“This is one of my favourite places. You can’t see it from the road.”
Stratton points to a large house with big windows and what looks like a tower.
Shortly after drawing the home, Stratton received a call.
“I understand you have a drawing of the house. The highlands,” the woman asked.
“Yes I do.”
“Can I come and see it,” she said.
“Well sure,” Stratton replied.
The woman was the daughter of John Sutherland Bonnell, the former owner of the home.
Sitting in his kitchen with the woman Stratton asks her questions about the house.
“Was there a pond on the property,” Stratton asked.
“Yes, there was,” she said.
“Did you fish in the pond?”
“No, no, no I didn’t fish in the pond but the government put fish in the pond very spring.
“I remember I went down [to the pond] one day when Billy Graham was fishing.”
It’s those kinds of stories Stratton seeks out when he sketches a building.
“This is one of my favourite places. You can’t see it from the road.”
Stratton points to a large house with big windows and what looks like a tower.
Shortly after drawing the home, Stratton received a call.
“I understand you have a drawing of the house. The highlands,” the woman asked.
“Yes I do.”
“Can I come and see it,” she said.
“Well sure,” Stratton replied.
The woman was the daughter of John Sutherland Bonnell, the former owner of the home.
Sitting in his kitchen with the woman Stratton asks her questions about the house.
“Was there a pond on the property,” Stratton asked.
“Yes, there was,” she said.
“Did you fish in the pond?”
“No, no, no I didn’t fish in the pond but the government put fish in the pond very spring.
“I remember I went down [to the pond] one day when Billy Graham was fishing.”
It’s those kinds of stories Stratton seeks out when he sketches a building.
On Saturday, the 77-year-old held a talk at the Eptek Art and Culture Centre in Summerside on the architectural treasures of Prince Edward Island.
“My guide to picking a building is: it’s old, it’s been around for a while and it’s still standing.”
Stratton started drawing 12 years ago and has since put out seven books about the buildings he’s sketched.
“The first one is “The Complete Book of Island Churches”. It features 305 pen and ink sketches of churches, new and old on the Island.”
His most recent is a compilation of his books, “One Thousand Island Images of Historic Interest”.
His son Sandy played a part in putting the book together, said Stratton’s wife, Gloria.
“A few years ago our son came to us and was looking for help purchasing a trailer.
“Then a year or so ago he saw that Sterling had all these books out and said it was about time it was all put into one book,” Gloria explained
“I’m going to give you your money back, and that can help to get the book together,” their son said to Stratton.
In addition to the books, Stratton works on commission drawing houses upon request.
“I’ve draw over 500 houses for people.”
Stratton knows the key to his success.
“Because I started at such a late age, I won’t lose interest. I continue to seek out historic buildings and I’m always looking for interesting stories.”
