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...
This is a view of Bluff Hill, Napier as seen from the Masonic Hotel.
There are plenty of way better places to see Bluff Hill. Anywhere along Marine Parade would give you a better view, but this view over the top of the distinctive pastel green stucco of the Art Deco Napier building stood out to me.
I'd like to say it was a careful compositional application of the 'rule of thirds' or the balancing combination of warm and cool colours that drew me to this view, but I don't recall any of that entering my mind!
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