Extreme Sketching in Hobart

I have just spent a fantastic week sketching the historical buildings and landmarks in and around Hobart Tasmania. I took a group pen and wash sketching which also combined a holiday with sketching.

 

The group renamed the tour 'Extreme Sketching'. The first day we went to Mt.Wellington with its superb views over Hobart and the Derwent River. Our driver had the bus door torn out of his hands when he tried to leave the bus, and we were nearly bowled over by gusts of wind recorded at 130 kph.

 

Holding on to each other, we managed to get to the covered observation lookout, so all was not in vain.

 

Some of the group sketching Richmond Bridge built in 1823

 

While sketching at Oatlands we again encountered extremely strong winds, but some of the group braved the elements and sketched the beautiful old mill, while rugged up to the max. The rest of the group (including myself), found shelter in a cafe which was an historic building, beautiful in itself. Opposite the cafe was a lovely Georgian style building built about 1837. 'Oatlands Lodge' is now a colonial accommodation bed and breakfast establishment.

 

Just as we were packing up our things to leave, it began to snow. No wonder it had been so cold!!!

 

My sketch of Oatlands Lodge c1837



We were fortunate that we were not actually caught in any torrential rain, but on most days we just missed doing so. We did see the sun on occasions but nothing dampened our enthusiasm.

 

These sketching art tours are made so enjoyable and rewarding for me as each person brings something special to the group. They were a great group of like-minded sketchers and they produced some amazing work.

 

Battery Point semi-detached houses

 

Battery Point was a wealth of colonial buildings, and Salamanca with its converted warehouses was another favourite place we sketched. Add to this the oldest bridge in use in Australia at Richmond, where the convict built bridge was constructed in 1823, and the beautiful convict built bridge at Ross with its distinctive Celtic symbols - and not to forget Port Arthur where we sketched from Scorpion Rock Lookout, high above the site and encompassing the water and many of the convict buildings.

 

This was a really memorable art tour, and when I go again I would not change any of the itinerary, but would change the time of year - as the locals kept referring to October as the 'windy month'. Little more than windy, but still an amazing and truly beautiful place.