Fast and Loose on Australia’s Sunshine Coast

I recently spent a few weeks at my old stomping grounds north of Brisbane, on the east coast of Australia. Warm, semitropical, and hundreds of miles of beaches centered on Noosa National Park….

I have come to the conclusion that I don’t have the patience or skill to do high accuracy drawings! My general goal these days is to loosen up my style and get better at capturing the feeling of a place. Aussie sketchers are really big on colour, so I have been moving that way too. Lots of experimentation, with mixed results…

Encroaching cyclones produced huge waves and high winds, which were interesting. Water is difficult to capture at any time!

Most of Australia’s beach towns are an eclectic mixture of cafes, shops, pubs and markets. Plenty of places for practice. I am always amazed by the amount of interest from owners and passerbys. I was often approached by people, and the reception was always positive.

The main draw is the ocean though! And at any given time you would find groups of people sitting and watching it while lost in thought, surfers checking out the break, people walking on the sand, and lifesavers going about their business…