Husb and I went to a lovely evening at GS Artists (formerly Galerie Simpson) on Swansea’s High Street yesterday. In an evening celebrating Saint David’s Day (the patron saint of Wales) the talented Tomos Sparnon introduced the first of a series of Welsh Conversationals, Welsh Language events at the gallery focusing on ‘Mynegiant’ (Expression) in Welsh art. It was bi-lingual in an easy and lighthearted way, with a slide show of work that illustrated the list of Welsh words. He covered artists Gwen John, Peter Prendegast, Seren Morgan Jones, Ogwyn Davies, Tim Davies and his own, rather lovely, work. Of course, I had a scribble. And made notes, And learned some new Welsh words. And there was some lovely home-made leek quiche made by the effervescent Jane Simpson.
The difference of materials. I was engrossed in drawing at Galerie Simpson on Swansea’s High Street a couple of days ago. I’d taken a few sheets of very different papers and lots of drawing materials and I settled down to draw a fascinating clay sculpture by Tomos Sparnon which is in the current exhibition.
The first drawing I did in white, sanguine and black conté crayons onto a piece of smooth heavyweight cartridge paper that I had prepared with a coat of white acrylic gesso and then when it was dry I sponged it all over with my sepia home-made walnut ink. After drawing in conté crayons, I filled the area around the drawing with a square ended brush dipped in the walnut ink. I love the way the ink flows over gessoed paper and how it holds the brushstrokes. It’s a delicious ink to use, like liquid silk.
Then I moved my chair to take in a different angle and drew, again with the white, sanguine and black conté crayons onto a sheet of heavily textured grey Khadi paper. The result is completely different. I know I’m stating the blatantly obvious, but I was surprised at the extent of the differences. You can just see Tomos’ sculpture in the background.
Back last week I was rummaging through the drawers in my plans chest and pulled out some used paper that I thought could be reused and today I got my chance. Swansea hosted Man Engine , the largest mechanical puppet ever constructed in Britain, which has been journeying up from Cornwall. It’s amazing. I was invited to take part in a live drawing event (with afternoon tea) at Galerie Simpson on Swansea’s High Street to coincide with the behemoth’s progress through the city. It’s very slow moving so I managed to sketch the giant head outside the gallery on the pavement as it rumbled by. I drew with black, white and sanguine conté crayon and some of my home-made sepia walnut ink onto a recycled cyanotype print on Bockingford paper. If you want to know how to make walnut ink, please check out my blog post here.
I went to Rufus Mufasa’s album launch last night at Cinema & Co in Swansea and it was a fantastic explosion of word performance, so different to traditional poetry performances, so energetic and angry and joyous and funny and full of life. And so varied. She had invited lots of other performers to join her. Of course I had to have a scribble. In the dark. As you do. I used graphite stick into my A5 lined notebook by Peter Pauper Press. Here it is with Sparta Puss, who seems a bit miffed by it.
If you want to check out Rufus’ album, Fur Coats From The Lion’s Den, which is fantastic, please click here.
Husb and I went along to Cinema & Co this evening for poetry, rap and word performance. I have dismal memories from decades ago of ‘Poets and Pints’ nights in local pubs, with few exceptions, full of third-rate wannabe John Cooper Clark’s declaiming drunkenly and I’ve mostly avoided poetry ever since. But this new generation of performers are amazing, so innovative, clever and entertaining. Of course, I had to have a scribble. This is Carl Beer from Swansea. He’s brilliant. It was quite dark in there.
Husb and I went to The Hyst in Swansea’s High Street this evening for a poetry showcase put on by Swansea City Of Culture 2017. I’m not usually drawn to poetry but these performers were fantastic – Rufus Mufasa, Clare Ferguson-Walker, Gwion Iqbal Malik, Julia Manser and Karl Beer. Of course, I had a scribble, like you do…..
I’ve been out and about with a sketchbook recently, getting back to basics, drawing as much as possible, not for projects but simply as part of my routine practice. An artist’s practice is just that, practice.
I went to a talk at the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery by the artist Helen Sear, her work is currently featured there. I managed to scribble a few listening heads. I find that I can sketch and listen at the same time because I’m not concentrating on making “great art” so I don’t mind if it all goes pear shaped. This woman had the loveliest pre-Raphaelite hair, all fuzzy ringlets tied up in a loose knot, straight out of the late 19th century.
It was a terrible day outside the gallery, we were in the middle of Storm Brian and the gales were howling and the rain was lashing down. The Americans always seem to have quite posh names for their hurricanes – Ophelia, Katrina, but we have Storm Brian. I’m waiting for Nigel and Doris. Or Cissy and Ada maybe?
Here’s a sketch I did a couple of weeks ago at the Swansea Fringe. Husb and I went to the Swansea Storytelling event; it’s good for drawing faces because people are usually focused and concentrating. I used a 6B graphite pencil into my A5 lined notebook.
With my fellow Plebeian Printmakers I’ll be making street prints at the madeinroath festival in Cardiff on Saturday October the 21st so if you’re about, please come and see us in action between 11.00 and 15.00.
The theme of this year’s festival is ‘When You Have More Than You Need, Build A Longer Table, Not A Higher Fence’ and in keeping with this, we will take prints from manholes and metal covers from local roads and pavements, in a variety of colours, onto paper doilies and napkins that will be used as place settings on the “Longer Tables Street Party” on Plasnewydd Road throughout the day. Here’s a copy of the madeinroath brochure – there’s loads going on throughout the week.
Some of The Plebeian Printmakers – Melvyn Williams, Patricia McKenna-Jones, Hannah Lawson and Chris Harrendence. Kara Seaman will be joining us at madeinroath. And I’ll be there too….
The Plebeian Printmakers is a very visible group of artists experienced in working and interacting with the public and we give people the opportunity to talk as well as observe what we’re doing, encouraging them to immerse themselves in their surroundings, to slow down and appreciate what’s often overlooked in the built environment. We use non-toxic, washable materials so that people can join in and make their own print if they want.
We recently did some street printmaking in Swansea at the Troublemakers Festival and one of our members, Melvyn Williams, made this short film of us at it.
A manhole cover
Inked and a fragment of hand-made khadi paper placed on top
A pad of newspaper on top of the Khadi paper and the application of a boot
A pavement print
A lot of my artwork is available on my Artfinder gallery. If you’d like to have a look, please click on the image below or the Artfinder link at the top right of this page.
Here’s another drawing I did at the Swansea Storytelling Club on Friday night, at The Swansea Fringe. Husb and I went to the comedy club this evening and I was going to do some more drawings, but the comedian, Noel James, was too hilarious and I couldn’t stop laughing long enough for even a quick scribble. It’s been great to have the Fringe back. I worked on the old Swansea Fringe for a couple of years back in the 1980s, happy days, and I’m enjoying its return immensely. It wasn’t raining so badly today either and there was a good crowd at the gig.
I drew this man into my little lined Papermates notebook with a 6B graphite pencil, the sort that is solid graphite, without wood around it. He was very focused on the storyteller which made life a lot easier for me.
From March 25th for a whole week Sky Arts looks at the state of the nation. The film about my print “Here Be Dragons” will be featured on the 26th at 9pm.
Hunting The Wild Megalith
To Buy Scribblah’s Art
Please click below to see my work on Artfinder
Pasta Machine Printmaking, The Movie (with added cat)
Here Be Dragons – March 26th at 9pm on Sky Arts TV channel. Finally, the end of all the months of work! The programmes showing over 50 commissioned artists across the UK are being aired during the week beginning March 25th and the film featuring me and my work is on Tuesday, March 26th at […]
Cinema & Co, Swansea, throughout March. Exhibition – The Revolting Women Present: The Personal Is Political. A bit of technical stuff today, here’s a monotype I did recently with chine collé from an original sketchbook drawing. I was in London a few years back and wandered over to “Tent City”, the Occupy London protest outside […]
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