Buildings have stories and histories hidden within them. All we have to do is spend a little time getting to know them for them before they begin to reveal their secrets. Buildings are designed by people, used by people, and visited by people. We form relationships with them. This may sound strange in the context of Kew Gardens, where buildings are made for plants and research. Plants don’t need buildings and probably don’t need people, but we need them.

Sketching forms a bond between the observer and the object. The more we look, the more we see. Gradually, buildings begin to reveal their stories as we slow down and look. Great architecture is much more than the sum of its parts.

Sketching is my way of sharing with others that relationship. Few places in the world have such a range of great architecture in such a relatively small area as Kew Gardens.

Sketching in Kew Gardens has been a journey of exploration and discovery. A chance to engage with the history and beauty of this World Heritage Site. 

Sketching starts a story. Stories are told to be shared and to be passed on. These sketches are something I wanted to share. We all need some joy in our lives. So I hope that these sketches from my sketchbooks will bring others some joy.