Sketchbooks
Sketchbooks have always formed a part of my practice; being portable, immediate and intimate. At the beginning of my studies they were a means of expressing a love of drawing, and the people and environment around me.
Over time these have evolved. I became, and remain, less confident in the act of drawing following changes in my vision. Unable to accurately return a pencil to the last place I made a mark, this necessitated a taking stock and adaptation to the way I draw and use sketchbooks.
Moving away from fine lines and accurate observation, which became only frustrating, I know use more fluid and gestural materials.
I began using bamboo pens and fountain pen ink, to allow the ink to act as watercolour.
I have also used the panoramic format to reflect the idea of journeys and the passage of time, for example my concertina sketchbooks of Iceland or till roll drawings in Canada.
British Sketchbook Tour
Following cataract surgery I undertook a solo drawing and painting tour of Britain. With sponsorship from National Express and Atlantis Paper Company, I travelled the country by public transport, drawing along the way.
The drawings depicted understated aspects of British life, such as people taking, out of season seaside resorts, and now disappearing architectural features, such as Grimsby kipper houses and cooling towers. The project finished with a touring exhibition of drawings and paintings undertaken.
