2022 Australia - Kathleen Newman – an artist's journey

URBAN SKETCHING

In 2012 I discovered the Urban Sketchers art movement and since then it has filled my life!

Click on my Blog: Now is My Story In (Sketches) to see more of my sketches and read the stories behind them.

I take my sketchbooks everywhere I go. My sketches are done and coloured on location, small embellishments and text may be added later. Sketching has been a fulfilling learning curve and a chronicle of my life.

Here are some favourite sketches from each year:

2026

Favourite objects on a windowsill. Berwick, Australia.

A sketcher sketching at a rural property garden. Officer, Australia.

"Still Moment" sculpture and lake at Wilson Botanic Park, Berwick, Australia.

Sketcher friends at Shack Cafe. Berwick, Australia.

2025 Australia

Eye clinic waiting room. Narre Warren, Melbourne.

Lady acting up for photo. Gardenworld. Braeside, Victoria.

Cranbourne Gardens. Cranbourne, Victoria.

Back of Flinders Street Station. Melbourne, Victoria.

Wilson Botanic Park. Berwick, Victoria.

Queens Street Mall. Brisbane, Queensland.

Brisbane holiday. Queensland.

Winter tree. Pioneers Park, Berwick, Victoria.

MacIntosh Island Park. Surfers Paradise, Queensland.

Castaways Cafe. Surfers Paradise, Queensland.

Christmas Lunch. Seniors' Club, Berwick, Victoria.

My spouse getting stitches. Mulgrave Hospital, Victoria.

2024 Australia

A friend's back garden. Berwick, Victoria.

Outdoor dining area which was constructed during Covid lockdown. The High Street, Berwick, Victoria.

The Bell Birds at this corner were loud with their singing! Berwick, Victoria.

The Ferny Creek Horticultural Society preparing for their Autumn Show. Sassafras, Victoria.

Bunya Pines date back to the Mesozoic Age! Berwick, Victoria.

This auction of an old miner's cottage was passed in so quickly but sold later in the day. Finished at home. Berwick, Victoria.

My son's dog Peach moved several times but I finally got her! Coydon, Victoria..

When you get to a certain age, medical clinics become a convenient sketch venue. Berwick, Victoria.

2023 Australia

An unusually cold day out with some sketch friends. Berwick, Vic, Australia.

Casey U3A Garden Club meet (left) and remembering an old friend's love of violets made for a nice page spread. Berwick, Vic, Australia.

Cruden Farm, Rupert Murdoch's childhood weekend home, Langwarrin, Vic, Australia.

Some old houses now medical establishments. Clyde Road. Sketching from my car. Berwick, Vic, Australia.

Waiting room sketches. St John of God Hospital. Berwick, Vic, Australia.

2022 Australia

The Old Cheese Factory, Berwick, Victoria, Australia.

Vegetation at The Old Cheese Factory, Berwick, Victoria, Australia.

Ophthalmologist’s waiting room. Berwick, Victoria, Australia.

View from a friends balcony at Mont Albert North, Victoria, Australia.

Views over the fence, Berwick, Victoria, Australia.

A street library, Berwick, Victoria, Australia.

A weekend train trip to Ballarat. Victoria, Australia.

A Sketchers' meet at The Old Cheese Factory grounds. Berwick, Victoria, Australia.

Springfield Homestead on The Old Cheese Factory grounds. Berwick, Victoria, Australia.

Xmas day in Elisabeth's garden. Middle Park, Victoria, Australia.

2021 Australia

Lunch for 3 birthdays at Massaros Restaurant, Warrandyte, Victoria.

Former Berwick Brickworks has been abandoned. Victoria.

A nice gift from a friend (native plants from her garden).

Harkaway Cemetery established in 1840 is one of Victoria's 2 oldest cemeteries.

Temporary concrete block seating (new Covid normal) next to a Bunya Pine (dates to Mesozoic Period).

A very fancy teapot (which dripped BADLY) and an almond raspberry friand cake. Blackburne Square, Berwick, Victoria.

1st Covid Vaccination! Berwick Healthcare, Victoria.

Cafe Sketch with friends. Primary@Pioneer Cafe, Berwick, Victoria.

A new take on Pioneers Park, Berwick, Victoria.

Christmas lunch spread!

2020 Australia

Looking back to the beach town of Inverloch, Victoria.

Eagles Nest formation near Inverloch, Victoria. Wild south coastline of the state.

A cute forklift in the warehouse of Beacky Fresh Fruit and Veg in Beaconsfield, Victoria. This is the place to buy eggs during Covid restrictions!

Sketch of my dining table during Covid lockdown. looking forward to guests at the table again sometime.

During Covid lockdown a little indulgence is allowed (in my kitchen).

Over our neighbour's backyard on a gloomy winter afternoon, Berwick, Victoria. In the distance is Wilson Hill, site of filming of "On the Beach" in 1959.

Picnickers in Pioneers Park, Victoria when Covid restrictions were eased.

View over a neighbourhood fence. Berwick, Victoria.

Sketching along the Cardinia Creek (Cardinia Nature Reserve). Victoria.

Stories of Covid lockdown in my neighbourhood...then and now.

2018/19 Australia

Historic buildings, Sorrento. Vic, Australia.

Mordialloc Creek. Vic, Australia.

Touch of Dutch Cafe. Berwick, Vic, Australia.

Coffee and cake in tiny concertina sketchbook.

Old Berwick Post Office, Vic, Australia.

Primary at Pioneer Cafe, former Berwick Primary School. Berwick, Vic, Australia.

Neighbourhood. Croydon, NSW, Australia.

Neighbourhood. Croydon, NSW, Australia.

Garden view. Vic, Australia.

Tooradin. Vic, Australia.

Bunjil Place. Vic, Australia.

A Dandenong street. Vic, Australia.

Primary at Pioneer Cafe. Twig and ink sketch. Vic, Australia.

2017 New Zealand/Australia

2016 Singapore

2014/15 Canada/UK

2013/14 Singapore/Australia

2012 Taipei

Taiwan is a cultural shock! The main street in my neighbourhood of Wenshan.

Side alley. Drew this from a cafe, sitting on a comfy chair with a nice grass jelly drink.

This empty space opened as a small restaurant soon after (selling roast duck and BBQ pork).

View from my apartment again. A convenient scene to draw on a wet day.

I could have stayed here all day it was so peaceful.

A very busy corner. I went back twice to finish this drawing. Oops! Just noticed I've got the month wrong, time is passing too fast!

Back to the same corner, this time looking down Alley 1 at the corner with Lane 45 (which comes off Zhinan Road). It's these alleys and lanes that are the main charm of Taipei.

I've been wanting to sketch this building from the first time I saw it. It strangely comes to a point.

Sketching on a park bench at the Jingmei River Park. Looking north to the city. The tall building with the spire is the famous Taipei 101 (101 floors!). Done on site, watercolour added at home.

When it rains in Taipei, businesses provide an umbrella rack outside their establishments for customers' umbrellas. These racks can be very varied in shape, sometimes just a bucket.

Above the sink in my Taipei apartment is a draining rack cum electric dish dryer!

The buildings in Wenshan district are mainly old and grimy with interesting facades of differing windows and criss-crossing wires.