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.

A Slow Road To High Mountains

Way back in 2007 I was lucky to travel to Pakistan for a two-week visit with friends from Wales, Denmark and Pakistan. We travelled the country in a large minibus, taking in it’s extraordinary and varied geography. We spent a couple of days travelling to the Hunza region in the Karakoram Mountain range in the North East. The Mountains reach up to over 8,600 metres (28,000) feet but taking our time travelling along the often precarious road acclimatised us to the altitude. This is our first stop, Besham, which was beautiful but tragically some of the village had been destroyed in a recent earthquake.

View from my window, early morning, Besham, Pakistan.

When I came back home to Wales I created a full-colour monotype from my original sketchbook drawing. After travelling from Islamabad, through Abbotabad, we arrived in Besham at night in total darkness and when we woke up the next morning this fabulous view of the river and mountains greeted us.

Just A Quickie Or Two

I didn’t have my mojo with me this evening, or my spectacles, so I found the life drawing session quite difficult. For the last half hour I just made quick sketches of the other people there into my little A6 Indigo covered sketchbook with graphite.

Pakistan, Portraits And Recycling

Back in 2007, Husb and I went on a two week trip to Pakistan, travelling across the country with a motley group of companions in a large minibus. When I came back I did a lot of work based on that trip. I did this suite of 9 portraits, carved and printed from signwriter’s board offcuts; a recycled and cheap alternative to lino and vinyl.

Once Upon A Time…

Way back in 2007, Husb and I went on a two week trip to Pakistan, travelling across the country with a group of Welsh, Danish and Pakistani companions in a large minibus. It was truly magical. Here are a few of the sketchbook drawings I did when we were up in the mountains in the Hunza Valley, using Faber Castell Pitt drawing pens and watercolours. I can’t believe it was almost 20 years ago!!!!!! Where does the time go?