lots of folk to see, here are some I drew, sketched with sepia fineliner on A6 pad

4x4 parked up posted on urban sketchers

couldn't resist drawing this; no I'm not a petrol head!