From Pakistan To Pentre Ifan

I’ve been posting a lot recently about my Pakistan trip in 2007, but when I came back I was inspired to go out and look at my Welsh heritage, visiting our ancient stone monuments over three years, in all weathers. Here are some of my photos from that time and if you want to see more, I have a digital exhibition on the link below.

This is a story in words and images of my journey to Pakistan and how it subsequently led me to work with pre-historian Dewi Bowen and filmmaker Melvyn Williams for three years travelling across the wild areas of South Wales.

Please click on the link below to see the exhibition, I hope you enjoy it. Thanks xxx

“From Pakistan To Pentre Ifan at Swansea Print Workshop”

A Painterly Photograph

During my trip to Pakistan back in 2007, I realised the extent of creativity in that part of the world, creativity that had been flourishing for centuries if not millennia. Buildings and gardens were covered in beautiful paintings, mosaics, carvings, marquetry. I photographed a part of a mirrored mosaic on a ceiling, it looks like an abstract painting up close.

I have a digital exhibition just opened on the Swansea Print Workshop site. It’s a story in words and images of my journey to Pakistan back in 2007 and how it subsequently led me to work with a pre-historian and a filmmaker for three years travelling across the wild areas of South Wales.

Please click on the link below to see the exhibition, I hope you enjoy it. Thanks xxx

“From Pakistan To Pentre Ifan at Swansea Print Workshop”

Colour In Print: Colour In Wool

Almost 20 years ago, I paid my first visit to Pakistan and was blown away by how beautiful and friendly it is. I did loads of sketches and photos and when I came back home, I used these as inspiration for new artwork. This portrait of a man from the Hunza Valley is done using the three-colour separation monotype technique; I learnt it from USA printmaker Vinita Voogd – you can see more of her work here. 

Local wool dyed and drying in the sun.

The photo shows locally spun wool, dyed with plants from the area, drying before being made into beautiful embroidered and woven textiles by local women. These traditional crafts ensure that women in the area are able to earn good wages. You can see more about this ancient tradition here.

I have a digital exhibition just opened on the Swansea Print Workshop site. It’s a story in words and images of my journey to Pakistan back in 2007 and how it subsequently led me to work with a pre-historian and a filmmaker for three years travelling across the wild areas of South Wales.

Please click on the link below to see the exhibition, I hope you enjoy it. Thanks xxx

“From Pakistan To Pentre Ifan at Swansea Print Workshop”

Hanging Out In Pakistan

Way back in 2007 (when I was a lot younger and skinnier) I went on a magical journey to Pakistan with a motley group of fellow travellers. Here I am enjoying the beautiful mountains and admiring locally spun and dyed wool in the Hunza valley. I’m standing next to my work that was exhibited in a group show in Islamabad. And sketching, as always, in a park in the Murree Hills. (All photos by Melvyn Williams).

Apricot trees in the Hunza Valley, Pakistan

I have a digital exhibition just opened on the Swansea Print Workshop site. It’s a story in words and images of my journey to Pakistan back in 2007 and how it subsequently led me to work with a pre-historian and filmmaker for three years travelling across the wild areas of South Wales.

Please click on the link below to see the exhibition, I hope you enjoy it. Thanks xxx

“From Pakistan To Pentre Ifan at Swansea Print Workshop”

The Old Silk Route

Almost 20 years ago I journeyed to Pakistan, it was amazing. I did a lot of sketching and when I came back, those scribbles were the basis for new artwork. I was doing a lot in the three-colour separation monotype technique at the time. I learnt the process from American artist Vinita Voogd who came to Swansea Print Workshop to teach it – you can see more of her work here. This monotype is based on a quick sketch when our minibus stopped at a service station along the Karakoram Highway, the path you can see snaking along in the distance underneath the bridge is part of the old silk route between Europe and China.

The Hunza Valley in Springtime

I have a digital exhibition just opened on the Swansea Print Workshop site. It’s a story in words and images of my journey to Pakistan back in 2007 and how it subsequently led me to work with a pre-historian and filmmaker for three years travelling across the wild areas of South Wales.

Please click on the link below to see the exhibition, I hope you enjoy it. Thanks xxx

“From Pakistan To Pentre Ifan at Swansea Print Workshop”

#Caturday Archives: 41

It’s #Caturday Saturday again and here’s a sketch of Sparta Puss asleep back in November 2015. I did it with Faber Castell Pitt drawing pens into an A6 size leather-bound sketchbook.

Welcome To A New Digital Exhibition

I have a digital exhibition just opened on the Swansea Print Workshop site. It’s a story in words and images of my journey to Pakistan back in 2007 and how it subsequently led me to work with a pre-historian and filmmaker for three years travelling across the wild areas of South Wales.

Please click on the link below to see the exhibition, I hope you enjoy it. Thanks xxx

“From Pakistan To Pentre Ifan at Swansea Print Workshop”

Let Peace Prevail

I’m posting some of the work I did from my travels to Pakistan way back in 2007. Wow, so long ago!!! One day we got into the minibus and set off out of Islamabad through Peshawar and headed towards the Khyber Pass in the North West Frontier! We picked up a jeep load of armed militia on the way, in case of bandits, and ended up on a hill above the border with Afghanistan! I sketched quickly, looking down at the brightly coloured lorries snaking their way towards the crossing point, with Tamburlaine’s ancient fort towards the bottom left. Back home, I created this large full-colour monotype, a lengthy process. It’s called “Let Peace Prevail” because because just behind me was a sculpture erected by Pakistani schoolchildren with that phrase written on it . I wish we, as a species, could make that happen. Maybe someday.

Heads And Faces

Husb and I went to a gig at the Arena in Swansea a few nights ago, I scribbled some random faces and heads in the interval. It’s good practice.

Sketchbook Archives: 56

Here are some old sketchbook scribbles, from March 2015 and it seems that I was out on the beach a lot, again. It must have been quite dry. I don’t mind going out and drawing when it’s cold, but I don’t want to be soaked.