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...
There's nothing like a bit of full-on destruction to loosen up the sketching arm! I did these really quickly on the way home the other night, and the noise dust general chaos made me attack the page in a similar fashion, quite good fun for a change.
I'm not sure what the reason for demolition is; is it to make way for a new tower or was it simply too expensive to earthquake proof? I don't know, but one thing I do know is the removal of this last remaining classic completes the transformation of Swanson Street from old school and interesting, to more forgettable recent styles.
I have dim memories of visiting the Victorian terrace shops in lower Swanson as a kid, it certainly had more character back then.
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