Sunday, 18 September 2011

Drawing Little Lane - enjoying the mark making

Following on from my large and very enjoyable drawing, 'Kefalonia' I was keen to experiment further with mark making, and to make work which was as much about the marks as the image.
Off I went with the dog to a favourite spot and I took some photos and made some sketches:




These are the two images I used most of the time in making the drawings. I focused on the sketch, looking at a cropped section down the centre of the page, selecting the most descriptive hoizontal marks, allowing the vertical marks to have more meaning in the further distance. I then scaled up this sketch to two sheets of paper 76 x 28cm.
These are the resulting drawings, one a little more representational than the other:
 
Little lane 1

 
Little lane 2

If you look carefully you will see that I have collaged some cut up etchings into these to emphasise the sectioned quality of the image and to make good use of existing markmaking.

The first drawing is an attempt to push the boundaries of my drawing, and to enjoy making intriguing graphite marks and textures. The second drawing is about pushing things further, and having made the first one I felt less of a slave to the original image.
Here are some of the marks and textured areas I most enjoyed working on. That was the best thing about this work, I really enjoyed the process:










I'm going to go back to an unfinished drawing now, and see what the experience of these pieces has given me.

Sunday, 4 September 2011

'First' An exhibition of Drawing

This week I am taking part in a new exhibition by a group of like minded people. Together we are called Out/Lines. We are a group of artists for whom drawing is a central concern of their practice. Affiliated to the Advanced Centre in Drawing (ACiD) at the University of the West of England, Out/Lines is an opportunity for post graduate students and alumni to exchange ideas, and to explore concepts and processes.
We got together in Cheddar on Thursday and hung our 'first' exhibit in a beautiful converted barn and studio gallery kindly lent by Sara Parsons.


The exhibition will take place between 2nd and 8th September 2011, 1-5pm.
The address, should you wish to come and visit, is:
Chestnut Farm Studio, Kent St, Cheddar, BS27 3LG


My piece - 'Kefalonia' hanging by the door.
The tall space made it ideal to show drawing on a large scale

'Imaginary Holidays' by Lynn Imperatore
Close up of Lynn's delicate drawing

On the opening evening we welcomed visitors.
It was a lovely late summer evening.
Work by Mary Crowder, Frankie, Steph Black and Orla O'Carroll

'Hedge, Raft, Nest' by Karen Mead
Karen's upcoming exhibition - 
Prema Arts Centre, Uley, Stroud 12 Sep - 22 Oct
www.karenmead.co.uk


'One and a Half Crayons; the Thouet River' by Frankie Partridge


 It was lovely to be involved in something different. Please go to
http://www.acid-outlines.weebly.com/ for more informtion about the images displayed here.

I will be showing 4 of my pieces at the Minchinhampton Art Exhibition as part of Minchinhampton Country Fayre this weekend 10th and 11th September. The Fayre promises to be a full and busy weekend and the Art Exhibition includes only invited artists from the Cotswolds. It will be good fun if you can make it.