Sunday, 1 December 2013

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...








Friday, 29 November 2013

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"




Tuesday, 19 November 2013

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 

Sunday, 3 November 2013

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



Thursday, 24 October 2013

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