Women’s Arts Association autumn exhibition

Here’s a nice write-up of an exhibition I recently had a piece of artwork in….

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The Women’s Arts Association has had a very successful show of associate members’ work at Llanover Hall in Cardiff.  “How I see It …” fitted nicely with Llanover Hall’s educative functions by asking women makers to create an original work inspired by a woman artist.

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The opening, with readings by Toni-Ann La Crette, was enthusiastically attended, and groups from schools and of women had the opportunity to see the art but also see the women’s art that had been the inspiration – a good thing to demonstrate and take with them.

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On the left (from l to r), there is Rose Davies’ printed fabric piece inspired by Kathe Kollwitz, Dilys Jackson’s sculpture inspired by a Barbara Hepworth piece, Georgina Peach mobile inspired by Louis Bourgeois,  who painting also inspired Rebecca Croxford’s triptych, and Sue Roberts inspired by Marlene Dumas.  On the right, Bee Bennett’s landscape inspired by Joan Eardley, Dianne…

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Feeling The Mountains

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I took my sketchbook on my recent holiday, but wasn’t particularly interested in using it at first because I really needed a break. After a few days, though, it happened in a completely unforced way. Husb and I were walking along the main road towards Kyrenia with the Kyrenia Mountain looming above us. Well, it just had to be done. I used conté crayons in black, white and sanguine into a brown paper A4 sketchbook. The sketch was very quick and is more about my feelings at the time than a detailed topographical drawing. Which is fine by me.

A Busman’s Holiday

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Husb and I managed to book a very cheap, out of season package holiday in North Cyprus last week – seven days of warmth, sunshine and lovely food. It’s a beautiful country and we split our time between chilling out and exploring. The nearest city is Kyrenia and when we took the bus in, I took my brown paper sketchbook and conté crayons along with me and did a quick sketch. I didn’t do any drawing for the first couple of days. I draw more or less every day because it’s my job and to be honest I wanted a good break, but by the third day I was  getting itchy fingers and had to have a scribble when we stopped to have a sit down opposite this little mosque.So it turned into a busman’s holiday after all.

 

The Completed Face

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Finishing off the details on the shoulders and body with black, white and sanguine conté crayons; drawing in her pendant; more sanguine in the background; and a bit more depth to the black and sanguine around the mouth and chin. And she’s complete. It’s been interesting for me to analyse a drawing from start to finish – I love my phonecam!

I did this a couple of weeks ago at Swansea Print Workshop’s life drawing group.

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I am putting a new drawing of an ancient monument one up every day.  If you want to buy one, you can see them by clicking on the image below or the Artfinder link at the top right of this page.

St Elvis

A Face In Steps [7]

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Nearly finished this life drawing, I recorded the different stages with my phone camera last week at Swansea Print Workshop. I’m using the black and white conté crayons to finish off the hair and add detail to the ear, and the sanguine to begin blocking in the background.

 

I am putting a new drawing of an ancient monument one up every day.  If you want to buy one, you can see them by clicking on the image below or the Artfinder link at the top right of this page.

St Elvis

A Face In Steps [6]

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At this stage, I’m working up the hair in black and adding some darkish tones in sanguine with conté crayons. I’m working onto brown wrapping paper, I like the effect of it. It’s a shame it doesn’t last, it will fade and fall apart in a few years, but when I use expensive paper for drawing I often find it very inhibiting and can’t get the faster, looser, more experimental effects that I can with wrapping or newspaper.

This is a life drawing I did at Swansea Print Workshop last week. I photographed it at different stages so I could look back on how I developed the drawing.

 

I am putting a new drawing of an ancient monument one up every day.  If you want to buy one, you can see them by clicking on the image below or the Artfinder link at the top right of this page.

St Elvis

A Face In Steps [5]

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Continuing with the life drawing I did last week at Swansea Print Workshop, I have finished with the detailed black line for the time being and have strengthened the white highlights. Working on brown paper is great, it gives a ready made mid-tone and also a warmth to the work. I’m drawing with conté crayons, I love the oiliness of them which allows me to do fine detail without the crumbliness of charcoal.

I am putting a new drawing of an ancient monument one up every day.  If you want to buy one, you can see them by clicking on the image below or the Artfinder link at the top right of this page.

St Elvis

A Face In Steps [4]

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Digital cameras are great! I can photograph different stages of a drawing to see how it comes together. It’s nice to look at how a drawing develops in the cold light of day, I’m too absorbed when I’m drawing to analyse what I’ve done. I did this life drawing last week at Swansea Print Workshop’s life drawing group, using black, white and sanguine conté crayon. At this point, I’m still working on some very detailed black line.

 

I am putting a new drawing of an ancient monument one up every day.  If you want to buy one, you can see them by clicking on the image below or the Artfinder link at the top right of this page.

St Elvis

A Face In Steps [3]

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Here’s the third stage of the life drawing I did last week at Swansea Print Workshop, introducing some defined black line over the vague white and sanguine marks, all conté crayon. I’m working onto ordinary brown wrapping paper.

 

I am putting a new drawing of an ancient monument one up every day.  If you want to buy one, you can see them by clicking on the image below or the Artfinder link at the top right of this page.

St Elvis

A Face In Steps [2]

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The second step drawing the life model at Swansea Print Workshop last week, adding some conté crayon in sanguine, drawn onto brown wrapping paper. It’s about A2 size to fit my travel drawing board.

 

 

I am putting a new drawing of an ancient monument one up every day.  If you want to buy one, you can see them by clicking on the image below or the Artfinder link at the top right of this page.

St Elvis