I always begin work with drawing... in the past, with pencil - safe, comfortable, tried and trusted, easily rubbed out.
Nowadys - not so much with pencil, I'm a bit braver.
I've signed up for a course at Lund Studios this year with Kate Boucher about mark making with charcoal.
Very excited.
In anticipation I bought her book, 'Drawing with Charcoal'.
Very timely since I sproinked my ankle at the weekend and need to slow down for a bit. Just had a flick through - looks grand.
Coffee and an artbook - perfection :-)
Image - WIP shot of another piece for Beyond Coal

I'm a bit slow on the uptake.
Quite recently I realised that because my main inspiration over the last few years has remained the same, namely what has happened to my local despoiled beaches since the demise of the coal industry... well there's bound to be connections between the pieces I make... even those in different media, right? Just a case of getting them to speak to each other.
Here's a recent attempt for our upcoming Stronger Seams: Beyond Coal exhibition... I'm curating that this weekend, and we open on Tuesday 28th April.
Come meet the artists next Saturday, May 2nd, 1 o' clock till 3.
All welcome. There will be pizza, not just any pizza.

We've had great feedback for the Kelp exhibition and good footfall too.
Thoughts focussing on Beyond Coal now. It is always busy the week before changeover - no matter how prepared I think I am, or how long a lead-in we've had. It's the fiddly bits, framing, labelling, measuring, recording, photographing. Anyone want a job????