Category Archives: York

Acomb: Cats and Connections

July 8, 2022 ronniecruwys Leave a comment

93-105 Front Street, Acomb York

I thought it was time to share a look behind the scenes at my drawings of Front Street, Acomb, York – the village where I grew up. Let’s dive into my studio to take a closer look at this first drawing of Front Street, from Nos 93-105.

I start by roughing out the street in pencil then transcribing the outline onto a long sheet of heavy watercolour paper. I’ve always used Fabriano 300gsm acid free 100% archival cotton paper. It has a lovely rough texture. I use a flexible mapping pen nib which gives a variety of line thickness and the paper is sturdy enough to take the paint. It’s also strudy enough to handle a reclining cat!

Josh often lies out beside me as I work – he has done this ever since we first collected him from the North Staffs RSCPA in 2016.

We were told by the RSPCA to be patient as he was terrified of people and it might take him months to come round. That was fine by us, so we brought him home and left him to settle a few metres from my work table.

It was only a matter of days before Josh had to find out what was taking all my attention. I was engrossed in drawing the first of my Eccleshall streets and he couldn’t resist climbing up to see what was going on. Pencils, pens, erasors – all targets for paws. It was our first point of connection and six years on he still jumps up here to greet me.

*Mapping the outline of the buildings in ink*

I’ve always covered most of the drawing apart from where I’m working; newsprint paper protects it from most splashes and spills and I only move it out of the way to photograph. It’s been a handy working practice!

I’ve used a light fast permanent ink here in Sepia (rather than black or Payne’s Grey) as a warmer base colour to complement the rich red ochres of the brickwork. Front Street is full of soft red brick buildings and red terracotta roof tiles; I use earth pigments for these.

*Building up depth of colour in thin layers*

Front Street is in Acomb’s conservation area. Acomb has a stong sense of place and history and you can read ten curious facts about it in a clever blog by the cat crime fiction writer James Barrie. Yes, I did say ‘cat’ crime…

*Brause dip pen used with a mapping pen nib*

As soon as the street is complete, I wrap it in glassine paper and store in a 30cm diameter carboard tube out of harms way until I can scan it and arrange for prints.

*Completed original drawing of 93-105 Front Street, Acomb*

I released the first set of limited edition giclee prints a few weeks ago and they sold very quickly! The next set are listed in my Etsy Shop and already one of these has sold. I’m only releasing a small print run of the Acomb drawings: 30 prints at 60cm long and 10 prints at 90cm. If you would like to order one – please get in touch.

*The four drawings of Front Street, Acomb, as numbered signed giclee prints.*

Acomb Library is also stocking some of my greetings cards – a few examples below.

As always, thanks for reading.

Ronnie 🙂

#GBHighSt, Architectural Drawing, Architecture, York

Bishy Road – a Tour de Force

November 30, 2015 ronniecruwys 2 Comments

Painting blue sky on watercolour paper — *Painting sky over the Bishy Road*

It’s almost two years since I first sketched out this drawing. It all began with a coffee at the Pig and Pastry and somehow the word has got around that this is one extraordinary street. Hearing that Bishy Road has been awarded the honour of becoming Britain’s No 1 Great British High Street was such good news today.

That’s a huge amount of community effort, dedication and commitment spent over many years, led by Johnny Hayes of Frankie and Johnny’s cookshop and with a whole raft of participation in and beyond this remarkable street.

*A corner of the Bishy Road on a January morning a few years ago.*

Thomas the baker, frankie and Johnnies and Rice Style, Bishy road, york — Frankie and Johnny’s fly the yellow bunting for the Tour de Yorkshire

Congratulations Bishy Road! Enjoy your big moment. You show how it is possible to turn the ordinary into extraordinary.

To see the drawings in full, please click over to Drawing the Street or call into Blossom Street Gallery where prints are on sale. Drop me an email at ronnieCruwys@drawingthestreet.co.uk before the weekend if you want to order in time for Christmas.

Thumbnail Millies Pig and Pastry — Congratulations Piggies! Plenty going on in every corner.

Bishy Road Pig and Pastry york Loo

Architectural drawings, Architecture, Listed buildings, Micklegate, York

Tyburn and the Spirits of Micklegate, York

April 22, 2015 ronniecruwys 2 Comments

Colour over micklegate drawing — Laying the first washes of colour in egg tempera and natural pigments over Micklegate

I have been drawn back to the Great North Road, this time up in York. The Roman road from London can be traced closely beneath the present day A64, entering York just a little north of Blossom Street and Micklegate and neatly illustrated on the British History Online website (scroll down on the link site for the map).

bike shed drawing york — Bike Shed and S.o.t.a. Hairdressing on Micklegate

I mentioned in an earlier post that I went to school in York and Micklegate was my cycle route into town. Of course, much has changed and I see that the first building on the street is now occupied by Bike Shed, hopefully ready to greet the forthcoming Tour de Yorkshire. Brilliant! I will be there in the crowds again this year.

drawing of Micklegate — Heaven Scent and Portfolio, Micklegate

Micklegate is a long street and this drawing is only about a third of one side but I have discovered that there are seven Grade I, 26 Grade II* and 117 Grade II listed buildings in Micklegate alone!

leo drawing — Detail: Warm glow of Heaven Scent with a basking Leo

Having made a great journey north himself, my father would often speak of the ancient roads in and around the city and how in the past, convicts would have been taken from York Castle prison along Micklegate, then Blossom Street and out along what is now the A64 to Tyburn, on the Knavesmire. Dad had been given a very old book ‘the Criminal Chronology of York Castle‘ which is a register of all those unfortunate souls executed at Tyburn since 1379 with many awful insights into life and death within the city. Dad passed the book on to me and it’s a sobering read.

Events don’t seem so long ago when I think that most of these buildings would have been extant on ‘Saturday 6th March 1761, when Ann Richmond, a fine young girl, was executed at Tyburn Without Micklegate Bar, for setting fire to a stack and barn belonging to her mistress’. The buildings on Micklegate would have been some of the last that she saw.

I got lost in thought whilst drawing Micklegate. I kept thinking of my parents, John and Mary Sharp (nee O’Donoghue), who lived in York for over 50 years and I took the liberty of drawing them in, looking into Brigantes window – which incidentally is the name of a Celtic Romano tribe – apt for my English dad and Irish mum. Our much loved old Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever Arran is included, no shadows of course!

spirits of Micklegate — detail: Mum, Dad and our recalcitrant old Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retreiver – Arran

Micklegate holds many names which have gone – the Blake Head is one that I really do miss when I visit York. I don’t like seeing buildings unused so it is great to hear that this is now home to the BlueBird Bakery and the Rattle Owl. With great names like that, I hope they go a long way – best of luck to you!

Blake Head gallery — Wonderful book shop and cafe – sadly long gone

micklegate york — DW hair and Army careers recruitment. The Rattle Owl and Bluebird Bakery in the former Blake Head Bookshop site.

I gather from the York Press that ‘Plans have also been submitted to the council to excavate the cellar of the property which is believed to be sitting on top of a Roman road, with hopes of incorporating it into the current building design and allowing it to be displayed.’ Exciting! Look forward to hearing more of this!

drawing of York nags head — Nags head, Coles Solicitors, Rumours

Micklegate House (c1752) below, was the former town house of the Bourchiers of Beningbrough.

grade 1 Micklegate house drawing — Micklegate House, grade 1 listed, flanked by grade 2* listed builidngs

The drawing stops at the point where it meets Barker Lane, hopefully to be continued. To see all the drawing scanned in full length, please visit www.drawingthestreet.co.uk

Limited edition prints will soon be available at Blossom Street Gallery and Framing. Please email me directly and I will happily reserve one for you. A small number will be available to buy from me directly.

Thanks for reading.

Ronnie ronniecruwys@drawingthestreet.co.uk

Architectural Drawing, Bishy Road, Crohns and colitis UK, York, York Galleries

Flying the Colours for Crohns

September 15, 2014 ronniecruwys Leave a comment

Our son John was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease at 14. At the time we had no real idea of what that meant other than the leaflets published by the charity now known as Crohns and Colitis UK and from support by medical staff.

Family pic — John with Dad, Mum and Aunty Meggie

John had two operations during his teens to manage symptoms and it gradually dawned on us just how debilitating this illness can be. It is an ongoing condition that occurs in painful ‘flare-ups’ but in spite of this, John has dealt with it, gone on to study Architecture at UCL and has just graduated with First Class Honours. We are incredibly proud of him and wish him all the best as he embarks on his year in practice.

So, to share our delight at this news, I am donating all proceeds from the framed Bishy Road Limited Edition fine art print 2/199 to Crohn’s and Colitis UK as a small tribute to the courage of youngsters having to deal with this disease.

Blossom Street Gallery and Framing have the framed print on display. It is one of 12 large sized signed prints (1.6 m long) and is on sale at £295.

Blossom Street Framing & Gallery — Alice Ross of the Blossom Street Gallery, York, displaying the framed Bishy Road picture.

Further limited edition fine art giclee signed prints are available to order through myself or Blossom Street Gallery and Framing, York, YO24 1A. The gallery is offering a special 10% discount on framing Bishy Road prints.

Unframed print no’s 1 – 12 are 1550mm long (£195 RRP), print no’s 13-100 are 1200mm (£119 unframed) and no’s 101-199 are 600mm (£48).

Thanks for reading!

Fundraising in aid of Crohns and Colitis UK

Crohn’s and Colitis UK is the working name of the National Association for Colitis and Crohn’s Disease (NACC) which is a registered charity – Number 1117148 (England and Wales) and SC038632 (Scotland)

#GBHighSt, Architectural Drawing, Bishy Road, Pen and ink drawing, Tour de France, York

Bishy Road East meets West

August 28, 2014 ronniecruwys Leave a comment

Bishy road under construction — Bishy Road (East Side) taking shape

There is a sense of great relief when I complete a street drawing, even more so on completion of a pair. I have spent the best part of 100 hours on each drawing from the early sketches to the drafts, the transfer and then ink then wash on the watercolour paper. With ink, there is no rubbing out mistakes so they get to stay!

Writing title on the Bishy Road drawing — Adding the lettering is the final stage

Plus we live with a nervous dog, two Burmese cats and a tortoise which combined can be quite a handful!

cat in paper — Paper weight cat-in-a-roll of drawing

Yes, I do shut the cats out but Norman can negotiate door handles, walls and windows with ease and he likes to help.

So the great Bishy Road is complete. It has been a joy to draw this street – the most interactive and sociable that I have done so far. My first contact with the street began last year with elevenses at the Pig and Pastry, where this drawing began. Since then, through connections on social media, I have gradually picked up the great warmth, humour, fun and sense of community spirit on this street from simple acts of kindness such as looking after a lost dog to the generous spirit in fundraising for various charitable causes. People care here. The photographer Karen Turner, has captured the energy of this street beautifully over on her blog – it’s well worth a look.

Millies, Pig and Pastry York — Bishy Road full of life even on a cold January mid-week morning – especially around the Pig and Pastry and Millies!

Furthermore, there is a real sense of belonging here which the Clementshall History Group demonstrates through their blog where you can see how several shops have survived with the same use for over 100 years – that is some achievement!

As my first drawing reached completion, Bishy Road greeted le Tour de France. Now, as I wrap up the second drawing, Bishy road have entered the competition for the best Great British High Street. I wish them every success – their sparkle is the result of combined hard work, vision and commitment.

The full length drawings of both sides of Bishy Road are shown on my website Drawing the Street and for detailed views of the buildings, please visit Drawing the Detail. The original drawing is just under 2 metres long and it is not easy to reduce the image down to a phone sized view unless I crop it – hence Drawing the Detail.

Limited edition (100 only) signed giclee fine art prints (unframed) will shortly be available for sale, three sizes, 60cm (£48) 1.2m (£119) and 1.5m (£195), through Blossom Street Gallery and Framing, please contact me for further information or to reserve one. Banners are also available by request – please contact me for a quote.

Thanks for reading and here’s to you Bishy Road!

Bishy Road, Pen and ink drawing, York

Bishy Road Begins

May 29, 2014 ronniecruwys Leave a comment

Bishy Road, York — Bishy Road, first few shop signs inked in

My earliest memory is being held in my Dad’s arms, travelling on the train from Kings Cross to York in the winter of 1962. I was only two when our whole family moved north from Sittingbourne, Kent, up to Acomb, York.

Life has moved us all in varied directions but last year saw us clearing the last of our dear Dad’s belongings from his home. We would get going early on and set ourselves a bookshelf to clear, or a cupboard to sort but it would always be followed by a treat…morning coffee out somewhere and The Pig and Pastry was a regular treat!

So after all these years I got to know the Bishy Road. What a community – I had to draw your street!

My drawings always begin with an old OS map and this too began with the old OS street maps in York library, then a sketch. I aim to catch all the architectural details as I hope my drawings will stand as an archive of our streetscapes as they stand at present.

pencil sketch — Pencil sketch of Bishy road – I sketch it all out full length before I work on the final drawing.

It is gradually taking shape on a 1.8 metre length of 300gsm water colour paper. For this drawing, I am working in permanent Indian inks: sepia and terracotta and using a mapping pen rather than my usual fixed width Rotring technical pen. It has more variety in the line. Let’s see how it goes!

pen and ink Bishy Road — First lines of pen and ink

Thanks for reading…oh and I have not forgotten about the south side of the street – that’s up my sleeve.

drawing out the best in our streets