Sometimes an illustration gets in a pile of artwork and gets overlooked for awhile. This one "Camden Terrace (Front Elevation) was overlooked for a few years! Cleaning up studio and came across it this weekend. Illustration is from 2016 and in November of that year, the building was demolished. The building was located at 479-489 Talbot Street, and was built 1876-77.Second image is based on the architecture of Camden Terrace, in the window, it says "save me - you did not". The history of the architecture and the city is worth saving. Once it is gone, its gone forever.
This is (was) an example of "Terrace Housing". A 19th-century term for row housing, terrace housing refers to identical or mirror-image houses sharing side walls. Such terraces were a traditional British form of domestic architecture generally only found in the larger urban areas of Ontario. London has several examples. (Source: Jennifer grainger.blogspot.com) Some notes from Architectural Conservancy Ontario, London Branch about its unique design:
This prominent building in the downtown of St. Marys (175 Queen Street East), was constructed in 1891 of local limestone with dichromatic red sandstone accents. Its close proximity to the St. Marys Public Library, another heritage building constructed with similar materials, contribute to the strong heritage identity of the downtown area. St Marys Town Hall, Ink and watercolour, 6" x 6" ©2020
I am excited and honoured to have my Dundas Streetscape (Clarence to Wellington) officially hanging at the new location of the London Arts Council. They just moved to their new office at 267 Dundas Street, London, ON, corner of Dundas and Wellington. This organization truly enhances the quality of life and creative vitality in London, through their various programs, services and incredible staff members. I appreciate their support over the years.
This illustration was started in 2012, when I took the photo reference. I put all the images together in Photoshop, to figure out how big to draw each buildings, in order to have the streetscape fit on a sheet of watercolour paper. I completed the ink drawing in 2012, but then got busy doing two books: Barhopping into History, London Ontario (2013) and Hopping into History, London's Old East Village (2015). Both of these books were supported by the London Arts Council. Finally in 2018, I got back to the illustrations and completed them. My original plan was to draw every building from Museum London (I worked at the Art Rental shop) to the London Clay Art Centre (I still work here). To date, I have only finished 3 blocks. Maybe its time to continue with this series... |
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