Chrisp Street and Eastcast

 Last Spring ('14) my friend Carla invited me to Chrisp Street Market in Poplar. Eastcast Radio were doing a show with local residents and I sketched it and did a short interview.

 Radio show

 Apples...

 Carla interviewing Maureen

A few weeks later I went for another interview with Eastcast Radio at their studio in Dalston and sketched what was going on

Martha preparing

The girls with their laptops

Ukelele player and storyteller interviewed by Martha

Drawings from Limehouse update

Wow, been so long since I updated this. I won't put all my pics up at once... Here are a few bits from Limehouse to begin with...

Walking East through Wapping you pass Gun Wharves

After this you pass the station and head towards Shadwell Basin

After this you can walk through the park and then pass Free Trade Wharf

Then on past the 'Listed Building'

and down Narrow Street past 'The Grapes' pub

Canary Wharf

Did this pic of Isle of Dogs / Canary Wharf over a couple of days. Just experimenting with river panorama style drawings. Amazing to think how long this view would have been low rise, just wharfs and warehouses. Now there's a huge mountain of office buildings, like a mini city.

Narrow Street in the rain

I drew this from underneath some overhanging plants, as it was raining a bit. In the end the rain got so heavy I had to give up and head home. This is an old building, but the windows have been replaced with some more modern frames, maybe double-glazed. There's a mix of old and new along the street, but the newer ones tend to reference the old warehouses in their design. This was an old building which is now attached to a new block (the wall on the right). 

Quick picture

A quick sketch of my phone and scarf...

View from Limehouse

View from opposite my flat. I struggled with this one as it was freezing and so windy. I gave up the first time as I couldn't hold the paper still in the wind. Turned out a massive storm was sweeping the UK, so didn't feel quite as bad once I realised that. It's great to stand somewhere like this for a long time though, just seeing the changes in weather and mood. One thing that's really special about drawing on location.

Library

Drew this in the excellent Westminster Reference Library near Leicester Square. So many good art books there!!

Jacket

A quick drawing I did of my jacket and hat (in the hood) hanging up in my room.

Gower's Walk

A quick sketch of a street near me. The warehouse on the right is similar to the ones along the river. So many fascinating streets in London, with the different styles of building.

Liverpool Street

A couple of sketches I did while I was waiting for my friend outside Liverpool Street Station. So busy!

New house drawing

I did this pic of a house belonging to some friends of my Aunt's a few weeks back. The day was freezing cold, with a bitter wind. By the end my hands were pretty much numb and I was so glad to get back to the station and warm up in the waiting room. Was still a great experience going out of London to draw on location.

Narrow Street

Drew this old warehouse in Narrow Street, Limehouse today. Was freezing cold, with quite a bitter wind coming from the East. After finishing I went and warmed up with a green tea and chocolate flapjack in Departure Cafe, near Limehouse Station.

Limehouse Sketches

So, I've started to do a few sketches around my new place in Limehouse. Seems like there's going to be loads of great stuff to sketch, so really excited.

These are a house opposite a coffee shop in Wapping, (meant I could sit down which was nice) and also part of a warehouse down Narrow Street.

This is a more modern house by the Shadwell Basin / Brussells Wharf.

Heading back

This is an old picture from my Belgium and Hamburg trip. Some different views from the windows and of the train. Would love to do another train trip soon!

Bike handlebars

I did a quick drawing of my bike's handlebars leaning against the side in the bike space on the train. It's pretty unusual for the space to be free, people normally sit there, even when there are seats available elsewhere on the train.

Covent Garden

I did this in Henrietta Street, Covent Garden a little while back. There are a couple of camping shops, behind where I was sitting. This is looking towards Bedford Street.

Old pic of Borders

I drew this a little while back from the window of the jazz cafe in Foyles. This used to be Borders before they closed down. I love Foyles, but was still such a pity to see Borders go. The one on Oxford Street stayed open until 11PM and had an amazing selection of magazines. I think London definitely lost out when they went.

Borough

Did this drawing near Borough Market. The row of houses was pretty run down, with peeling paint, and the people who were coming and going looked like they might actually have grown up in the area and been part of the local community. One old lady asked if it was easy to draw the houses and I said no it wasn't really. She was pretty friendly anyway. The first floor window is held open by one of those grip strengtheners with a spring and two handles you have to squeeze together.

My bike

A quick sketch of my bike I did while I was on the train.

Kingston marketplace

This is looking out from the Druid's Head / Hogshead (I think they're the same pub now) towards the marketplace. The guy collecting drinks said he liked the drawing which was encouraging.