Sometimes ancient stones can be found in hedges and used as gateposts. We found a fine example, a really big one in a field on the hillside near Llanychaer near the north Pembrokeshire coast. There were three large standing stones, including the gatepost, the other two in the hedge and one fallen stone at the bottom of the field. The group is called Parc Y Meirw (Field of the Dead) and they align with the moon’s highest point in the sky, a phenomenon that happens every 18.6 years. Knowledge of this cycle is useful for predicting eclipses.
I drew with conte crayon, carbon and Daler Rowney artists’ soft pastels onto Fabriano paper prepared with gesso, charcoal and my home-made walnut ink. I sat on the grass to do the drawing, it was warm and dry and I could spend some time working on it, and some jolly farm boys drove by in a tractor and called out to see my drawing. We brightened each others day.
I have been travelling across South Wales with Rhondda-born archaeologist Dewi Bowen and Swansea film maker Melvyn Williams, hunting the wild megalith, accompanied by my portable drawing board, portfolio of Fabriano paper and a bag full of assorted artist’s materials. Dewi is researching his latest book on Neolithic monuments and Melvyn is making a documentary film of our literary and artistic adventures.
If you want to know more about my solo show in The Worker’s Gallery in the Rhondda Valley in September, please click here.
And if you want to see some of my other artwork, please click on the image below.
Your work is fascinating. On blogs I see some artists post the photo of the scene with the drawing. They are trying to show what kind of likeness to the scene they achieved in their painting. I sympathise with their insecurity but really, I’m only interested in their painting not the photo. I don’t care how perfectly they captured the scene. If anything, the photo is just another representation of the scene, and detracts from the painting. However, you post the photos of these stones almost to say, look how different is my (i.e. your, Rosie’s) interpretation from what you can see, look at what I abstracted from this, feel my feelings and look with my eyes not your own. The photo is there for contrast not to represent the real scene. As a result your painting takes us not to the photo but to the place itself.
Oh goodness, I’ve only just seen this. Sorry for not replying sooner. Thanks so much. Yes, you’re right. I’m finding an enormous freedom through this work in the landscape that I have never been able to achieve in my work with figures and cityscapes. It’s really taken me by surprise 🙂
Really love this one. It works really well with the prepared paper.
Thank you. I like it a lot. It’s a magnificent stone
It always amazes me to think of those early people lugging these massive stones into place. It must have been such a significant activity for them. Nice to think so many are still there.
A huge task by a well organised and motivated society. Luckily, their size and the remoteness of many have been the reason they have survived.