Come And See Me Up The Rhondda.

I’m off to Ynyshir in The Rhondda Valley on Friday 15th September for a one-day residency at The Workers Gallery, a little cultural gem in this former mining community. I’ve done a lot of work over the past few years around the Mari Lwyd, an ancient Welsh mid-winter tradition, so I thought I’d take lovelyContinue reading “Come And See Me Up The Rhondda.”

Save Kilvey Hill.

Husb and I went to a demonstration this evening, to protest against the plans to erect a “Skyline” zipwire complex on Swansea’s iconic Kilvey Hill. When I was a kid, the hill was completely black, not a thing grew there, it was dead, killed by the Industrial Revolution. Then in the early 1960s, Swansea UniversityContinue reading “Save Kilvey Hill.”

A Palace Of Organs Up The Rhondda.

Husb and I had a great visit to the little village of Ynyshir in the Rhondda Valley last Saturday. First we visited the Workers Gallery, to catch the end of the drawing workshop by internationally renowned documentary photographer David Hurn. Then we adjourned to the next street, to an old converted chapel, to listen toContinue reading “A Palace Of Organs Up The Rhondda.”

Fun In The Sun.

Had a lovely afternoon today, doing some community art in the glorious sunshine. I was working at the Graft Garden at the National Waterfront Museum, taking graphite rubbings from some of the abundant plants growing there and then turning them into badges. Fun and I like the results.

Two Legends In A Valley Village.

Husb and I went to a fantastic event in the Rhondda Valley village of Ynyshir this afternoon, organised by the wonderful Workers Gallery which is currently showing an exhibition of rarely seen work by the renowned photographer David Hurn. And today they organised a conversation and Q&A session between David and the renowned actor MichaelContinue reading “Two Legends In A Valley Village.”

Weirdness Up A Mountain.

Husb and I took a walk up the mountain Llyn y Fan on the Bank Holiday to visit the smaller of the mountain lakes, Llyn y Fan Fach. I took some sheets of Somerset paper that I’d prepared in advance. This sheet was primed with white acrylic gesso, than brushed roughly with my home madeContinue reading “Weirdness Up A Mountain.”

A Blue Cast …

Here’s another little gel-plate experiment using a 10cm diameter round plate, with three primary colours – Process Yellow, Magenta and Cyan – with lots of Extender to make the colours translucent. It’s quite a random process and each one has turned out different. This has an overall Cyan cast but also the Magenta is quiteContinue reading “A Blue Cast …”

Blue Gelli.

I spent a bit more time playing with a gel plate at Swansea Print Workshop this afternoon, using a round gel plate, a few pieces of used bubble wrap, Cranfield Safe-Wash Process Cyan relief ink and Extender onto HoSho paper. I overprinted the pieces I’ve done in the last two weeks, mixing very little of the blueContinue reading “Blue Gelli.”

To The Legendary Lake: 1.

It’s August Bank Holiday and of course, the weather was pretty miserable, overcast and drizzly, but reasonably warm. Husb and I were at a loose end and I’ve always wanted to walk up to the mythological lake Llyn y Fan Fach in the Bannau Brycheiniog. The lake is the site of one of Wales’ mostContinue reading “To The Legendary Lake: 1.”