Lamppost Sketch

Image © 2012 Gregory Watson

Pencil Sketch, 5" x 8 1/2".

On Saturday, May 5th, I participated in the second Artisan and Craft Sale at the Waterdown Legion, hosted by my good friends Nick and Jen Prouse. This particular piece was done to have some new and smaller works available that would hopefully sell better than my larger paintings.

I spent the last Saturday of April wandering the grounds of the Cathedral of Christ the King here in Hamilton. There are a number of old-fashioned lampposts on the grounds. The two in front of the Chancery office had many white tulips growing around the base. The image captured my imagination, and I sat down on the lawn and drew one. There are only three tulips, though, because I simply got tired of drawing them!

I've always been a big fan of C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia, and was very tempted to call the picture "Waiting for Tumnus", but the purist in me rejected that, since the Narnian lamppost had one cross-arm below the lantern, and this one has none. Yeah, I'm weird. What can I say?

Lampposts tend to symbolise guidance and hope, lighting our path in the night. The tulips continue that hopeful symbolism, as they blossom in the Spring after the cold death of winter. I hope the image of the lamppost evokes similar feelings of hope, peace and rest as those which I experienced wandering the quiet grounds of the Cathedral.

The original sketch was sold at the aforementioned art show I was part of on May 5th, but prints of the image are now for sale. Please email doubting-thomist@hotmail.com to order Prints.

• Full size (5" x 8.5") limited edition high quality giclée print (unframed): $7.00 (CAD)
• Full size (5" x 8.5") limited edition high quality giclée print (framed): $10.00 (CAD)
• Image on 4¼" x 5½" Greeting Card (blank): $1.50 (CAD)

God bless
Gregory