They get everywhere, seagulls. Here they are hanging out on chimneys in the Waun Wen area of the city. There are no gulls officially called seagulls, and the ones that gang up on people around the city are usually herring gulls. These ones weren’t doing much, but come bin collection day, they’ll be ripping openContinue reading “Nature’s Opportunists”
Tag Archives: art
Overhung….
Walking and drawing around the Waun Wen area which is built on two steep hills, on either side of a major dual carriageway. The road was much narrower in the past, but traffic planners in the late 20th century decided to widen it, to 5 lanes in places, and cut one half of the communityContinue reading “Overhung….”
Half ‘n’ Half
I started this drawing, the half on the left, one Sunday, walking around Waun Wen. It was freezing cold and my fingerless gloves left me too numb to carry on. The following week, I went back and did the other half, on the right. It was warmer. This is part of the Home and HinterlandContinue reading “Half ‘n’ Half”
Walk Waun Wen, Talk Waun Wen
I’ve had a bit of a break for the holidays but next week I’m back into my community arts project in the Swansea district of Waun Wen. It’s part of a Wales-wide contemporary art project called “Home and Hinterland”, and locally it’s a partnership with Swansea University’s Taliesin Arts Centre. I love the area andContinue reading “Walk Waun Wen, Talk Waun Wen”
Newspaper Scribbles
I like drawing on newspaper, it’s free so there’s no fretting over the possibility of spoiling an expensive piece of paper. It’s good for doing quick sketches en plein air when I’m out and about, when I’m drawing from life and have just a few seconds to get something down on the paper before someoneContinue reading “Newspaper Scribbles”
Irises in close-up
Way back in February I finished this copy of Van Gogh’s Irises. It’s a beautiful painting which is fiendishly complicated when you start trying to copy it. My hat’s off to the man. I haven’t blogged the video of it before. It’s a slow zoom out from and extreme close up, showing you the brushworkContinue reading “Irises in close-up”
Horizontals, Verticals, Diagonals
Sketching in the streets around Waun Wen, I stopped and scribbled this little arrangement of horizontal, vertical and diagonal lines. I suppose you could say that most vistas in a built environment are horizontal, vertical and diagonal. And you’d be right 😀 A Chance To Own One Of My Artworks I have some small screenprintsContinue reading “Horizontals, Verticals, Diagonals”
Bit Of A Challenge
As I walked the streets of the Waun Wen area of the city on Sunday, scribbling into my sketchbook, I came across a landslip. Some of the little streets snaking up the steep hillside are perched on top of towering terraces, and this one had collapsed, leaving 3 houses without their front gardens and pilesContinue reading “Bit Of A Challenge”
Shadow Tree
I spotted this shadow tree when I was walking and drawing around Waun Wen recently, cast on a wall in the bright sunshine. These quiet walks are part of the Home & Hinterland arts project sponsored by Swansea University. A Chance To Own One Of My Artworks I have some small screenprints for sale, inspiredContinue reading “Shadow Tree”
Nooks And Crannies
Walking around Waun Wen on Sundays, scribbling into my tiny sketchbook, I find odd little nooks and crannies that I’d never seen, places that are usually passed by unnoticed. Many British cities and towns have them because they developed organically at times, before rigid town planning systems were imposed. This drangway, almost hidden from theContinue reading “Nooks And Crannies”