Suddenly, summer! On Saturday we had an early morning walk through the botanical gardens and I just had to go back later to sketch all the spring pinks and greens - by which time it was 30°C and the peach trees looked like they were shedding their blossoms for protective leaves almost as I watched. As I sat on a wall in the shade, wedding party after wedding party came traipsing past for their photo shoots. The ice cream men on their bicycles seemed to play quite a role in the entourages - I'd hear the bell tinkling, then came the bridal group with guests over the horizon, then photographs, one with the bride and groom even perched on the ice cream cart!
These two elderly women collapsed gratefully in the shade for a few minutes before once again following the tinkly bell, and this matron-of-honour stopped to check her messages, or perhaps a quick Twitter before going back to the business of waiting on the bride. I do love being this fly on the wall in the guise of sketcher, my lifelong interest in people-watching indulged as I practice drawing!
Suddenly, summer! On Saturday we had an early morning walk through the botanical gardens and I just had to go back later to sketch all the spring pinks and greens - by which time it was 30°C and the peach trees looked like they were shedding their blossoms for protective leaves almost as I watched. As I sat on a wall in the shade, wedding party after wedding party came traipsing past for their photo shoots. The ice cream men on their bicycles seemed to play quite a role in the entourages - I'd hear the bell tinkling, then came the bridal group with guests over the horizon, then photographs, one with the bride and groom even perched on the ice cream cart! 
These two elderly women collapsed gratefully in the shade for a few minutes before once again following the tinkly bell, and this matron-of-honour stopped to check her messages, or perhaps a quick Twitter before going back to the business of waiting on the bride. I do love being this fly on the wall in the guise of sketcher, my lifelong interest in people-watching indulged as I practice drawing! 
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20 comments:
I think it would be such a wonderful idea to sketch at a wedding and then give the sketches to the couple as a wedding gift. It would make a lovely addition to the photo album!
Your sketches are fascinating Cathy. I really enjoyed looking at them :0)
What a bright sunny series of work on this delightfully romantic subject in an astonishingly pretty setting. Your work is so so good - figures spontaneous and alive surrounded by pockets of colour. Loved the ice cream cart with the bride and groom - and the elegant lady in pink seated at the bottom.
These are beautiful! Your style is so fresh and full of life. I especially love the woman sitting on the bench in the last painting... So pretty.
Oh, what a gorgeous explosion of color and I found the couple on the bicycle so unusual and fun! Great sketches, again, and so full of the life around you!
Beautiful and so colourful.
So lovely to see Spring colors of your southern hemisphere, as I look out the window on the Autumn colors of the prairie in Illinois.
Sandra, I did exactly that at my niece's wedding in May - it is SO much harder when you are trying TOO hard, to get likenesses, to make them all 'perfect', and to be sociable at the same time. I'll post them one of these days...
Thank you Joan - everything was exceptionally pretty
Thanks Katherine, Rhonda, Sue and Mrs DoF - weird to think of you going into autumn oranges and yelows!
Your sketches are charming, Cathy. They capture the season and the spirit perfectly. I love being able to experience autumn and (virtual) spring on the same day!
I'd love to see your pictures from your niece's wedding 'one of these days' but I sure know what you mean about enjoying sketching much more when people aren't aware of you -- and those people probably had no idea that all these delightful drawings were underway, or that they were in them and looking great!
... and our interest in seeing your sketches is also indulged, so all is well...
Great sketches!!!!!
Such lovely sketches, Cathy.
Always surprises me when I read that "summer is on the way" (even though I know your seasons are opposite from ours) when it's Fall here and winter is on the way!
Wish I could draw fast enough to capture people in real life situations but not sure that will ever happen :-)
Fantastic Cathy! Your sketches always bring back reminders and a smile!
Wow! I love these. They're so fresh and spontaneous. You're so in your element with this type of thing.
Cathy you are cultivating a habit that very artist should! Daily sketching, like Degas and Toulouse Lautrec at the races, the cabarets, the ballet practice, etc!
Love these wedding sketches Cathy...that bride and groom on the ice cream cart cracks me up!!
R xx
Wonderful as always.. the joy of Spring colour, weddings, the sense of humour that you find only in Africa. Fantastic. I treasure the little oils you gave ME: wedding scene and ice cream man from the gardens. And Jo and Steve adore their weddign collection. Your protestations entirely groundless!
Gorgeous. I guess the bride didn't get to see your sketches. I'm sure they would have been a highlight of her day.
Summer... exuberance!
http://geraldorobertodasilva.blogspot.com/
Ah... these were done on the day we met at the Jhb Botanic .... it was very busy with loads of wedding ... beautifully captured!!!
très jolis pastels
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