Patricia McKenna Jones and I are revolting women. We are working together to do an exhibition of our work for International Women’s Day in March. Watch this space!
Revolting Women
Newest Member
Went out with family this evening and had a quick scribble of our newest member as she was having her feed. Babies have strange proportions and I find them challenging to draw because I find myself wanting to draw what I think should be there, rather than what is there. It’s lovely to have a baby around.
A Glutton For Punishment
So did a couple of hours teaching today and loads of admin- the glamorous life of an artist eh? And a little bit more work on my preparatory drawing for a woodcut. I worked out where the dark areas are to be and started to think about the cutting and registration of the final block. Tomorrow, I’ll trace and transfer to the sheet of MDF in reverse. I’ll probably do a reduction print, or the “suicide method” as we printmakers call it, as it results in the destruction of the block and there’s no room for error. I’m a glutton for punishment.
A Bit Each Day
It’s easy to get precious about making art, I’m guilty of that! I spend so much time agonising about what to do that I almost get creative paralysis at times. One of the things I do to overcome this is to start working on a process and just do a bit every day. Sometimes you can work flat out on a piece of art for 7, 8, 9 hours but other times it’s just not possible. So a bit each day is good enough as it gives time to think about it, and thinking time is really important. I carried on redrawing from an original drawing, scaling it up and thinking about the technical problems I’m going to have to work out to develop this into a three-colour woodcut print. I’m using conté crayons in black and sanguine over graphite.
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 drawing en plein air of a stricken tree back last year that I’ve fancied developing into a print for some time now. I grabbed a piece of drawing paper the size of the piece of MDF I’ll be using to make the woodcut and I started redrawing from my original sketch. I could have just scanned a copy of the original and enlarged it, but by redrawing a few times, I give myself the time and space to work out how I’m going to develop this as a three colour woodcut. The process isn’t easy but I find that this practice of redrawing helps me to focus on the technical details.
Grottyness, Creative Blocks And The Cat
I haven’t done anything arty for a couple of days, I’m having some medical treatment at the moment – nothing remotely serious – but I’m feeling a bit grotty and it’s disrupted my creativity – ooh listen to me, how pretentious!!! 😀
Anyway, I thought I’d post this article by Ingrid Christensen from Artsy e-magazine about how artists can overcome creative blocks.
The grottyness should be very temporary so I hope to be back arting tomorrow. In the meanwhile, here’s Sparta Puss.
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 Celtic art to present-day fractal pop imagery, the concept of the tree rooting, growing and branching has inspired artists, designers and craftspeople for thousands of years.
If you fancy coming along, I’ll be using two printmaking techniques, with additional chine collé and watercolour, and exploring the Phytopia exhibition, to produce a small edition of drypoint etchings and at least one monotype inspired by the history and influence of trees in our culture.
The course costs £80 for the weekend and includes all the materials. Pre-booking is essential as there are not many places. Please click here to book. Hope to see you there.
And if you like trees, please sign this petition here to get protected status for Britain’s ancient yew trees which currently are unprotected. Thank you.
Mae delweddaeth greadigol y goeden yn deillio o goedwigoedd derw hynafol Prydain, gan dyfu drwy’r oesoedd i oroesi hyd heddiw. O gelf y Derwyddon a’r Celtiaid i ddelweddaeth ffractal y presennol, mae’r cysyniad o goeden yn cael ei gwreiddio, yn tyfu ac yn brigo wedi ysbrydoli artistiaid, dylunwyr a chrefftwyr am filoedd o flynyddoedd.
Gan ddefnyddio dwy dechneg gwneud printiau, yn ogystal â chine-collé a dyfrlliw, a chan archwilio’r arddangosfa Phytopia, byddwch yn gweithio gyda’r artist/printiwr Rose Davies i gynhyrchu argraffiad bach o ysgythriadau sychbwynt ac o leiaf un monoteip wedi’u hysbrydoli gan hanes a dylanwad coed yn ein diwylliant.
Cadwch eich lle’n gynnar i osgoi cael eich siomi. Rhaid cadw lle £80 am ddau ddiwrnod Dosbarth Meistr Gwneud Printiau. Darperir yr holl ddeunyddiau. 16+
It’s All About The Cat
I was chatting to a young niece the other day and asked her if she looked at my blog or any of my social media stuff. “Only if there’s something about Sparta (my cat)” she said. Well, that puts me firmly in my place! Here’s Sparta Puss when she was a kitten, a tiny ball of fluff who was quite sweet back then, before she became quite so opinionated.
Drawing Obsessively
I’m getting a bit obsessed with drawing Mari Lwyds; I’m thinking of doing some larger artworks incorporating them so I’m drawing them from lots of different angles as preparation studies. I’m choosing random photos from the Internet at the moment, but I’ll be going out to do some en plein air drawings on the 13th and 19th of January. The first is an appearance by the Ystrad Mari (from Ystradgynlais) at Gellionen Chapel, the second a ‘meet’ or even a ‘mayhem’ of Mari Lwyds at the Chepstow Wassail (I don’t know if there’s a collective noun for them).
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 Welsh for a Happy New Year. Have a good one xxx
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