Charcoal drawings

Words

This week I’ve been posting out catalogues for my forthcoming show at Beaux Arts Bath.  It’s been a pleasure packing them up and sending them out to friends and clients, old and new – not least because the essay by Rev. Richard Davey is so sensitive and well written.  He seems to understand and articulate... Read more »

Creek

Charcoal and sepia ink on 650gsm Arches paper.  103cm X 153cm I’ve been working on this drawing all summer and now it is finally finished and off to the framers ready for the Beaux Arts show in October. The first spark of inspiration for the piece came from a walk down to Frenchman’s creek with... Read more »

Work

                                                                                                             ... Read more »

Three more moths

March Moth, (left,)  December Moth, (right,) and Winter Moth, (below.) Three more moths from the ‘Seven Winter Moths’ suite of drawings.  All are 12″ x 8″ in charcoal, inks, pigment and watercolour on Aquari hand-made paper. Click on any image to enlarge for more clarity. If you have enjoyed looking at this blog, please consider... Read more »

Sand Martin

Sand Martins are the smallest of the European hirondines.   Flying all the way from south of the African Sahara, this one made landfall in South Devon at the weekend but probably died of exhaustion after Sunday night’s storm. I was moved to tears as I drew, thinking that this tiny, weightless, and now lifeless... Read more »

When we step outside…

“When we step outside and look up, we’re not little cogs in the capitalist machine.  It’s the simplest act of resistance and renewal.” Kathleen JamieGaurdian Review April 7th 2012 Kathleen Jamie’s  words are deceptively simple.  They may even seem naive.  But stay with them, act on them – they do subtle work.  They have stayed... Read more »

Hosomi Timelapse drawing

This is an experiment.  A small drawing in charcoal and watercolour photographed every twenty minutes or so throughout the process of drawing.  I’ve been reading a little book on Japanese aesthetics by Donald Richie and came across the term  Hosomi – an emotional delicacy, a determination to slight not even the most trivial, to understand... Read more »

Out of the wood

Snowdrops, and alder twigs in a Japanese tea cup.  The finished drawing I began on Ash Wednesday, a day that for various reasons always has me meditating on death and renewal.  It seemed more than appropriate – significant to work in pure charcoal; that simplest of materials derived from very slowly burning the small, otherwise... Read more »

One that didn’t make it through the spring

After Frost It’s hard to tell what bird it isSinging in the misty wood,Or the reason for its songSo late after evening’s come. When all else has dropped its nameDown into the scented darkIts song grown cool and clear saysNothing much to anyone. Yet it catches hold a whisper in my brainThat only now is... Read more »

The calm exile of work

A drawing begun on Ash Wednesday.  Day 7. Medium – charcoal.   Paper – Arches 350gsm HP.  Radio 4 and Birdsong

Ash Wednesday drawing

A drawing begun on Ash Wednesday.  Day 5. Medium – charcoal.   Paper – Arches 350gsm HP.  Music – Chopin Nocturne no. 2 in D flat major. Op 27