Missing Monet

On 2nd January we went to the Art Gallery of NSW to see the Monet Exhibition. We thought it was so quiet, everybody away, what a good day to go. Wrong!

We arrived just after they opened at 10am and there was an enormous queue right around in a circle. OK, coffee now, we thought. But it was no better after the coffee, and people were still pouring in the doors. We did the Japanese exhibition and an Australian Landscape exhibition – no change – they were still arriving. Round the shop (no purchases this time) and they were still joining the queue, so we gave it a miss.

We went to the gardens, had lunch outside (hoping to draw birds, but they weren’t co-operating) so we went to the lotus pond and drew that. Well, I wish I’d just drawn the leaves really. The flowers make it look too ‘pretty’ and I was more interested in way the light felll through the leaves to the ones below.

Another scorcher

On Friday I met up with Alison from Canberra, who I knew only online from the everydaymatters sketching group. We met up at the Art Gallery of New South Wales at 10am on another scorcher of a day. I was more prepared for the sun this time with suncreen and a hat (that I didn’t wear.) First, we went to the Sidney Nolan exhibition. A large show, with mostly great work. A few works left me a little cold, probably because I don’t have the affinity with the Ned Kelly legend that Australian-born people do. I loved Nolan’s use of colour – just fantastic.
After the gallery we went to sit in the park, down near the harbour. Alison looked at the Fast Sketching Techniques book that I’d brought along, while I looked at two books that Alison had brought. One in particular was just fantastic, Taking a Line for a Walk: 1100 Miles on Foot, Le Havre to Rome. We’d also brought along a few of our own sketchbooks, so we sat under a tree, in a stiff breeze, by the harbour, and looked at each other’s sketchbooks. Finding the breeze a bit strong and even cold, (though the temperature was 84F) we moved on towards the Opera House, and sat under another huge tree where I did this drawing . I must say it took me far too long. It’s supposed to be the fast technique, and I can’t say that it was in this case. It was not long after midday, so the tones of the sails of the Opera House were very subtle indeed. I was working right across my sketchbook, so the finished drawing was about 8 inches by 11 inches. Too big.
From there we went on to the Museum of Contemporary Art to see the Shahzia Sikander exhibition. Just loved it. Amazing detail from this Pakistani-born artist who has studied Persian miniatures. Also a wonderful small video (about 15 inches across, maybe) – all painted, in the way that William Kentridge draws each frame in his videos. If you’re in Sydney, don’t miss this one. Alison and I are both going to create our ‘response’ to this one, so watch our blogs (though don’t hold your breath.)
The next stop was Parker’s Art Supplies, in The Rocks – the historic area of Sydney by the harbour. Parker’s are known to have art supplies that are hard to track down. I did a little damage to the credit card there. Bought some Schminke watercolours, hoping that I will be able to get those beautiful clear colours as Laurelines does. Last stop was Basement Books, where we each found art books to buy, although as of Friday the stock had not been replenished much after the stocktake earlier in the week.
Said goodbye to Alison, and staggered home with all my books. Thank heaven for the Matisse artist’s travelpack with wheels that I won at the consultants’ day last October. I was exhausted, but I had a great day.