compressed charcoal

Getting Mucky Together

Getting Mucky I spent a couple of hours at Swansea’s Creative Bubble this morning with fellow artists Patti McJones and Chris Bird-Jones. We unleashed a box of compressed charcoal! And got mucky together. That’s one of the nicer things about being an artist, you always have an excuse to shamble around in overalls with charcoalContinue reading “Getting Mucky Together”

Up A Ladder

I’m a member of an artist collective, 15 Hundred Lives and we have been running a monthly public art event at the Creative Bubble artspace in Swansea, we take the space for two days a month to work together as a group – a painter, a collagist and a printmaker / scribbler. I’ve been workingContinue reading “Up A Ladder”

Pre-washed

A description of 1980s denim fashion and also my way of preparing some of my little Khadi handmade paper sketchbooks (15cms square) with random ink washes using dilute Indian ink applied with a small piece of natural sponge. It’s a good base for night sketches. All you need is a bit of white compressed charcoalContinue reading “Pre-washed”

Stuff I Draw With

I’m doing some subtractive drawings on card prepared with two coats of acrylic gesso and overlaid, when dry, with compressed charcoal. It means I have to be a bit inventive with drawing materials, which include aluminium oxide paper, wire wool, a craft knife and bits of rag. Great fun. Here’s the small one, based onContinue reading “Stuff I Draw With”

Back And Raring To Go!

I’ve had five whole days away from the computer. The RSI problem came back with a vengeance and coupled with a nasty lurgi, I decided to take a bit of a break from t’Internet. I’ve still been busy in the studio though, developing some plans for a series of larger scale subtractive drawings. I stretchedContinue reading “Back And Raring To Go!”

Hard Feet And The Best Curryhouse

It’s the end of a tiring week; I’ve had a very productive time in the studio and a good session at the life drawing group, but that means I’ve been on my feet continuously every day and I’m looking forward to some chilling-out time this weekend. We started this evening with a curry at ourContinue reading “Hard Feet And The Best Curryhouse”

A Brand New Life Drawing

Just got back from life-drawing group at Swansea Print Workshop. We had a very experienced model this evening who also models at our local university. She has one of those Dutch ‘peasant’ faces that Van Gogh used to paint, like in the Potato Eaters. I mean this in the nicest way – very interesting features.Continue reading “A Brand New Life Drawing”

A Recycled Lady!

I often use discarded prints as the basis for drawing – I raid the waste paper bin at Swansea Print Workshop for prints that other artists have thrown away as they’re usually on really good paper, a Somerset or Bockinford, and often embossed and coloured which makes an interesting starting point for a drawing,Continue reading “A Recycled Lady!”