Industrial Cathedral

Industrial Cathedral
"Industrial Cathedral" charcoal on paper 131 x 131 cm Jane Bennett. Finalist in 1998 Dobell Drawing Prize Art Gallery of NSW Finalist 1998 Blake Prize Winner 1998 Hunter's Hill Open Art Prize

About Me

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Sydney, NSW, Australia
I'm an Industrial Heritage Artist who paints "en plein air".If it's damaged, derelict, doomed and about to disappear, I'll be there to paint it.
Showing posts with label Gloria Jeans Coffee. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gloria Jeans Coffee. Show all posts

Monday 4 August 2014

Fish and chips, painting in Windsor

Painting a Thompson Square panorama

in Windsor

Painting Windsor Seafoods and its neighbour Gloria Jean's Coffee from just outside the Macquarie Arms Hotel.
My favourite fast food shop in Windsor!
plein air oil painting of shops in George st from Thompson Square Windsor by artist Jane Bennett
 TSW11 'George st from Thompson Square '
 2013 oil on canvas 31 x 153cm

Enquiries
 I usually painted the trees, river and the graceful Georgian architecture on either side of the park. I found that I really enjoyed painting Windsor's George st shopping strip or "Eat St".
I've decided to paint a series of studies of individual shops.
plein air oil painting of Windsor Seafoods A.C.Stearn building in Thompson Square Windsor by artist Jane Bennett
Starting to paint a small canvas
'Windsor Seafoods and Gloria Jean's Coffee'
2014 oil on canvas 28 x 36cm

Enquiries
Windsor Seafoods at 74 George St Windsor is in the AC Stearn Building.built in 1907.
The name "A. C. Stearn" and date is helpfully written in decorative maroon lettering on the top floor of the facade of this impressive heritage building.
One of the legendary attractions of Windsor Seafoods is their macaw.
However "Snappa" is only in residence 3 or 4 days a week, and by the lack of raucous screeching, this must have been one of "Snappa"'s days off.
plein air oil painting of Windsor Seafoods A.C.Stearn building in Thompson Square Windsor by artist Jane Bennett
Starting to paint a small canvas
'Windsor Seafoods and Gloria Jean's Coffee '
2014 oil on canvas 28 x 36cm

Enquiries
The original balcony of this handsome two story building  was unfortunately removed in the 1950's.
However it was later restored to its former grandeur  in 1975, and then was updated again in 1988, in preparation for the Bicentenary celebrations.

plein air oil painting of Windsor Seafoods A.C.Stearn building in Thompson Square Windsor by artist Jane Bennett
Halfway through painting a small canvas
'Windsor Seafoods and Gloria Jean's Coffee '
2014 oil on canvas 28 x 36cm

Enquiries
There is a little laneway between Gloria Jean's Coffee and Windsor Seafoods which is topped by a cream wall that I initially thought was a walkway from the top floor of one building to another. It isn't, or if it is, you'd need the skills of a tightrope walker.
On closer inspection it's just a few rows of bricks strangely attaching the two buildings, with no real function. It could be a leftover from a previously existing building, possibly even the Sir John Young Hotel which was built in 1865, then demolished in 1915 following a fire in 1913.
plein air oil painting of Windsor Seafoods A.C.Stearn building in Thompson Square Windsor by artist Jane Bennett
Halfway through painting a small canvas
'Windsor Seafoods and Gloria Jean's Coffee '
2014 oil on canvas 28 x 36cm

Enquiries
 Gloria Jean's Coffee is one of 3 little eateries in what apparently used to be a single building.
The other 2 are "Grill on George" and Stir Crazy" but aren't visible in these pictures.
plein air oil painting of Windsor Seafoods A.C.Stearn building in Thompson Square Windsor by artist Jane Bennett
Starting to paint 
TSW18 'Windsor Seafoods'
2014 oil on canvas 36 x 28cm

Enquiries
I finished lunch and my first painting, then started another.
This time I used the same size canvas, but turned it around to paint a vertical study of Windsor Seafoods.
plein air oil painting of Windsor Seafoods A.C.Stearn building in Thompson Square Windsor by artist Jane Bennett
TSW17 'Windsor Seafoods and Gloria Jean's Coffee '
2014 oil on canvas 28 x 36cm

Enquiries




















One of the charming eccentricities of the architecture is that the levels of the crenellations of the roofline of the 2 outer buildings are lower than that of the centre building.
plein air oil painting of Windsor Seafoods A.C.Stearn building in Thompson Square Windsor by artist Jane Bennett
TSW18 'Windsor Seafoods'
2014 oil on canvas 36 x 28cm

Enquiries
All 3 buildings have blue and cream striped awnings, which with the white canvas marquee, fluttering yellow and orange flags and blue and cream umbrellas of Windsor Seafoods, give the whole streetscape a jaunty air.