Friday 16 November 2012

Sketchbook No.2 (#2)























Up Cuthbert Street, 27 October 1991
(2B pencil in A4 sketchbook)

I'd recently discovered the paintings of Wayne Thiebaud when I drew this. Trying to capture something of his vertiginous San Francisco views, I chose one of the steeper streets in Gateshead and looked up Cuthbert Street to the  houses on Bensham Road.

I don't think I really caught Thiebaud's essence, but looking at this drawing now, complete with colour notes, I think it might still make an interesting painting.

6 comments:

Arnold said...

Here I have to SUMMON all of my Ever So Sensitive Artistic Sensibility - born of my large Collection of Bell Stuff - to say that ... in saying " I don't think I really caught Thiebaud's essence, but looking at this drawing now, complete with colour notes, I think it might still make an interesting painting." You clearly realize, at an Un Conscious Level of True Artistic Sensibility that .... What you really Need is the San Fransisco /Gates head equivalent of ...


http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/video/343960/Bullitt-Movie-Clip-Car-Chase.html


Well, someone just HAD to say it didn't they?

harry bell said...

No, probably not, and the traffic is usually too bad to allow it.

Alex said...

Fantastic sketch!

harry bell said...

Thanks again, Alex.

Ian Bertram said...

I knew this area quite well when I worked in Gateshead and I was christened in St Cuthbert's. I think you've captured the place well. There were some houses in the area, probably long gone now, with very steep stairs to the front door that would have made a good subject too - on Bank St I think.

harry bell said...

St Cuthbert's was my parish church and I used to go to the Scouts (22nd St Cuthbert's) at Lady Vernon School next door on Derwentwater Road.

I remember Bank Street - I went to junior school with a boy who lived there.As you say, long gone now.