Drawing of The George Hotel Colchester

The George Colchester

It was a day to remember. Remembrance Day 2012, and on a Sunday.

My son and countless other cadets, Paras, musicians and brave veterans filled the heart of Colchester, Essex, for a impressive parade and service along the High Street, finishing at the war memorial at the Castle. The sun beamed down on a clear but chilly day.

During the build up and after the service we enjoyed a pint in the George (Hotel), which has long dominated the High Street, and we sat in the 15th century beamed lounge warmed by a crackling fire, with uniformed servicemen both new and old stood at the bar. Perfect and so very British. And so to my drawing.

This scene I have drawn looks up Colchester High Street's gentle hill passing the Town Hall and on into the far distance to the Water Tower. The pleasure of sketching is that artistic license can remove the cars and taxis, but happily on this day, scores of yellow cones had completed this task for me. Save four WWII Willys Jeeps and a justifiably proud population, Colchester High Street was totally bare.

To finish:

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning,

We will remember them.

Please choose original drawing or hand signed print:

A4 Print (hand signed) £14.99 GBP Original 12" x 9" sketch £125.00 GBP

Illustration of The George, Colchester, Essex

Hand signed and annotated A4 Print of pen and ink illustration on 90lb watercolour paper £14.99
Original 12" x 9" pen and ink illustration on 140lb watercolour paper £125
© Robert R Wisdom www.theartofengland.co.uk 2012  

St Botolphs Priory Colchester illustration

Tucked away in a back street between the castle and the town rail station in Colchester, is an historic ruin that I had seen pictures of but never managed to figure out where it was exactly. My Son had to meet in St Botolph's Church for a special service with Air Cadets and veterans and the Church was beside the ancient priory which dates back to the 1100s.

I took the opportunity to sit and illustrate St Botolph's Priory on what was a rather overcast and windy morning. I was joined by a smartly dressed man collecting litter who was interested in my sketch. He told me a little about himself. Although homeless he liked to help out by voluntarily keeping the church and Priory grounds free of litter and encouraging youngsters to stay on the straight and narrow. Nice man and an example of goodness in the face of adversity.

He is my lasting memory of the illustration - it happens so many times if you spend an hour with a sketch pad.

St Botolphs Priory

Please Choose

A4 Print (hand signed) £14.99 GBP Original 12" x 9" sketch £125.00 GBP

Hand signed A4 Print of pen and marker sketch on Bockingford 190gsm watercolour paper £14.99
Original 12' x 9" pen and marker sketch on 140lb water colour paper £125
© Robert R Wisdom www.theartofengland.co.uk 2012 

Colchester Castle illustration

Drawing the castle in Colchester whilst perched on a couple of chairs in the rose beds, my 9 year old daughter and I are visited by an old lady keen to see our sketches.

She tells us of her own art and complements us both on our drawings and shows us a tin of what she has bought for lunch. It's nice to connect with the scene - the people and the sounds. This is why I think drawing a scene is more fulfilling than photography in many ways. As I finish my artwork I can hear my son's remembrance day drill with the air cadets finishing just behind me to mark an anniversary of the end of the Battle of Britain. This is England.

Each of my illustrations reminds me of the time I spent recording it more than a photo ever could. Colchester Castle never fails to delight - the squirrels ever present and friendly are a delight to watch and feed. We shall return.

Colchester Castle

Please Choose

A4 Print (hand signed) £14.99 GBP Original 12" x 9" sketch £125.00 GBP

Hand signed A4 Print of pen and marker sketch on Bockingford 190gsm watercolour paper £14.99
Original 12' x 9" pen and marker sketch on 140lb water colour paper £125
© Robert R Wisdom www.theartofengland.co.uk 2012