Behind the Scenes: Painting Adelaide’s Heritage Buildings
My First Exhibition as an Adelaide Artist
As an Adelaide watercolour artist, I’ve always been drawn to the character and charm of South Australia’s heritage architecture. The ornate details, the craftsmanship, the stories held in brick and stone - they’ve always felt like little pockets of magic scattered throughout the City of Charles Sturt. This entire series began with a simple conversation at the Ngutungka West Lakes library, and it grew into a year‑long creative journey that became my Charles Sturt Heritage Watercolour Series.
How a Conversation Sparked an Exhibition
In June 2025, I was chatting with one of the librarians about having my art on display. That conversation planted a seed - what if I created a body of work that celebrated the City of Chalres Sturt with a focus on heritage buildings? What if I could highlight the details that often go unnoticed and preserve them through watercolour?
That moment became the starting point for my exhibition for South Australia’s History Month in May 2026.
A Day Spent Photographing the City of Charles Sturt
Before I ever picked up a paintbrush, I spent a lot of time reasearching the stories associated with various locations within the council area. It was then that I spent a few weekends walking and driving around the City of Charles Sturt with my camera. I photographed every building that caught my eye - council chambers, rotundas, old shopfronts, community halls, and the little architectural quirks that make this area so special.
I wasn’t just collecting reference photos. I was collecting stories, textures, shadows, and angles. I wanted to understand how these buildings sat in their environment, how the light touched them, and what made each one unique.
This day of photographing became the foundation for the entire series.
The Timeline: Nine A3 Paintings in Eleven Months
I began the series in June 2025 with a clear goal: to complete nine A3 watercolour paintings in time for History Month in May 2026.
Each piece took me roughly one month from start to finish. Some flowed easily; others challenged me in ways I didn’t expect. But every single one taught me something new about patience, detail, and the rhythm of my own creative process.
My Creative Process: From Sketch to Watercolour
1. Sketching the Composition
I began with loose pencil sketches to map out the building’s proportions and main shapes. This stage was all about getting the structure right.
2. Adding Linework
Once the sketch felt balanced, I added linework to define the architectural details. This step helped me understand the building’s personality — the curves, the angles, the flourishes.
3. Thumbnail Colour Studies
Before committing to the final painting, I created small thumbnail sketches to test colour palettes. This allowed me to explore mood, lighting, and the whimsical touches I wanted to bring into each piece.
4. Painting in Watercolour
Finally, I moved into the full watercolour painting. Layer by layer, I built up the colours, shadows, and textures that brought each heritage building to life. This is where the magic happened — where the structure transformed into a story.
Bringing the Series Together
By the time I completed the ninth piece, I could see how each artwork connected to the next. Together, they formed a visual celebration of the City of Charles Sturt — its history, its architecture, and the beauty that surrounds us every day if we simply stop and look.
This series became more than an exhibition. It became a love letter to my community.
Thanks for reading,
Calista 🙂
Explore the Heritage Series
