Getting Absorbed

I was at life drawing at Swansea Print Workshop last night and focused on drawing a portrait. Our model is a strong and powerful woman and I got really absorbed in drawing her. A bit too absorbed as I realised that I had added about 20 years to her face! I was so into makingContinue reading “Getting Absorbed”

A Place In Space

I’m just back from life drawing at Swansea Print Workshop. I’ve been working with a middle-aged female model, I really enjoy drawing her. I started out with a quick sketch into my A3 brown paper spiral bound sketchbook from Seawhites of Brighton. I used a stub of white conté crayon, used on it’s side, theContinue reading “A Place In Space”

Daily Habit

I’m falling back into good habits. For years I’ve been doing a drawing every day, even if it’s just a sketch that takes a minute or two. I think it’s like a singer running through her scales each day, good practice. But lately, I’ve fallen out of the habit and although I’ve been doing aContinue reading “Daily Habit”

The Man In The Cafe

Husb and I often pop into the cafe upstairs in Waterstone’s bookshop, for a coffee and a chat in the comfy seats. I often have a quick scribble as people are generally absorbed in what they’re doing and I can sketch without them noticing. Here’s a recent one, in my tiny flowery sketchbook, it’s aboutContinue reading “The Man In The Cafe”

Squished

Our very last visit on our recent trip to Berlin was to the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial church, which is in fact 2 churches. The newer church, built around the ruins of the older, has a spectacular – and huge – statue of Christ, designed by Karl Hemmeter, dominating the space. I had a quick scribbleContinue reading “Squished”

Like Nana’s Range (might be distressing)

As Husb and I walked around the Saschenhausen Concentration Camp in Berlin last week (on a Sandemans Guided Tour) I sketched what I could on the move. It made it easier in some ways because I could detach myself slightly from my surroundings. A lot of the camp was destroyed by the Soviets after theyContinue reading “Like Nana’s Range (might be distressing)”

Astro Turf Grazed Bovine

Husb and I went to a talk by artist Kathryn Anne Trussler at Elysium Gallery this afternoon. Her exhibition, “Astro Turf Grazed Bovine“, is amazing and definitely worth a visit. It runs until June the 17th. I had a quick scribble while I listened, into my little flowery sketchbook. I photographed it next to aContinue reading “Astro Turf Grazed Bovine”

Just Like Home

Husb and I were in Berlin in a heatwave last week and we visited the Saschenhausen Concentration Camp in one of the Berlin suburbs. The temperature had been up to around 30° Celsius, way too hot for a bunch of gingery Celts but the skies grew dark and there was a sudden, very fierce, thunderstorm.Continue reading “Just Like Home”

My Hero

Husb and I went to Berlin for a few days last week and spent an intense few hours at the Käthe Kollwitz Museum. I love her work and her life is an inspiration, she never relinquished her belief in social justice despite the enmity of both the First and Third Reich. I took a fewContinue reading “My Hero”

Never Forget

Husb and I spent a few days in Berlin this earlier this week and spent some time visiting the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp on the outskirts of the city. It was moving and chilling; I was shocked to discover that it was surrounded by a nice, middle-class housing estate. People turned a blind eye to theContinue reading “Never Forget”