A sketch a day...

The summer holidays are here and there will be loads of opportunities for sketching ... if I am motivated enough to take full advantage. So with Anthony Gormley's words ringing in my ears:

"A day passed without drawing is a day lost"

I have armed myself with new sketchbooks and treated myself with a trip to my local fantastic art shop, Pegasus Arts, for some new materials which are crying out to be drawn with.

An ambitious collection of sketchbooks?

Off the starting blocks...

So far so good, I haven't lost a day yet. There will inevitably be some lost days, ambition is one thing but real life tends to also happen. I'll just try and lose as few days as possible, and then post some results.

Drawing the not so 'Common Oak'

My third drawing on wood featured a Common Oak on oak wood. The photographs I used for inspiration were taken on morning walks around the Arboretum.

my drawing surface - raw oak with bark and burr features

stage 1 - establishing distant tones

stage 2 - establishing the tree shapes

stage 3 - shadows picked out from several photos,
I wanted these shadows to wriggle across the ground

The finished piece, adaptions made, finished, gessoed and sandblasted
Common Oak, 'Quercus Robur'

I found this piece of writing shown on a sign when visiting the arboretum last week; I hope my piece of work compliments Wyatt's words:

"No writer could ever match the poetry expressed in the form of a single tree,

for it speaks from its roots, through the fibres of its stem, the shape of the trunk,

the turn and spread of the branches, the twisting and reaching of the twigs.

A tree speaks. It speaks of a hundred summers and a hundred winters.

The whole of the message is contained in the way it has grown,

precisely, to make use of what its environment has provided.

It states in essence 'Here I am, and where I am is what I am'"

By John Wyatt, from 'Reflections on the lakes' 1998

Delayed

This is the third print in the Westonbirt series, called 'Delay'.

'Delay' Etching 70 x 35cm

The piece shows the view of the end of a path in the arboretum (the same path the previous two etchings - see previous posts). The exit is framed by two arching tree branches. The word 'delay' is a sumative expression of the comments people make when talking about being in the countryside. Rarely do you hear of people expressing the view that they couldn't wait to get back to the humdrum of daily routines, the more commonly expressed feeling is of wishing to delay the moment of leaving. The sanctury of woodland provides a place to pause, and once stopped there is reluctance to move too quickly.
This etching leads to a crooked tree in the near distance, just at the end of the path, it beckons but the crookedness advises caution. It might be better to stay safely in the shadows of the path, unnoticed.

At the end of the day our crooked lives take us forward and, well, I'm curious about that crooked tree!

Pause

This is the second print in my Westonbirt Series, and is called 'Pause'

'Pause' Etching 70 x 35 cm

This print was achieved using the same techniques as 'Wander', shown in the previous post. A combination of open bite experimenting, a little hard ground for the line and a larger swathe of aquatint for the cast shadow down the centre of the path.

The title was inspired by a talk I went to given by Dr Neil Armstrong, a GP who lives at Tremenheere, a large property in Cornwall with one of those wonderful old gardens which gently drifts down to the coast. Armstrong devotes his free time to rejuvenating and developing this garden into a place for people to visit. One of his aims for the garden is to provide a place which will provide the opportunity for people to take time out from the rat race, to stop for a while, to pause. He has built a number of seating areas to encourage this and is installing artworks by well known arists. During the talk he told us about a James Turrell sky space/box which he had just completed and which took the form of a temple like structure. I was very inspired by the idea of providing space to pause, and in this part of this Westonbirt path its possible to pause and look equally both forward and back, where we've been and where we are going.

Its funny how trains of thought link isn't it.... At Tremenheere Armstrong has also commissioned a David Nash installation and the Making a Mark blog this week linked to some wonderful Nash work being done at Kew Gardens. In response to Printed Material's book recommendation on last weeks post I can reciprocate by recommending "Wildwood - a journey through trees" by Roger Deakin, a lovely lyrical book describing a man's passion for all things wood. There is also a fantastic chapter describing Deakin's visit to Nash's studio at Capel Rhiw. Pausing for thought, coming full circle.

Wandering

Over the next few posts I'm going to introduce you properly to the three finished etchings which comprised my MA show.

The first of the series is "Wander":



'Wander' Etching 70 x 35 cm

 The series of etchings, as with other sketches I have shown are all from a short path that can be found in the heart of Silk Wood at Westonbirt Arboretum.
While I was preparing the plates for the series I went to a lovely talk given by Dr Suze Adams. She discussed her own work in some depth, she is a warm and fascinating speaker if ever you get a chance to hear her. She also referenced the writing of Edward Casey and in particular the book, “Getting back into Place”. Casey discusses the idea of lingering, tarrying, delaying and wandering linked to stasis and movement. I was inspired by this concept of activity and inactivity linked to the experience of place, and found that it brought a new meaning to my developing prints. The words are so evocative of the emotional investment in walking. I felt I needed to include the words and so used them to inspire the naming of the prints.

This first one is 'Wander' because it is the entrance to the path, an invitation to go for a wander. I think the curve of this path, directed by the lean of the trees draws the visitor into the path ... What is around that corner?

The print is achieved with the use of a lot of open bite mark making, a hint of aquatint and a trace of hard ground line.

I completed a drawing of this same scene before I made the print:

'Entrance to path' Graphite 70 x 35 cm

Its interesting to see the similarities and differences between the two pieces now. Drawing allows me to think through the process of the etching and the composition and emphasis of the print. I purposefully do not trace the drawing but make a free hand translation with sugar lift onto the etching plate to start me off. This way the etching takes on its own life as a new and independent piece of work.

Looking at these works again is making me wonder about the next place - more wandering needed!

Drawing the Zoeschen Maple

The Maple that I chose to draw as one of my Westonbirt Series pieces can be found just off Broad Drive in the Arboretum. I photographed the tree during February and March, in the stark light of winter mornings, when natural structures are clear of any surrounding growth:

I was equally fascinated by the web of shadows cast by the tree as I was by the interlacing spread of branches. The short trunk held a special appeal; such a strong support for this graceful maple.
Fortunately I was able to find quite a broad piece of maple to draw on, and I was able to work out a composition which hinted at the broad reach of the branches.

Once the wood was trimmed - I have a much improved sawing action these days! and sanded I was able to prepare the surface with gesso, ready to draw.

Finding the dominant branches to get the structure correct

Working out the angles of the shadows

Strengthening the tonal qualities, too heavy and solid now, but ready for sandblasting

The finished Zoeschen Maple, softer shadows reaching across the floor to the viewer
and light coming in through the upper branches.

At the final show the pieces drawn on the wood seemed to take the attention of people who appreciated all things natural but also those who had a love of wood. The fact that the natural qualities of the actual pieces of wood were still visible seemed to be as important to them as it had been to me in the drawing.

MA Print 2012 at UWE

The show is up and the public have been flooding in:

At times it has been difficult to see the work easily...

...a couple of friendly punters, known very well to me, who were kind enough to have a closer look at my work.

My MA show, 'a walk through the wood' seen earlier in the day when it was possible to see 'the wood for the trees'!



The final series of etchings, hanging in sequence left to right, taking the viewer on a walk up a side path in Westonbirt Arboretum. The black labels underneath describe other sensations heard or felt in the area along the walk.

The final series of drawings hanging beside the etchings shows the specimen trees in the vicinity of the path. Listening to comments over the past couple of days the drawings seem to be stealing the show over the prints, with people trying to decide which is thier favourite tree... I'll definitely be pursuing this style of work further.

Selected work from other Print Artists in the MA class of 2012:

John Lynch

Sue Brown

Sarah Barnes

Theo Wood

Jane Sasanow

The degree Shows run until 8pm on Thursday, see you there...!