Sleepless In Swansea

I’m a lifelong insomniac, so this morning at around 5am I thought I might as well use my sleeplessness productively and grabbed a sketchbook from the side of the bed, a black Daler Rowney spiral bound A5, and using a white conte crayon, I scribbled Husb. He could sleep through anything.

Havin’ A Fag

Today I did these scribbles opposite the infamous ‘Full Moon’ pub in High Street, Swansea, just around the corner from where I lived until I was 6. Then all the houses were knocked down as part of a massive slum clearance programme and we went to live in a council house. But they left theContinue reading “Havin’ A Fag”

The Cwmdonkin Cuppa

Well, today was Bank Holiday Monday and true to British tradition, the weather was dreadful, cold, windy and pouring with rain. Luckily, Husb and I went for a nice long walk yesterday when it was lovely and sunny and we ended up in Cwmdonkin Park, made famous by Dylan Thomas, who lived close by andContinue reading “The Cwmdonkin Cuppa”

Fanny’s Demise

Had a really packed day and this afternoon Husb and I went to Swansea’s Central Library for a talk about Fanny Wollstonecraft, daughter of the 18th century feminist Mary and half sister of the author of Frankenstein, Mary Godwin-Shelley. I’d never known that she had died in Swansea, committed suicide at the age of 22.Continue reading “Fanny’s Demise”

Art-In-A-Box

I’ve not blogged for a couple of days. Dad-in-law’s funeral was yesterday and I haven’t really felt like doing anything arty but last week I was working flat out on this piece-in-a-box for Art’s Birthday – which is TODAY. Organised by Locws International, my work has been installed along with 9 other pieces-in-boxes in theContinue reading “Art-In-A-Box”

The Tree Palace

I took a stroll up High Street yesterday, making the most of the late afternoon sunshine after the torrential rain of the past few days. I stopped and sketched the top of the old Palace Theatre which is now derelict and covered in large buddleia bushes. It looks like it’s smothered in trees. Dating fromContinue reading “The Tree Palace”

Rinascere

I have an exhibition coming up and here is an invitation, just in case you’re anywhere near Swansea, UK. I blogged about this a few weeks ago but unfortunately the exhibition had to be delayed. ‘Rinascere’ is a new body of work comprising a series of solar plate etchings and the small, Renaissance-style drawings thatContinue reading “Rinascere”

Ruskin And Chocolate

Here’s one I scribbled yesterday when I took my little nephew to the top of the Swansea Tower, Wales’ tallest building. I’m getting a bit better at drawing the cityscape; I’m developing a shorthand of marks that are individual to me so I don’t slip into doing an architectural drawing. I did a short courseContinue reading “Ruskin And Chocolate”

Freaky Slug People

  Yesterday I was a recorder in the ‘Disruption’ happening which was happening in Swansea City Centre. I was one of the artists recording the performances through the medium of drawing. There were some really freaky things going on, which certainly disrupted the city centre. Two blood-stained body bags were carried up the street toContinue reading “Freaky Slug People”

Weirdness Across The City

The city centre embraced post apocalyptic weirdness this afternoon with the Disruption II art event drawing crowds of disbelieving onlookers out and about in the uncharacteristic sunshine. Some artists were performers, some recorders. I was recording through drawing, wandering along the street in a rubber army gas mask and tarpaulin [in the blazing sunshine] clutchingContinue reading “Weirdness Across The City”