I’ve been trawling through my sketchbooks and photo archives for images to inspire me to develop a large-scale woodcut or painting of the annual Mari Lwyd celebrations locally. These are showing some promise. The fire spinner is the amazing Ddraig Williams and he’ll be a central figure if the composition works out as I want.
Category Archives: Arty Stuff
Sketchbook Archives: 29
Here are some little scribbles from my sketchbook that I posted back in June 2013, gosh, 12 years ago already, back in the pre-Covid days. I’m not sure what people are doing in the first few sketches, maybe it was an art event? I like drawing people who are in unusual positions, it’s good practice.
A Practice Block
While I was developing the image for my latest Mari Lwyd linocut, I cut a small practice block. I was unsure about the way I had designed the eye, the little mushrooms on her hat, and the ribbons and bells. To make sure I had it right, and also to get to see how myContinue reading “A Practice Block”
Of Artists And Seagulls
I was strolling along the street with my friend and fellow artist Chris Bird-Jones and she stopped me and pointed to this smear of seagull poop on the road (above). She thought it looked a bit like some of the figures I drew during my German residency last year (below). She could be right, y’know!
Twenty Five Years…
It’s 25years since Swansea Print Workshop began! To celebrate, we’re doing a load of special things throughout the year. I’ve recently been working on a new Mari Lwyd linocut and it’s my submission to an artists book we’re creating – 25 artists for 25 years. The theme is very loose, “Swansea”, and each print willContinue reading “Twenty Five Years…”
Sketchbook Archives: 28
Looking through old sketchbooks from June 2013, I found these from a visit to Aberdulais Falls, near Neath. It’s a National Trust property and very scenic, it was once painted by none other than the great Joseph Mallord William Turner in 1795, although the industrial heritage goes back to 1584. I was going through aContinue reading “Sketchbook Archives: 28”
#Caturday Archives: 19
Here’s a little scribble of Sparta Puss from my sketchbook archives way back in April 2013, when she was just 3 years old. She was still naughty though! She’s sitting on top of our gas boiler looking out of the kitchen window at the amelanchier tree which is just starting to bud. On the leftContinue reading “#Caturday Archives: 19”
Magic Is Her Name…
I printed two proof prints from my latest linoblock yesterday and today I took them down to Swansea Print Workshop. It’s our 25th anniversary this year and we’re doing a whole load of things to celebrate, including making a large concertina book featuring new prints (lino and silkscreen) from 20 or so of our artists,Continue reading “Magic Is Her Name…”
Pulling A Proof…
I finished carving my latest Mari Lwyd linocut this morning and pulled a couple of proof prints, which are the first to be printed and give you the chance to check out the image and see if the block needs any more work. I’m pretty pleased with it, I will cut into a few ofContinue reading “Pulling A Proof…”
Nearly Finished Carving…
I’m so close to finishing cutting my new lino block, I hope another hour or so tomorrow and then I can do a proof print to see if it needs any more work. I’m getting excited now! This is based on some sketches I did at night at the Gower Wassail and Mari Lwyd celebration at Hen Galan.
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