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”
Tag Archives: South Wales
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”
Manure Mountain
Today I was back tramping around the South Wales countryside, continuing with Yr Helfa, The Hunt, a series of drawings done en plein air from ancient stone monuments. It’s been going on for a year now, with filmmaker Melvyn Williams and prehistorian Dewi Bowen and in between I had a solo show of around 40Continue reading “Manure Mountain”
The Stone With No Name…..
This is the second stone we visited yesterday in muddy West Wales, near Llangain. Quite a few of the Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments around here don’t have names and this is one of them. It’s a large, fine stone with an unusual feature that makes it look like a face from some angles. It’sContinue reading “The Stone With No Name…..”
MUD!
Mud. Mud and standing stones. After a break of about three months I’m off out traipsing across the muddier parts of South Wales with filmmaker Melvyn Williams and pre-historian Dewi Bowen. There are still a lot of ancient monuments to be explored, recorded and drawn before Dewi is able to complete his new book. ThisContinue reading “MUD!”
Luscious Leftovers!
In its sixth year, this touring international exhibition of miniature original prints is coming to Swansea tomorrow, opening with a Welsh tea from 5-7pm and then daily (except Mondays) until mid-January – but check the website for opening hours over the holiday season. Click on the link here to see the write up of theContinue reading “Luscious Leftovers!”
The Final Cwtch
Another unseasonable warm and bright day, but glorious weather to say goodbye to artist Ann Jordan’s ‘Cwtch’, a giant woollen blanket and environmental installation. You can read more about this extraordinary piece here. It is in it’s final resting place, a circle of eroded peat bog up on the Black Mountain in the Brecon BeaconsContinue reading “The Final Cwtch”
OUCH! And Icecream.
Went to Mumbles this morning with Husb and Maminlaw and I FELL OVER! In the street. Just like that with no warning. I don’t know how it happened, but I ended up on the pavement cut, bruised but otherwise no damage except to my pride. There was nothing for it but a medicinal icecream soContinue reading “OUCH! And Icecream.”
A Link to The Beatles, Scribbling Faces and The Arandora Star
I carry my sketchbook all the time and take every chance I can to have a scribble. One night some friends invited us to a fundraising evening for the Arandora Star memorial. It was a great opportunity for sketching faces and I did some drawings there. The guest speaker was the veteran actor Victor SpinettiContinue reading “A Link to The Beatles, Scribbling Faces and The Arandora Star”