Participating in a joint exhibition at London’s Bankside Gallery in January 2020, provided me with an opportunity to spend a week getting to know a very special part of London through a series of sketches along the waterfront. Looking back now, it was only a month before Covid 19 interrupted our old way of living, so I feel particularly fortunate to have been able to spend this intimate time, strolling, looking and sketching. On cold winter days, I’d always advocate working on a small scale when out and about. It’s just not realistic to stand for prolonged spells anywhere sketching in the cold, and in fact you can see it as an opportunity for quick, spontaneous scribbling, which is often far more full of character than something you’ve laboured over in a relaxed, warmer environment.
Look carefully and you will see that the iconic ‘Gherkin ‘ building is present in both these sketches. The first sketch was observed from further down Southbank towards Caladonia Wharf, looking back up at Tower Bridge, the ‘Shark ‘ building, and the Gherkin. The second night time study celebrates the shimmer of light and the flecks of turquoise blue of the Gherkin at night, this time observed from Bankside near Tate Modern and Millennium Bridge.
Sketching along Bankside would not be complete without a mention of the Shard, and for anyone wanting to enjoy a superb view of this iconic building, I’d highly recommend a visit to the Samuel Pepys pub for it goes without saying that a pint of local ale and tapas helps keep those scribbles spontaneous. I hope you’ve enjoyed this journey along Bankside with my sketchbook, and I look forward to similar outings when life resumes some level of normality.
