Big Specs

Grabbed a cuppa in the cafe in Waterstones bookshop earlier, one of my favourite places. Books, cake and hot beverages. Died and gone to heaven. The weather was awful, cold, very rainy and blowing a gale – miserable. But lovely inside my refuge.  As usual, I had a bit of a scribble and spotted thisContinue reading “Big Specs”

Random Heads

Went for a walk to Mumbles with Husb and the Little Nephew today. The weather was crazy, alternating between warm sunshine and gale force winds and driving rain. We found a greasy spoon caff and piled into traditional fried breakfasts. It was enough to carry me through the rest of the day. Won’t need anythingContinue reading “Random Heads”

Up The Workers

I spent a happy day in the Rhondda village of Ynyshir, helping to paint the walls of the village’s new artspace, The Workers’ Gallery. Artists Gayle Rogers and Chris Williams are renovating the village’s old library and will be opening Wales’ newest art gallery next month. I nipped outside and stood in the drizzle, havingContinue reading “Up The Workers”

In The Beginning

  I’ve been invited to take part in a collaboration between artists in Swansea and across the meltwater in North Devon. I’m starting to plan a new piece of work for it, probably an installation in cyanotype if it works out. I’m beginning with some sketching en plein air so today I took a walkContinue reading “In The Beginning”

Phlebotomy

Another hospital visit today, this time taking a relative to the phlebotomy department for blood tests. That’s three relatives in hospital for some reason over the past 2 weeks. Thank goodness for the NHS. This is free apart from the costs of getting there. Of course, we pay through our taxes and national insurance, butContinue reading “Phlebotomy”

Curry and Sketching

We had two young relatives visiting this evening so we took them for a curry at the local curry house, The Vojon. Fantastic food there. Had a Handi Lamb Polongwala and garlic rice. mmmmmmm. I did some quick sketching of people nearby in my little A6 spotty sketchbook with a Faber Castell Pitt drawing pen,Continue reading “Curry and Sketching”

SinABAD

This is a cyanotype , an archaic form of photography, that I did a while back. It started out as a digital photograph of a local Swansea nightclub, Sin City. I cropped, turned it black and white and printed it onto an acetate which then became the negative for the cyanotype.  I have entered thisContinue reading “SinABAD”

Defending The NHS

I’ve been back and forth to the local hospital this past week or so; two relatives have needed emergency treatment and medical investigation. There are problems with the NHS and when things go wrong they should be exposed and put right, but on the whole, we’re so privileged to have it and I feel stronglyContinue reading “Defending The NHS”

The Tiniest Scribble

Today was hectic. So packed I didn’t have time to think. I only managed a tiny little sketch, a few fleeting minutes in a cafe. But any drawing is good. The important thing is to do it every day. In my opinion. I used a Faber Castell Pitt drawing pen into my A5 leatherbound SteampunkContinue reading “The Tiniest Scribble”

Slate Cliffs And Bara Brith

Husb and I spent yesterday walking with friends along Newport beach on the North Pembrokeshire coast. Apart from the exceptional beauty of the place, it’s notable for the variety of wild birds along the estuary and the rugged vertical slate cliffs. I stood with my back to the slate cliff and quickly sketched the headlandContinue reading “Slate Cliffs And Bara Brith”