Occasionally Auckland Sketchbook escapes the city to somewhere interesting — and close. This time the sketchbook got a workout in The Bay of Islands . Only 3.5 hours by car and a world away from work. The sketch above was made in down-town Paihia, it doesn't look it, but it is literally behind the main street. The view is the back of an old homestead called Williams House . I was attracted by the orchard of very old fig trees on the left that had me imagining eating juicy ripe figs. Sadly they weren't in season but it must be a fun place at harvest time. Right over the other side of the bay you will find his falling down old house on Matauwhi Bay. For a while there the water had a turquoise glow until the sun went into hiding. This is Pompallier House and Clendon Cottage in Russell sketched with my back to the sea. I may have used a little too much artistic licence in moving them close enough together to fit on my page so don't look too closely. Anyway, I have sketched Po...
A couple of sketches from Hampton Downs last weekend. Great to see so many visiting cars from overseas, the Lotus 23b below is one of 2 23b's visiting from the US. This one belongs to Travis Engen, and I understand he also owns and wins historic Enduros in an ex Le Mans winning Audi R8! Anorak fact: The 23b Lotus caused such a stir at their debut at the Nurburgring in 1962 (leaving much more powerful Porsches, Aston Martins and Ferraris in their dust - not bad for 1000cc) that the Le Mans officials outlawed them on a minor technicality for the upcoming Le Mans, causing Lotus to boycott Le Mans indefinitely.
The whole event is held in celebration of Denny Hulme, our only Formula 1 title winner. On display and on track are many of his cars and even his jet boat called 'Can Am' powered by an enormous V8 out of Can Am racer and towed by a McLaren orange Range Rover. Here's a sketch in the McLaren Trust garage below of his Yardley McLaren M23 with the nose off for a battery recharge and his 1968 Can Am championship winning McLaren M8. I found the video on motorsportretro.com - it'll really put you on the mood for looking at this post!
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