Spiral Labyrinth

Another blast from the past, here I am at The Bagpuss Window, a semi-derelict artspace set up by Melanie Ezra and myself about 18 months ago. It only lasted 3 weeks but we, and lots of other artists and performers, did loads of arty stuff. Here I am walking the spiral labyrinth installed by prehistorianContinue reading “Spiral Labyrinth”

A Grand Night Out

So there we were, Husb and I splashing through the torrential rain on the dark, sodden streets of Pontypridd, early evening, searching for somewhere to get some hot food fairly quickly because we were on our way to somewhere else. The only half decent place we could find was a chippy, so we sat inContinue reading “A Grand Night Out”

A Darker Turn….

This full size portrait drawing is part of a much larger piece of ephemeral drawing I made back in Autumn 2015 when my fellow artist Melanie Ezra and I took over a semi-derelict shop in Swansea’s High Street and opened it up to other artists to see what happened – we called it ‘The BagpussContinue reading “A Darker Turn….”

A Rare Self Portrait

I don’t often draw myself, mainly because I don’t like looking at myself; I rarely wear make up so I don’t spend much time looking in mirrors; I have always hated having my photo taken so there are no photos of me around the house. This is a rare self-portrait that I did as partContinue reading “A Rare Self Portrait”

The Cockle Picker’s Warning

I was supposed to be going off traipsing across South Wales today, drawing ancient standing stones with Dewi the prehistorian and Melvyn the filmmaker. I woke up to rain, not unusual in these parts and then Dewi rang to say he’d been talking to a cockle picker in Loughor who said the cockle pickers weren’tContinue reading “The Cockle Picker’s Warning”

The Place Of The Castle

This is the third of the three drawings I did en plein air  at Penlle’r Castell (The Place Of The Castle) up on Mynydd Y Gwair this week, in the wind, the cold and the looming rain. I prepared Fabriano Accademico paper with white gesso and my home made walnut ink which suited the multi-layered, stratified landscapeContinue reading “The Place Of The Castle”

Stratified With Walnuts

I managed to do three drawings en plein air up on Mynydd Y Gwair this week, in the wind, the cold and the looming rain. It was hard work! The Fabriano paper, prepared with white gesso and my home made walnut ink, dribbled and sponged, suited the multi-layered, stratified landscape and I worked very quickly, indicating theContinue reading “Stratified With Walnuts”

Murky Mountain

Up a mountain once again, Mynydd Y Gwair this week, with filmmaker Melvyn Williams and pre-historian Dewi Bowen, visiting Penlle’s Castell. Although it looks reasonably fine, it was shockingly windy and the rain clouds loomed murkily in the distance and I struggled to draw. It was very hard work, staying upright and drawing but one ofContinue reading “Murky Mountain”

Preparation And Plein Air

Here’s another view of Maen Bradwen, or Carreg Bica on Mynydd Drummau Mountain in Neath Port Talbot. It’s a massive stone and local legend has it that it bathes in the River Neath on Easter morning. I drew this fairly quickly with Daler Rowney soft pastels onto Fabriano paper that had been prepared with twoContinue reading “Preparation And Plein Air”

Best Quality

I did three drawings of Maen Bredwan this week, drawing directly onto prepared Fabriano paper that had been coated with gesso and then covered randomly with my own home-made walnut ink. I quickly sketched the basic details with a white conté crayon and then worked into it with Daler Rowney soft pastels (artist quality). It’sContinue reading “Best Quality”