Archive: Stuffed Birds at the Museum.

Here’s another one from the archives, a sketch in my homemade walnut ink. I was at Swansea Museum, studying from the permanent collection with other members of Swansea Print Workshop and these two stuffed bitterns captured my attention.

Archive: Trees In Early Spring

I’ve been rummaging through my digital folders and looking at old sketches. Here’s one from 2018, a sharp early Spring day in Dynefor Park near Llandeilo. A group of artists had travelled from the city to work in the arboretum there. I saw this lovely tree that had fallen over, but carried on growing, reachingContinue reading “Archive: Trees In Early Spring”

Wassail!

I went to the annual Wassail and Mari Lwyd parade at the Gower Heritage Centre today. Last night was Hen Galan, the “old” (Julian) New Year, celebrated in Wales with the Mari Lwyd, but as well as the riotous Wassail yesterday evening (with much local Shed Head Cider by all accounts), there was also aContinue reading “Wassail!”

A Month Of Maris #17

Aaaaaaannnnddddd ….. another one. Here’s a quickie Mari Lwyd sketch in conté crayon into my brown paper sketchbook, from 2016. I think these very hasty sketches show the jollier side of the Mari Lwyd.

A Month Of Maris #16

Sometimes when I’m out and about sketching I have only a few seconds, maybe a minute or two, with a particular subject or pose, so I have to scribble away quickly, and the drawing often becomes very stylised. Here’s a Mari Lwyd from a few years ago, sketched at a Hen Galan pub crawl onContinue reading “A Month Of Maris #16”

A Month Of Maris #14

Here’s another Mari Lwyd sketch from my archives, one from Gellionen Chapel in 2017, back in those heady days before Covid19. we’re creeping closer to Hen Galan, Mari Lwyd’s very own night, which also happens to be the “old” New Year. It’s drawn in black, sanguine and white conté crayons into a spiral bound A4Continue reading “A Month Of Maris #14”

A Month Of Maris #13

Another of my  Mari Lwyd artworks from the archives that I’m posting up to her night, Hen Galan on January 13th. It’s a reduction monotype that I did back in 2016 from an original drawing in my sketchbook. This one is really menacing.

A Month Of Maris #11

We’re at that time of year when the old Welsh tradition of The Mari Lwyd / Y Fari Lwyd, is awakening from her slumbers ready for her night, Hen Galan, on January 13th – the New Year in the old Gregorian Calendar. This was drawn at the Gower Heritage Centre’s annual Wassail and Mari Lwyd Parade atContinue reading “A Month Of Maris #11”

Blwyddyn Newydd Dda

A Happy New Year to you. Blwyddyn Newydd Dda i chi. Here’s my latest Mari Lwyd, a linocut with chine collé using the foil wrapping of the very popular (in the UK) Tunnock’s Tea Cakes. I like the way the stripes of the foil interact with the stripeyness of Mari’s ribbons. She’s a little early,Continue reading “Blwyddyn Newydd Dda”

A Month Of Maris #10

We’re at that time of year when the old Welsh tradition of The Mari Lwyd / Y Fari Lwyd, is awakening from her slumbers ready for her night, Hen Galan, on January 13th – the New Year in the old Gregorian Calendar. This monotype with chine collé is based on a sketch I did when the Ystrad MariContinue reading “A Month Of Maris #10”