Just over a week ago, I stood in Swansea’s Castle Square to draw the vigil for those murdered in Manchester. Who would have thought that we’d be holding another vigil so soon? This time we stood in torrential rain. The water poured down the page of my brown paper sketchbook which liquified the conté crayons, giving them a softer, more brush-like effect than that of dry paper.
It is so sad to attend these vigils, but we must come together in peace and kindness, otherwise the extremists will have won.
Husb and I spent a few days in Berlin this earlier this week and spent some time visiting the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp on the outskirts of the city. It was moving and chilling; I was shocked to discover that it was surrounded by a nice, middle-class housing estate. People turned a blind eye to the horror that was built in their midst. In these troubled times, with terror attacks by fundamentalists and calls for retaliation from extremists, we need to remember more than ever what can happen when intolerance gets out of hand.
It wasn’t easy to sketch as we were moving more or less constantly as part of a guided tour (well worth paying for), but I managed some speed sketches and a few digital photos. There was a thunderstorm while we were there, the looming sky suited the place.
This is the last of the drawings I did recently of Sweyne’s Howes, this is the more complete northern one. These Neolithic monuments, over 4,000 years old, are part of a lengthy series I have been drawing over the past year and a bit with prehistorian Dewi Bowen and filmmaker Melvyn Williams. We are tracking the Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments that lie along the trail of The Boar Hunt / Y Twrch Trwyth from the book of ancient Welsh legend, The Mabinogion. Dewi is researching for his next book, I’m developing a large body of drawings and prints and Melvyn is filming it all. We’re launching an exhibition, a short film and a small booklet next month at Swansea’s Cinema & Co. More to come……..
Here’s the second of the two ancient burial chambers I drew recently at Rhosilli on the Gower Peninsula. This is the northern Sweyne’s Howes, much more complete than the ruinous southern chamber which has been stolen over the years. These Neolithic monuments are over 4,000 years old and although named after the Viking Sweyne, who also lends his name to Swansea (Sweyne’s Ey or Island), they are considerably older than the Vikings. I am wandering South Wales with prehistorian Dewi Bowen and filmmaker Melvyn Williams, studying the Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments that lie along the trail of The Boar Hunt / Y Twrch Trwyth from the book of ancient Welsh legend, The Mabinogion.
I haven’t blogged for a few days because I’ve been adventuring in Berlin, just a short break with family. Cool place, had a great time and I even did some drawings. I just got back, about an hour ago and it’s 10pm so I’ll just post a quick drawing I did a couple of weeks ago, when I was last out with prehistorian Dewi Bowen and filmmaker Melvyn Williams.
Here’s a second sketch I did at another cool place, the Neolithic Sweyne’s Howes burial site at Rhossili, this is the ruined southern Howse. I used black, sanguine and white conté crayons into an A4 brown paper sketchbook.
Husb and I drove up through mid and north Wales yesterday to go to a John Cale gig in Liverpool. It was awesome! On the way, we took an idyllic shortcut between Beulah and Newbridge on Wye and stopped for a spot of lunch at the venerable old Red Lion Inn at Llanafan Fawr. Opposite the pub is the church of Saint Afan and in the churchyard is an ancient yew, around 2,200 years old.
Of course, I had to have a scribble. It is huge and forms a dark cave around it’s enormous trunk, or network of trunks where there are fallen gravestones, so old that the carved writing has all but disappeared. It was very spooky and Gothic in there. I drew with black, sanguine and white conté crayon into my A4 brown paper sketchbook.
I have put my series of drawings en plein air of ancient Welsh monuments on Artfinder. If you want to see more, please click on the image below or the Artfinder link at the top right of this page. So did you know that Elvis Presley is descended from the Welsh? This drawing below is the legendary grave of Saint Elfys (Elvis) in Pembrokeshire, not for from the Presceli Mountains. Elfys? Presceli? Elvis Presley? Coincidence? hhhmmmm
I can only manage to get to life drawing at Swansea Print Workshop for the second half on Thursday nights so the sessions are already well under way. Tonight, I wandered in and saw that our model was flanked by two stuffed birds, an owl and a jay. It was tough drawing two different creatures side by side, the scale is so very different as well as the anatomy. But at least neither of them moved much, the model because she’s very experienced and the owl because it’s stuffed.
I have put my series of drawings en plein air of ancient Welsh monuments on Artfinder. If you want to see more, please click on the image below or the Artfinder link at the top right of this page. So did you know that Elvis Presley is descended from the Welsh? This drawing below is the legendary grave of Saint Elfys (Elvis) in Pembrokeshire, not for from the Presceli Mountains. Elfys? Presceli? Elvis Presley? Coincidence? hhhmmmm
A warm but foggy morning wasn’t ideal for megalith hunting but off I went anyway, with prehistorian Dewi Bowen and filmmaker Melvyn Williams to visit the Neolithic Sweyne’s Howes burial site at Rhossili. This is the ruinous southern Howse. I enjoyed drawing in the thick mist, so atmospheric, although it was a challenge to draw the mistiness onto the paper. I used black, sanguine and white conté crayons into an A4 brown paper sketchbook.
Coming soon, an open weekend at Swansea Print Workshop with guided tours around our Tardis-like studios, demonstrations of expert techniques on the Saturday and Sunday, our fabulous antique and modern printing machines, cakes and original art for sale and an exhibition that runs all week. I’ll be doing a demo of monotype techniques on Sunday 4th at 11.00.
Here I am working on a monotype at Wingtip Press in Boise, Idaho, USA
Demonstrations, exhibitions and sale of original prints | cards |drawings and handmade items
SATURDAY JUNE 3 | 10.30 TO 4.30
Demonstrations of techniques |2.00 | DRYPOINT |Dave Barron| 11.00 | LINOCUT | Alan Figg |
SUNDAY JUNE 4 | 10.30 TO 4.30
Demonstrations of techniques 11.00 | Monotype printing | Rose Davies |11.30 | Screenprinting | Sarah Hopkins | 2.00 | Watercolour Woodblock | Judith Stroud |2.30 | Inking up and printing an etching plate |Ian Fisher |
This is an opportunity to buy original prints at very reasonable prices, to watch demonstrations of how these prints are made and help support a community asset. Bring your friends along and enjoy a homemade cake and a drink. We run courses if you want to learn a process and if you are a member, have the opportunity to exhibit your work.
SALE of original prints by children on our Outreach programmes
WHERE TO FIND US We are located opposite the main Bus Station and the Quadrant in the centre of Swansea. There is an hour free parking in Clarence Street and several of the adjacent streets.
Come in, have a drink and a cake and browse the prints. Original prints and artists cards are for sale at very reasonable prices. Artist members have donated prints which allows us to offer a limited number below gallery prices.
![The Vigil [1]](https://scribblah.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/the-vigil-1.jpg?w=750)
![The Vigil [2]](https://scribblah.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/the-vigil-2.jpg?w=750)
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