Artist Blog of Cheryl Radford

Plein air with handmade Charcoal

5/30/2022

I have been invited to show 3 pieces of my golf course artwork at a plein air exhibition at Westland Gallery. The French term plein air means out of doors and refers to the practice of painting entire finished pictures out of doors. My artworks are not really paintings, but rather charcoal drawings that were completed on location. The more interesting part is that I made the charcoal from trees on that very golf course.

Name: Plein Air Group Exhibition 2022 (Various Artists)
Dates: June 7th to June 25, 2022
Live Painting in Wortley Village: Friday, June 17th from 4 - 7 pm and Saturday, June 18th from 9 am to noon

I read a book called "The Organic Artist" by art instructor Nick Neddo. He covers a lot of techniques and projects including making paper, wild ink, working with soapstone, clay, wood, printmaking, and the list goes on. The book inspires creativity and encourages you to get out into nature. I tried a few projects and then I decided that I would make charcoal. The author recommends willow. The 18th hole at Greenhills Golf Club is lined with willow trees. I started picking up the appropriately sized sticks and went from there. The process infographic is below.

The charcoal was made last summer. The plein air drawings were completed this month. May 2022 at Greenhills Golf Club.

See more golf course illustrations.

Graphic showing how the artist made charcoal from willow sticks to use on drawings of where the willow sticks were picked up.

Woodstock Streetscape with Capitol theatre

4/19/2022

A video of the creation of a "Woodstock Streetscape with Capitol Theatre" a section of Dundas Street in the City of Woodstock. (Note to Self: My video creation and editing skills could use some improvement!)

The love and appreciation of built history started after a trip to France in 2007. As an avid walker, living in the Blackfriars Heritage District in downtown London, I started to take notice of the visually-interesting buildings right here at home. I have been documenting the rich tapestry of buildings in Southwestern Ontario ever since.

This first drawing was completed in 2012 and shows the gaping hole where a building used to sit. Today, 10 years later, it's still a gaping hole.
A little research shows that 391 to 395 Dundas Street in Woodstock was home to Woodstock Opera House built in 1893. In 1908, it became part of the Griffin Amusement Company of Toronto. The Famous Players chain took over in 1927, renamed it the Capitol Theatre. It closed in 1999 due to the new Gallery Cinemas opening. The structure was demolished in 2010.

India ink and ink illustration of Woodstock streetscape completed in 2012.

After a little more research and I found some images of the Capitol Theatre, before it met the wrecking ball. I think this was the most beautiful building on this block. My final illustration captures todays streetscape with a black and white drawing of the demolished building, using a little imagination and guess work to complete the image. You will notice some history on the marque and you will also find "YOU DID NOT SAVE ME" strategically placed on the façade.

Woodstock Streetscape wtih Capitol Theate

Modern living room with streetscape on the wall.

A modern living room with framed "Woodstock Streetscape with Capitol Theatre" on the wall.

International Women's Day 2022 Exhibition

3/14/2022

International Women's Day 2022 Exhibition at Westland Gallery.
February 22nd - March 12, 2022

International Women's Day (March 8) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. I was honored to be included in this exhibition. Many London and area women artists were also being represented. And it was fun to attend a (small) opening again, completed the afternoon with a beverage and some great conversation. Looking forward to be included in the Plein Air Show Group Exhibition @ Westland Gallery from June 7 to June 25.

Participating Artists Included:
Angie Quick, Margot Ariss, Kelly Greene, Pat Deadman, Danielle Hoevenaars, Meredith Milton, Patience Morrisey, Rosemary Sloot, Erica Dornbusch, Kerry Ferris, Agneta Dolman, Donna Andreychuk, Antje Laidler, Jen Hamilton, Bonnie Parkinson, Valda Christine Glennie, Selma Popovic, Marcy Saddy, Genet Hodder, Cheryl Radford, and Johnnene Maddison.

Save Me Series Painting of Stanley Street

Urban Sketching and NON Urban Sketching

1/25/2022

December Urban Sketching on December 12, 2021
A warm day for a sketch out with #uskldnont in downtown London, but the wind picked up and it was so cold! Found a protected spot to sketch a couple of the beautiful buildings on Richmond Street between King and York.
Outside and on location, its an urban sketch.

January (NON) Urban Sketching on January 23, 2022
A very cold Sunday (feels like -15°C), so no outdoor sketching for me. I finished up the hemming, and patching so on to sketching of my new-for-me sewing machine, which was purchased used a couple of years ago.
It's a still life, not an urban sketch.

Urban Sketching London Ontario, December 2021.

NON Urban Sketch, January 2022

Golf Done - so much more time to do artwork!

11/19/2021

I played my final round of golf for the season on November 13 (only front nine was open). 9 Holes + 4 extra, just because the opportunity was there. Played one of my best front nines of the season. Probably because - I was not expecting to play, it was quite cold, too many clothes for golf, so I had no expectations. It was relatively warm, when the sun poked out a few time, but temperature dropped as we were finishing. One final post round beer and we look forward to next season of golf!
For the next five months or so, I have so much time to do artwork! And now I have an extra day at home (no work Wednesdays) I have even more time. My "artwork to do" list just keeps growing. Check back to see my progress and new works.

Greenhills Hole No 4, November 13, 2021

Sketch Arva

10/16/2021

Its October, so it's fitting to go sketching at a cemetery. Urban Sketchers at St. John's Anglican Church in Arva. This cute little yellow brick church was built in 1875. The first sketch was of the cemetery at the back of the property, a unique heart shaped head stone caught my attention. It was a little windy and cool back there, so moved to the front of the church. Went across the street to sketch an elevation view of the church, warmer with no wind. Micron Pen and water brush filled with india ink/distilled water mixture for gray tones... I spent about 45 minutes on each sketch.

Sketch with Homemade Charcoal

10/11/2021

Greenhills Hole No 7 Sketch

This small sketch of hole number 7 was created using a micron pen, charcoal made from the willow trees on the 18 hole at the course and white pencil crayon, on a grey toned pastel paper. The sketch was based on photos and some quick sketches done while playing golf at Greenhills Golf Course over the summer.
The "willow" charcoal is a quite messy, and therefore requires a fixative being sprayed immediately upon finishing the sketch. That does make the sketch a little darker.
This image size is about 5 inches tall and 4 inches wide.
See more golf art here.

Urban Sketchers - now an official chapter

8/14/2021

This AM the Urban Sketchers London had it's first event as an official chapter of Urban Sketchers International. Met downtown, the artists went where they wanted to and them met up at a coffee shop for the throw down. Some sketchers from Waterloo Region US made the trip. Probably our largest gathering of sketchers to date.
I have drawn/illustrated the (former) Kingsmill's Department Store building a couple of times before, but always from photographs. Now it's home to Fanshawe College: School of Tourism, Hospitality and Culinary Arts. And this time it's a sketch completed on location. I would not say the building was "saved", but at least we still have the original facade for the Dundas streetscape. I think, when you only keep the front wall, and completely rebuild the rest, you loose spirit of the building and have not really saved it. But this is better than loosing it completely!
New sketchbook started August 1 and this time a little bigger. First 2 were 6 x 6 inches, this one is 10 x 8 inches. Still working on sketching everyday.... still only missed one day since April 8.

Urban Sketchers London - Dundas Street (micron pen, waterbrush with india ink in 10 x 8 inch sketchbook)

Western University - McIntosh Gallery

4/6/2021

Gothic limestone architecture, ivy-covered walls, lots of green space, and nestled beside the Thames River is Western University. Founded in 1878, the campus is one of the most picturesque in North America. Hard to believe I have lived in London for so long and never drawn or sketched any of the magnificent buildings on this campus.
McIntosh Gallery was established in 1942, and is the oldest university art gallery in Ontario.
As it turns out... this was the location of the last art opening I went to before the COVID-19 lock down of 2020 and was the location of the first art exhibition I went to view in March of 2021.

Process of War Memorial Children's Hospital

2/26/2021

A recent article by Bryan Bicknell, CTV News London called "Buildings on the Brink" prompted me to revisit my "Save Me Series" from 2017. This illustration is based on my belief that old building have a soul. I combined my figure drawing, my love of architecture, my photo and an old photo I found on Toronto Public Library Archive site. If you look closely in the windows you will see "Save Me". I truly hope this building is repurposed and saved somehow. See more illustrations from the Save me Series.
Couple of process images

India ink drawing of figure
Micron ink drawing of building
Watercolour painting and washes
Matting and framing ... and the finished piece is ready to be delivered.

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