I made this ink and feather drawing on Tuesday in response to Kate Garrett’s poem ‘Warnings’. It is the second of three that I plan to do. I used the large crow feather that I usually work with to make it, with some loose ink washes applied with a large soft brush. I went to the graveyard to study the crows and meditate prior to making the drawing, having read Kate’s poem again before leaving. You can read it too via the link on my previous blog post on here. I’m coming to the very dark aspects of the imagery. The crows were aware of me today in the graveyard. They were flying close and one fellow jumped off the gravestones to look directly at me. I was drawing the trees there. I find if I pretend I’m not really interested in them they are around me much more. If I try to walk towards them they just disappear, that’s not how they work. As in Kate’s poem it’s like listening to a different language. I meditated in the graveyard.. The air felt thick and deep, the weight of all those lives. Not sad, just other.

I made this large A1 indian ink study today responding to the poet Kate Garrett’s second poem in our ‘Crow’ collaboration entitled ‘Warnings’. I went walking in the park and then the graveyard studying crows and listening to them. There was a rather fine large fellow who waddled across the path in front of me, then he was gone. It seems as soon as I consciously tune in to them they disappear! Very frustrating, but they are always there at the edges of my awareness, peripheral vision and consciousness. As I was into the drawing later on I looked out of my studio window and a jackdaw was so close on the gutter, then the tree opposite was full of them watching. They  have found their way into the picture too. Kate’s poem is very dark and the imagery was with me all through the day. I keep rereading it. I have bought 3 pieces of this large heavy rag Waterford paper which is delicious to work on. WHAT a treat! I’m like a kid in a sweet shop, got to be careful not to overdo things. I use brushes of various sizes including a fan brush, and a smaller crow feather to work with this time. Kate is going to publish the poem on her blog with my drawing soon, will add the link when it’s there. Don’t forget to click on images to get enlarged details of marks folks! Here’s the link to Kate’s poem, not for the fainthearted as she says herself! http://www.kategarrettwrites.co.uk/3/post/2015/01/crow-collaboration-update-2.html …

This is my second A1 knitting drawing. I’m studying the photographs that Jen Thomson has sent me of her work. She told me this design is called ‘Freya’ which is highly appropriate (as we are both responding to the realm ‘Vanaheim’ for our collaboration with Artipeeps), and Freyja is the Goddess associated with that mythological place. I enjoyed the flowing curves,but  am not trying to make a literal representation of Jen’s work, but respond to the feel and stop when ready, when it feels natural.

I made this pencil study of some of Jen Thomson’s experimental knitting based on some Viking motifs that she has researched. The style is similar to Celtic design with the twisting and interlocking shapes. The centre of the design fascinated me and pulled me towards it. I let the drawing talk back to me and tell me when to stop. I hope to do a series of these responding to Jen’s work. This exchange of ideas and tasks feels very much in the spirit of Vanaheim’ which is the Norse Myth realm which we are exploring in our collaboration with Artipeeps, the Cambridge based arts group. Other artists, poets and musicians are responding to the other realms. The resulting work will go on display at Hanse House in Kings Lynn in September of this year.

I made these two A1 studies today in front of the fire. It has been a very cold weekend and I was reluctant to go into the chilly studio. I really enjoyed the peace and quiet in front of the log fire to make these pieces. We went on a walk yesterday to Gordale Scar in Yorkshire, the wind was bitterly cold and got through to your bones. Crows were sitting in trees then allowing themselves to be blown around in the wind as they flew. It spurred me on to respond to poem number two in my collaboration with Kate Garrett based on the theme, ‘Crow’. I can’t reveal too much yet as she hasn’t published it yet, but suffice to say her words were very much in my mind as I drew. Here it is, do click the image to enlarge.

Here is a little acrylic sketch that I made this holiday in response to the Norse Myth collaboration with Cambridge arts group Artipeeps. We have each been assigned a ‘realm’ mine is Vanaheim. I’m finding it difficult to respond to as it feels so illusive. I have been reading about the Gods and Goddesses from the realm and Freyja’s necklace felt like something I could interpret. My sister-in-law Mara gave me the necklace I have used in the sketch. She is half Orkadian, hailing from Stromness in Orkney. The fact it came from there seemed to fit really well, Viking blood in there! Really exciting links to the Gosforth Cross in Eskdale Cumbria emerging too, a mix of Christian and Norse iconography from the time when the Vikings pushed inland to colonise the valley. Watch this space.! Don’t forget to click on image to enlarge!