Three London Sketches

London is one of my favorite cities in the world, and in 2016 I was invited there to serve as an adjudicator for the London New Year’s Day Parade and Gala Concerts. While I was there, I was fortunate to meet and spend time with The Lord Mayor of Westminster Councillor Steve Summers. While his title sounds formidable and intimidating, I found Steve to one of the nicest, most easygoing people I’ve ever met. And boy, does he love London! He was fond of saying that he had “the best job in the greatest city in the world.” He spoke passionately about London and his favorite places in the city, and his enthusiasm was contagious. Some of his favorite places became some of my favorite places, and the inspiration for this piece. I hope that this work not only conveys the beauty and history of these iconic places, but Steve’s deep and abiding love for them as well.

I. Tower Bridge – The Tower Bridge was built over 120 years ago to ease road traffic while maintaining river access to the busy Pool of London docks. Its giant moveable roadways lift up for passing ships, making it a true engineering marvel. It is also one of the most iconic sites in London, and was used to display the Olympic Rings during the 2012 Olympics.

II. St. Paul’s (The Whispering Gallery) – The history of St. Paul’s Cathedral goes back well over a thousand years, but construction on the current St. Paul’s began in 1669 after a fire destroyed the earlier structure. The dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral is a whispering gallery; you can whisper against the wall on the inside of the dome and it can be clearly heard on the other side of the dome over 100 ft. away. Imagine the secrets that have passed there...

III. Trafalgar Square – The name commemorates the 1805 naval Battle of Trafalgar and is marked by Nelson’s Column, a monument to Admiral Horatio Nelson, the hero of the Battle of Trafalgar. It is the heart of London; full of life and constant energy and home to iconic buildings including the National Gallery, St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Canada House and South Africa House. Londoners say that all roads in London lead to Trafalgar Square.