Draw, Redraw And Tidy Up

  Today I had a good clean out of my working space, sorting out cupboards and boxes, clearing desk tops and shelves, filling recycling bags and setting aside things to give away, a new start for the new year. Then I began to so some preliminary work for a new woodcut. I did a drawingContinue reading “Draw, Redraw And Tidy Up”

Root And Branch: Gwreiddyn A Changen

Coming up February 16th and 17th, I’ll be running a 2 day printmaking masterclass at Swansea’s Glynn Vivian Art Gallery inspired by the forthcoming exhibition PHYTOPIA. The creative imagery of the tree is rooted in the ancient oak forests of Britain, growing through the ages to branch into the present. From ancient Druidic and CelticContinue reading “Root And Branch: Gwreiddyn A Changen”

Blwyddyn Newydd Dda

“Ce n’est pas un Mari. Ceci est un impression lino d’un Mari.” Just channelling a bit of Magritte there. Mari Lwyd traditionally welcomes in the New Year in Wales …. well, who else would wander around with a dead horse’s head on a stick at this time of year? And “Blwyddyn Newydd Dda” is WelshContinue reading “Blwyddyn Newydd Dda”

In At The Start

So I’m thinking of doing some more large woodcuts in the new year, inspired by my drawings of the Mari Lwyd and Neolithic stone monuments in South Wales. I’ve done a lot of work on both of these so there’s plenty to inform anything I do. I begin by making little thumbnail sketches, lots ofContinue reading “In At The Start”

A Massive Of Mari’s?

  I finished carving my little lino yesterday evening, with a Mari Lwyd design from an original drawing en plein air. So today, off to Swansea Print Workshop to print it up. I used Caligo / Cranfield Safe Wash Relief ink with a Hosho Japanese paper and some recycled sari silk paper for the chineContinue reading “A Massive Of Mari’s?”

Carving Done

I’ve finished carving my little lino block of a Mari Lwyd and I’m ready to print it, which I can do at Swansea Print Workshop all day tomorrow (Thursday 20th). It’s the last day of the Leftovers VIII international exhibition of miniature prints from Wingtip Press in Idaho, USA. I’ll be there from 10.30 toContinue reading “Carving Done”

Carving A Horse Skull

I’m carving a block of grey vinyl this evening as I’ve decided to make a New Year’s greeting card, based on the Mari Lwyd, a pagan Welsh ritual based on a horse skull. It’s quite small so I should be able to get it cut and printed quickly. Working on this scale is nice, IContinue reading “Carving A Horse Skull”

The Re-Cut

During the process of developing my recent commission for Sky Arts TV channel, as part of their Art50 programming, I did a number of test blocks to try out different combinations of wood, sealer, ink and paper to find the combo that worked best. It also gave me a chance to experiment with the carving,Continue reading “The Re-Cut”