Haptic Etchings

Over the last few weeks I have been finally putting together a large-ish project which is destined for a postgraduate exchange exhibition with the Bergen Art College (Kunsthogskolen i Bergen), Norway. The exhbibition has been co-ordinated by ACiD (Adavnced Centre in Drawing) at UWE. The theme for the exhibition has been 'Bi-Sensual'.

To fulfil the brief I have explored a number of haptic experiences when out on my walks, paying particular attention to one path. I was keen to draw an image of the common sensations that are linked to the fabric of that walk, not to the weather conditions. I recorded these sensations in my sketchbook and then translated them into etchings. A subtitle to these prints could be 'Things that happen to me on a walk'. The etchings have enabled me to further explore experimental mark making.

These etchings will be shown alongside a large scale drawing of the place. (I'll explain the drawing on the next post)

'leaf falls against face'

'hair catches in a branch'

'twig brushes against sleeve'



'foot turns over on a stone'



'step slips in mud'



I am hoping that the tactile appearance of an etching will help to underline the haptic nature of the prints.

My Bi-Sensual piece will therefore be an image of the place and the tactile sensations of being in the place.

'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.

Kefalonia - First

I've completed my large piece of work exploring many nuances of graphite tone and texture. It is based on a number of views of the Ionian Island of Kephalonia as seen from the deck of a boat.

View from the ferry between the towns of Argostoli and Lixouri, looking inland 

 The photo above gave me a lot of the structure and some of the tonal variety, but I also worked from a number of sketches I did on our various boat trips.


The final piece measuring 60cm x 215cm



The work was achieved using graphite sticks, and some water soluble graphite on Fabriano paper which was torn and collaged prior to drawing. The concept had been to work in layers; each layer representing a layer of landscape, and each layer providing the possibility of exploring markmaking in different ways and with a variety of intensity. Kephalonia is an island whose landscape and structure has developed due to lying on an earthquake fault line. In the past the island has suffered very badly; most recently in 1953 when most of the houses were flattened by a devastating earthquake. I intended the fragmented look of the final piece to echo this history.



View of drawing is studio, to give a sense of size

This closeup shows some of the structure of the hillsides,
the 'v' shaped valleys carved out by running water,
and the flattened areas created by landslips.
The peaks of the hills often seem smoothed and rounded by erosion.

This second close up shows the rocks where they meet the sea.
All around the coast it is possible to see these jagged,
fractured rocks diagonally slicing out of the sea.
It is quite easy to imagine the force of the earthquakes pushing the plates of rock out and upwards.
I wanted this area to be strong and heavy in its mark making.
Then above this the tall straight pines rise up out of the lush valleys
and spread to spike out of the hilsides

This image is now going to be shown in Cheddar at a small exhibition of drawing, exploring the work of the Out/Lines post-graduate drawing group, of which I am a member, connected to the Advanced Centre in Drawing (ACiD) at the University of West England.

 The show runs for one week only, preview is Thursday 1st September, and the show is open from the 2nd - 8th September, 1-5pm only. If you are close to Cheddar it would be great to see you at Chestnut Farm Studio, Kent Street, Cheddar, BS27 3LG.
Further info at http://www.acid-outlines.weebly.com/
Link to ACiD http://www.acid.uwe.ac.uk/