Wednesday 11 February 2015

Tuesday 3 February 2015

Cover-to-Cover 2015 - a sketchbook exchange

42 Open Studios artists over 5 months are taking part in a sketchbook exchange project, designed to push us creatively and to stimulate new work, which will be exhibited in May 2015.

The aim is to develop how we explore themes that interest us as individuals and as artists and how we can seek contribution on our ideas from other artists.

Monday I collected my 5th sketchbook, the theme: Human Impact. I'll have to exercise caution with this one, I do have a tendency to write in my sketchbooks and with this subject matter . . . well lets just say there are a lot of statistics out there in google-land.

Book 2: Nature, Landscape Trees

For this sketchbook I took myself off to my favourite hedgerow, sat down and drew what was in front of me . . . luckily for me this is part of my ongoing practice, and will inform a new series of linocuts.
Book 3: Happiness

This sketchbook was in my possession over Christmas, which I think influenced my choice of image. I allowed the subject to indulge my love of bright, hot colours, and of course teacups!

It's funny, but initially I struggled with the concept . . . then just allowed myself to go with the flow (no preconceived ideas) and made images that are just not like my usual work . . . maybe I should challenge myself more often and work without an end-point, just see what happens?
Book 4: Nature

A sketchbook that returned me to more familiar subjects and once again I found myself outside, walking the local hedgerows and field margins for images.
Book5: Water

Water - a great reason to stride out along the sea wall at West Mersea with snow falling and to draw the strood channel
A selection of various artists sketchbooks from the exchange . . . what a great variety of work is emerging.