a motorway journey: found drawings

An early morning motorway journey to Scotland...the sun was rising behind us, my iPhone was set to Hipstamatic. 

This filter showed those sky trails up a treat...

Steve Wilkin: newspaper drawings

Steve Wilkin is an old colleague of mine.

His work is featured in my Freehand book.

Travelling to his job via train, as an illustration lecturer - a journey demanding quite a commute, he decided to keep a daily sketchbook. Snoozing, lolling, dreaming early morning commuters are captured...

Having made 10 years of these journey drawings he decided to publish, and distribute a newspaper containing some of them...

'seventhirtyeight' is a newspaper that records Steve's sketchbook drawings. "I have been drawing whilst on my daily commute for ten years and decided to hold a travelling exhibition of my commuter drawings. I will distribute the paper to travellers and to people on campus at UCLAN where I teach illustration"

seventhirtyeight by Steve Wilkin on Newspaper Club

on sale now!

My book Freehand came out in early September. There seemed to be a flurry of activity in terms of magazine, newspaper and blog interviews (I'll say more about these in a later blog)...then all went quiet.

I think the real buzz for me, was proof that its publication was 'real' - spotting my book on sale in a favourite shop - Magma, Manchester. There it really  was - more than a link on Amazon. 

I couldn't resist whipping my phone out and grabbing a picture of it nestled against other books I admire. A happy moment.

Manchester Magma bookshop 

A few days later I started to get lovely messages on Facebook, mentions on Twitter, and emailed photos (thank you Harriet x)...this one at a London branch of Magma. 

& in a London Magma bookshop 

2D / 3D words: Manchester Craft and Design Centre

An exhibition at the Manchester Craft and Design Centre:

Threadbare - 3D drawings by Debbie Smyth

 Audioboo interview with the Debbie Smyth

workshop materials available:

 on show too, the enamel plates of Buddug Wyn Humphreys

more work here

visitor interaction...

shadow play / found drawings

The idea of what might constitute 'found drawings' was further prompted by a visit to Manchester's Chinese Arts Centre September 2013 where the installation Crystal City 004 by Taiwanese artist Wu Chi-Tsung was exhibited. Comprised of a light slowly revolving on tracks in the centre of the space, the surrounding floor piled plastic objects were projected as larger shapes, transformed in to a shadow cityscape onto the gallery walls.... 

'There is another invisible world in which we live each and every day. It is made up of electronic equipment, programs, networks, media and information, and I call it "Crystal City."

....This is a place I consider my spiritual home.' - Wu Chi-Tsung

The exhibition included cyanotype landscape prints

BA3 lecture visuals

The final year of the degree - discussion begins with drawing examples, and developments from them, by past students...

Nicola Wood

Sally Wilford

Ann Clare: shortlisted for Jerwood Drawing Prize

Jasia Little

Holly Harkin

Victoria Wickes

Kasia Breska

Bee Lee

Claire Teale

Jane Pawalek

Leela Tikadar

Scott Cameron

Sameena / Yolka Klos

and lecturing staff:

Helen Birch / Manya Donaque: found drawings

Jonathan Barsi

and at other art schools in the region:

Leeds Metropolitan University degree show

Manchester Metropolitan University BA / MA degree show

Paul Noble - drawing based art - shortlisted for Turner Prize 2012