One of the most amazing places I’ve ever stayed is Hampden Cottage, an old settlers cottage near Hampden Bridge in Kangaroo Valley, New South Wales. It’s so wonderful I couldn’t let Mum & Dad leave without a visit, so we drove down yesterday and are staying here for three nights.
It was built in the late 1800’s and has been tastefully renovated so you get all the Olde Worlde charm without the discomfort – it has a lovely spa bath, big comfy beds and a log fire. Not that we need the fire as the weather is beautiful. It also has lots of peace and quiet and a lovely rear garden overgrown with climbing vines and lavender, backing onto bushland.
Today’s practice is a sketch of one corner of the garden which has a lean to structure completely covered in vines and leaves. I thought it would be a great challenge to sketch it, capturing the overall impression without drawing every leaf – something I would not have the patience to do anyway!