Drawing Rooms

window 2

The opening on Monday evening of the group exhibition my work is in, Commensalis in Bath, was fab, really busy, great fun and loads of happy people who enjoyed the art. I stayed over to invigilate the next day and also to do a short residency; I set up a tabletop easel and did drawings of the interior throughout the day. I don’t normally draw buildings and I find it hard not to make them look like architectural drawings, so I tried to focus on atmosphere rather than detail. It’s a fascinating building, sparse and a bit Gothic, a mortuary chapel surrounded by very old graves. I did the drawing onto an A3 canvas sheet, prepared with a yellow ochre oil wash, using dip pens and Indian ink, black and white conte crayons and wet wipes (yes, the things you wipe babies bottoms with) to get a wash effect.

Here are a few pictures of the opening featuring my ‘Art Here’  banner and the marvellous ‘Lady Margaret’, of The Natural Theatre Company, who kindly and graciously opened the exhibition, aided by the ‘Wind-up Merchant‘ Nick Steele with his antique HMV Gramophones and DeeJay set of vintage 78 vinyl platters.

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The show is still on until Sunday, 12.00 to 18.00 daily, so if you fancy a day trip to Beautiful Bath, pop in and see the exhibition in Walcot Chapel. And on Sunday, between 3 and 4pm there’s Tea With The Artists – lashings of tea, scones and Victoria Sandwich…….

 

 

The Graveyard Shift

09 sunbathing

Just got back from 2 days in Bath, setting up, opening and invigilating our group exhibition, Commensalis. It’s in a very old mortuary chapel, set in a sloping graveyard. We set up pretty quickly and Husb and I drifted off into the graveyard to have a rest. Here he is, sunbathing. Can you believe it?! Sunbathing. In a British Summer. It must be the end of days 😉

Tomorrow I’ll post some pictures of the opening, but now I’m off to bed…..

Man, Boy and Rabbit

man and boy

Walking over the hill above Bracelet Bay, Mumbles a couple of evenings ago with Husb and small Nephew, we saw lots of wild rabbits quietly munching away. Husb and Nephew stopped for a few minutes to gaze at a young bunny; the little ones don’t seem particularly afraid of people. The Boy tends to copy Husb and their stance was very similar – he’s learning to be a man. So cute. On their left is a sweep of a small tree that’s been sculpted by the wind. Drawn into my A5 cloth-bound sketchbook that I’d prepared with some ripped brown parcel paper, stuch on with Pritt stick. I used Faber Castell Pitt drawing pens in sepia and a touch of black and white conte crayons.

The Match!

06 the matchHusb and I went to a local pub to watch today’s rugby international, Australia vs The British and Irish Lions. It was a terrific atmosphere and we had lunch there too, pie and mash. They make their own pies so I indulged myself with a lamb and mint pie with shortcrust pastry and cheesy mash. mmmmmmmmm :). Top notch pub grub.

The rugby was excellent; we won by 41 points to 16. The commentary was in Italian but it didn’t matter. For readers outside rugby-playing countries, it’s a bit like American Football but without the protective clothing and probably more violent. Great stuff.

I spent a while scanning the pub to find the focal point for my drawing and settled on the elderly guy with the rather strange haircut. Once I sketched him, the rest fell into place. I used Faber Castell Pitt drawing pens in sepia, sizes S, F and M into my A5 clothbound sketchbook that I’d prepared with some ripped brown wrapping paper. I picked up on some highlights with a white conte crayon.

Boy And The Big Apple

05 mumbles

Sunshine today and a lovely evening spent with Husb and small nephew in Mumbles, splashing about on the beach and taking a stroll up to the newly renovated Big Apple to buy some Joe’s icecream. There’s a new line – sugar free Joe’s! I’ve died and gone to heaven!!!!! Nephew is all skinny arms and legs and big belly. A couple of years ago, the Big Apple was almost wrecked by a hit and run driver. It dates from the 1930’s and a number of them were set up by a fruit juice company. The one in Mumbles is probably the last left and there was a huge campaign to save it. Lovely to see it back in action, serving icecream to another generation. I did the little sketch below when it was smashed up.

05 big apple

Art Here!

I’m in a group exhibition in Bath next week (Commensalis) and we needed a banner so I painted one. Here it is. Does what it says on the tin.

04 art here

Then, I went with Husb and Maminlaw to Ikea, I love that place. Bought lots of frames and some smoked salmon. On the way back I scribbled this in the car.

04 ikea

It’s not particularly interesting but it’s important (I think) to try and draw every day, so I make use of what’s in front of me. And then I started to blog and THIS happened!

04 ming

Honestly!!!! The things I have to put up with! Now I’m going to watch Rolling Stones at Glastonbury on BBC iPlayer. Toodles 🙂

Behold the mighty giant

The latest instalment of nuttiness from this spoof of superpowers in Wales, from the bonkers imagination of Notsogreatdictator Smith

 

Behold the mighty giant.

Renaissance In Bath

Rose Davies drawing Rose Davies etching

Next week I’m exhibiting some work in Bath with an artist collective, Commensalis. I’m showing a group of drawings and photopolymer plate etchings based on the concept of Rinascere, which is an Italian word meaning ‘to be reborn’ or ‘to revive’. I chose it because I have been deliberately working with Renaissance techniques and materials for some time and the word ‘rinascere’ is the root of the word ‘renaissance’. I also identified with it’s meaning ‘to revive’ in the light of the current art trends which have moved away from traditional skills such as drawing and etching. I’m using those traditional techniques in my drawings and then adapting the drawings, done from life (as Renaissance artists did), into intaglio prints.

invite

So if you fancy a day trip to beautiful Bath next week, we’re opening with a party on Monday evening and there will be an artist-in-residence each day demonstrating our techniques. On the final Sunday, from 3-4, there’s tea with the artists with lashings of tea, scones and Victoria Sandwich. The Walcot Mortuary Chapel dates from the 1790s and it’s along Walcot Road, about 10 minutes walk from the railway station. It’s in the artisan area, with very old architecture and loads of antique shops, building salvage yards, vintage clothes and foodie places. It’s gert lush and a nice day out.

 

Three Heads

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I did these three studies a while ago. I wanted to try out different approaches with the same approach, so I did one with compressed charcoal (it’s quite choppy); two with ink and pen, one right handed and one left.  The two done with my right (normal) hand are a better likeness but there’s a liveliness to the left-handed sketch that I don’t get with my normal hand.

Commensalis, Bath, 2013.

Shameless self-promotion LOL. I’m in this exhibition too 🙂

 

Commensalis, Bath, 2013..