Orchids and Lizards

This is one of our wonderful models from Swansea’s life drawing group. She’s a retired teached who has the most marvellous tattoos over her body; ants and flies running around being chased by lizards; pitcher plants and orchids trailing over her back and shoulders. I’ve used some of her tattoos as motifs in other partsContinue reading “Orchids and Lizards”

Sad Day, Happy Flowers

Yesterday was a sad one, the funeral of my dear aunt who died after a long illness, aged 87. Although we had been expecting it for some time, it’s still a shock and grieving is hard. She’s the last of her generation on that side of my family, which means that my cousins and siblingContinue reading “Sad Day, Happy Flowers”

Etched Out!

Had a full-on intaglio week – made three new solar plates and proofed seven. This is one I based on a much larger life drawing. I’m using text repetitively in some of my work because I like the pattering effect it gives. I drew this onto Mark Resist rather than Truegrain as it’s cheaper –Continue reading “Etched Out!”

Trad & Mod

I’ve spent the best part of the last year working on a large-ish scale, mostly A1 or A0 drawings and monotypes, but the past couple of months I’ve been enjoying these tiny, A6, ink drawings in the life drawing group I attend. I’m using a traditional dip pen and Indian ink onto handmade paper, boughtContinue reading “Trad & Mod”

Etch-A-Cat

Sparta Puss here! I’ve taken control of the furless monkey’s pooter-box again. They’ve been out for a curry and an ice-cream and now they’re lying around like large sea-mammals out of water. Why any mammals would want to live in the sea is beyond me! Anyway, I’ve been busy hunting lately; a few dead onesContinue reading “Etch-A-Cat”

Magpies And Ming

After three months of torrential rain, we have a heatwave. Normally I’m not a sun lover but I’m not complaining about this because the early summer weather has been so brutal. Unfortunately, I’m a gingery Celt and burn to a frazzle in strong sunlight so I’m keeping out of the sun throughout the day andContinue reading “Magpies And Ming”

A Dandy, An Exile And Cult Pens

Went to the little village of Ystradgynlais this evening to see some new lithographs. They’re created by a very talented young Welsh artist, John Abell, who won a bursary from the Josef Herman Foundation to spend a week at the world-famous Curwen Press to develop a new body of prints. Josef Herman was a refugeeContinue reading “A Dandy, An Exile And Cult Pens”

Ice Cream And Martini

A fellow blogger calls me the ‘Martini artist’ because I draw anytime, anyplace, anywhere. That dates the both of us as it’s the slogan from Martini adverts from way back when dinosaurs roamed the planet :).  I never pass up the chance to have a quick scribble. This was in a cafe in Mumbles aContinue reading “Ice Cream And Martini”

Captain Cat And The Rubber Slug

I did about a dozen drawings on the street during the ‘Disruptions II’ event in Swansea on Saturday afternoon – this is the last one I’m going to blog but the set is going up on the Elysium Artspace website some time soon. Here’s Wanda Zyborska performing to unsuspecting citizens as a large rubber slug-likeContinue reading “Captain Cat And The Rubber Slug”

Originally posted on scribblah:
Bobbit dozing in a drain Bobbit came into our family in July 1993 and 17 years later I’m sitting with her as she sleeps her last sleep, dying gently and quietly with familiar sounds and smells and her human and feline companions around her. If she was suffering I’d take her…