another view of Clem's

I've got quite a stock of Clem's drawings - I'm going to put as many Newtown drawings up as possible - I will sell prints for cash or with paypal,

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Scott and Maria-Luisa

I drew Scott and Maria _luisa one of the first times I actually drew portraits ofpeople on the street. This is at the Martin Luther King mural. I think this was the first time they'd ever met but the way they are looking at each other is true to the moment

this is me painting

in front of the Hub - what a waste of a venue!


looking at the Bank hotel, and the traffic

Scott has company

but there's room for everyone in Newtown


photos thankyou Jeff

newtown feet

Speaking of relaxed - sort of like the way I'm keeping up my daily posting routine here and elsewhere - here's some feet; some very Newtown street feet

They're the feet of an artist - perhaps you'd like to ask the artist to remove them when he comes inside - ;) Of course i'm kidding...

And here's the artist himself, Scott the poet, whom King St regulars will recognise by his byline 'a few lines of poetry ... a small donation ' who has the courage, or some say, foolhardiness to put his work, and himself on display, on the line, braving the public's instant judgement

...and...

...some...

...words...

...to...

...fill...

...lines...

here is the broader scene, Martin Luther King's dream still resonates as it seemingly evaporates before us

Thanks to Jeff for the photo
An image of my painting of Scott will soon follow it into this blog as soon as I can find a digital camera for the project - any loans of equipment will be duely credited
For the moment ithe painting can be seen at Pink Shorts, a seaon of short plays associated with the Mardi Gras festival (not Short 'n' Sweet) at Newtown theatre(cnr Bray and King Sts) in Charles Freyberg's piece 'portraits'. It's worth seeing - most of the pieces are more adult in looking under the labels of whatever 'lifestyles' to see the persons wearing them, than maybe what i might have expected. Charles' 'portraits' gave me a few laughs with it's portrayal of a street artist who's just slightly out of tune with the times he finds himself attempting to illustrate, or illuminate, as he ruminates over a letter to the lover who long ago dumped him, but with whom he is still engaging in an interior dialogue, or rather monologue. Despite the apparent futility of the exercise, a kind of nobility is communicated, or expressed

an important announcement?

I'd like to bring this donate button to your attention. Donations will certainly assist me in telling the legend of Newtown in a way that does her justice.

so donate early and donate often

What makes one place different than another?

Is it the people?

Here is Kim, who is Japanese, though her family is Korean, who spent a year or so in Newtown. This portrait is at the Cooper's Arms Hotel, with a boyfriend. The pub is a great place to do quick portraiture as both artist and subject are more relaxed - sometimes too relaxed!

below are, in order , King St from the corner of Brown St (opposite Clem's chicken) - the Cooper's Arms, Phoenix, the hock shop; looking up King St from the Hub; the Bank Hotel from the Hub, with Rip playing guitar; and Clem's chicken

This is king st from Brown St opposite Clem's chicken where I draw portraits and sketches and otherwise busk sometimes

Something that I find really interesting, intriguing even, is the effect a familiar view has upon a person's memory, even more so with those familiar from childhood/youth. Memories of a whole life can be prompted by an image of a place where buildings significant to the viewer previously stood.



I,ve been drawing the streets around Newtown for the past few years, especially King St while I waited for portrait customers.Here are a few of them