UskManchester

105-3144 – Horse in Bexley Square

Image | | Art-Chap-Enjoin

Despite being tired (after seeing off our daughter and shopping in the Arndale for a wok), we stopped for a beer at the The New Oxford pub and I drew this. The pub has a huge range of beer – I had the house ale. This horse sculpture by Emma Rodgers (@rodgers_art.emma) recognises Salford as home to Englands first public library and it is covered with messages and sayings from famous Salfordians, poets and musicians. The visit Salford website (https://www.visitsalford.info/) also notes that “a dog cocking its leg against the lamp post is a tribute to Salford artist Harold Riley and his famous sketches of dogs”…you can just about see the dog in my sketch.

Sun-1-Jun-2025

105-3143 – Brunch at idle hands

Image | | Art-Chap-Enjoin

I did this sketch while we were waiting for our brunch at a nice little café (@idlehandscoffee) and saying goodbye to our daughter who was heading back down south to London. I had a lovely 3 cheese grilled sandwich. The waitress took a photo of my sketch and my daughter said I should make more effort to “shamelessly promote” my artwork!

Sun-1-Jun-2025

104-3138 – Peel park

Image | | Art-Chap-Enjoin

After visiting IWM north, waiting for our daughter to have another interview (still not successful) at Salford Art Gallery and Museum, a pub lunch at the Old Pint Pot…we then went for a walk in Peel Park again and I sketched this. I sketched there in August 2024 (see sketch No.22-2803)….this time I chose a slightly different spot to sit and didn’t use any ink like I usually do.

Thu-29-May-2025

104-3133 – Mala

Image | | Art-Chap-Enjoin

I had missed doing a sketch, the day before this, because of the long drive up from Brighton, but made up for it by doing two sketches on our first day in Manchester…this is the second one. We started our day with a visit to #FredAldous (my current favourite art supplies shop, where I bought new palette) and ended with a nice cup of tea in this cafe (@mala_mcr), which is described as an all-wooden, pop-up style, outside-inside bar, with a surrealist design ethic.

Mon-26-May-2025

92-2809 – Manchester to Edinburgh

Image | | Art-Chap-Enjoin

This sketch was done on our train ride up to Edinburgh, where we stayed with some friends (I forgot to post this one so this is long delayed!). On our first day we walked around the New Town area and marvelled at the huge Georgian Terraces, which reminded me very much of Bath where I used to live. New Town is not all that new – it was built in the late 1700’s to reduce congestion in the Old Town. I sketched this trying to use a very limited palette of ultramarine and raw umber.

Thu-8-Aug-2024

92-2802 – Scared by cows near Lantern Pike

Image | | Art-Chap-Enjoin

On Saturday 3 August day we took a train up to Stockport from Manchester to meet with a friend and then did a hike from Hayfield to Lantern Pike. This of course included a stop at the pub on the way and we ended up having an excellent simple dinner at “The Village Chippy” in Hayfield before heading back to Manchester. I started this sketch when we stopped for a rest (but didn’t finish, hence the delay in posting it)…there were some scary looking cows in the field behind us (actually bulls I think), with huge horns.

Sat-3-Aug-2024

92-2806-7 – Manchester to Slaithwaite and Huddersfield Narrow

Image | | Art-Chap-Enjoin

These sketches were done on our day out to visit where our daughter works, along the Huddersfield Narrow canal. The first sketch was done in the train on the way and the second where we stopped for lunch at Lock No.29 E. The Huddersfield Narrow scales the Pennines and has very narrow locks. We walked as far as the Standedge Tunnel which is the longest, deepest and highest canal tunnel in the country.

Tue-6-Aug-2024

92-2804-5 – Heaton Park

Image | | Art-Chap-Enjoin

On Monday 5th August we visited Heaton Park – taking the tram out of Manchester. I did two sketches there – the first when we sat down for a coffee and lunch at the Lakeside Cafe (where the park was crowded with families and lots of push chairs…this sketch is barely finished and was done really quickly). The second was done when we stopped for rest in the animal centre area where there were some Highland Cattle (just about visible as blobs in my sketch).

Mon-5-Aug-2024