Elise Asquith was born and bred in Newcastle.
Her love for this "charming place" can be felt through her illustrations and words in a new book she's just published.
The book, titled Our city Newcastle, captures iconic landmarks and places.
Elise said the book was essentially for Novocastrians to "reminisce on the beauty of the place they call home".
The book follows a children's picture book she released in 2018, titledA Visit to Blackbutt Reserve.
"I wanted to create another book that had local significance," Elise said.
"The purpose of creating these illustrations of our city's famous landmarks and nature precincts was to be able to share with fellow Novocastrians and visitors the beauty of this city and why it is such a wonderful place to live in."
She created the watercolour illustrations gradually over 18 months.
"Painting is a hobby that I have dedicated more time to, since staying home to raise my kids, 4-year-old Owen and 2-year-old Lucy. It provides me with a creative outlet," she said.
The locations, including coastal scenes and nature precincts, "capture the key places to visit in Newcastle".
"The aerial illustration of Newcastle city, Nobbys headland and the Anzac Memorial Walk are all very iconic Newcastle scenes," she said.
"The illustrations also have personal significance, reflecting everyday experiences I have with my kids."
Her kids feature in some of the illustrations, including Blackbutt Reserve, playing at Lambton Park, beach mornings at Merewether Baths and running in the pram along the Fernleigh Track.
She included the iconic lookout in Glenrock, as she had "walked through the bush trails many times".
"The harbour illustration also features my dad's catamaran, which he has circumnavigated Australia in."
She said it was hard to pick an illustration she enjoyed painting the most.
"I was most pleased with the way the Merewether Baths scene turned out and this is our favourite beach," she said.
Elise has lived in Newcastle all her life. She was born in Newcastle, growing up initially in Kahibah and then Marks Point in Lake Macquarie, where her parents still reside.
"I have been living in North Lambton with my husband Luke for 10 years," she said.
She finds Newcastle to be a "beautiful city to live in and raise a family".
"It caters for a great variety of experiences. I particularly love the beaches, walking tracks and many parks," she said.
The book can be bought from the website budgiebooks.com, along with stores listed on the site. Signed prints are also available.
Memory Walk
The Hunter Memory Walk and Jog event will be held on Sunday at Speers Point Park.
Participants can walk, jog or run along the esplanade in the 2-kilometre or 7.5-kilometre courses.
Originally planned for March, the event was postponed due to weather conditions.
Funds raised provide support, education and resources for people living with dementia in Australia, along with their carers, families and friends.
Currently there are an estimated 157,000 people living with dementia in NSW. That figure is projected to increase to about 345,000 by 2058.
More details at memorywalk.com.au.
