A PATH OF BEAUTY IS A JOY FOREVER

Just one of the most wonderful things about Tesco in Carmarthen is it close proximity to Carmarthen Park. The park boasts a full-size velodrome, an area dedicated to skateboarding and graffiti and my favourite, Victorian Band Stand, crumbling but still standing defiant.

 

Having waited patiently whilst I did the shopping I thought it important to take the sketchbook and precious Rosie for some exercise. So off we went to discover footpaths new.

 

New National Treasure Robert MacFarlane had this to say on paths.

“Paths are the habits of a landscape. They are acts of consensual making. It's hard to create a footpath on your own...Paths connect. This is their first duty and their chief reason for being. They relate places in a literal sense, and by extension they relate people.”

 

 Robert MacFarlane, The Old Ways: A Journey on Foot

He makes some important points especially the relationship with people. Where would we be without them? And do we appreciate them enough?

WINTER GARDEN

 On April 23 last our lives changed forever. We landed in Laugharne, moving into a small house with a backyard. Our backyard is emblematic of change and our passions. Our Back Yard: Garden. Gallery. Studio. Café. Bar.

A place to relax, entertain, paint, draw and garden. All transformative activities in themselves.

Summer

r.

A place to relax, entertain, paint, draw and garden. 

 

When we moved in, Sian, the constant gardener, set about transforming this small space. From debris to delight. Then nature brought us back down to earth in Autumn. And drawings before this project, chronicle activities, thoughts and hopes.

 

Throughout this in darkness allows the solar panelled lights to glow. Having soaked up their share of ‘solar’ during the day. And we battled with leaf fall and wet. 

Autumn

 

Storm's Eunice and Franklin constant attacks on Laugharne, over the last few day, caused some damage: High up on our yard's parapet ground a neighbour's fence blew over letting even more light in.

Hostas fading in Winter

Yet, Sian’s summer plants still stand, victorious and ready for show in four months time.

Water butt fills so quickly here

View through the window

EDGELANDS ENCORE!

Lots of exciting briefs in this semester at Art School. One asks us to create a body of work taking our cue what are known as liminal spaces.  

Oh, in case you not totally familiar with the term

 

NOOKS AND CRANNIES AND WHO KNOWS

 “They are the waiting areas between one point in time and space and the next. Often, when we are in liminal spaces, we have the feeling of just being on the verge of something. Liminal space is, of course, a literal space.” 

https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/general/understanding-how-liminal-space-is-different-from-other-places/

 

And this takes me straight into one of my favourite areas about which I first wrote in 2016: ‘Edgelands’ 

 

GATES AND YARDS AT GLANGWILI

‘Edgelands are the semi-rural or extra-urban spaces that exist at the interstices of the built, urban environment and the wildscapes beyond.’

Source: Edgelands Aesthetics: Exploring the Liminal 

in Andrea Arnold’s Fishtank (2009) Lance Hanson, University of Wolverhampton.

 

There is lots of material around Carmarthen town just waiting to be sketched and drawn as part of the project.

 

A week or so back I  was a prowling around the edgelands of Glangwili Hospital whilst I was waiting for Sian who had an appointment there.

 

More to come….

THE BOILER ROOM?

ESTUARYLAND

Rosie and I have just returned from a good walk down to and along our estuary. Almost every day we gaze across the water and land and marvel. Every day it is different, changed by the weather and the weather’s constant companion, light.

Black Scar at low water 49 x 65 cm

At low water the mud flats and retreating waters leave their swirling impressions. 

 

From the base of Laugharne Castle we cannot be more than a mile from the opposite shore. In times gone by farmers would row across for an evening drink at The Three Mariners or The Fountain Inn. 

 

Like so much around here it beguiles. The idea of land touching water is timeless continues inspire so many; Just to gaze or respond by taking a picture on one’s phone as I see people do most days. 

Towards Wharley Point  49 x 65 cm

 

It is not hard to see why estuaryland inspires*. Part of an estuary’s magic is its being a transition between a river and connected to the sea. Influenced by the latter is tides and a daily dose of saline water and responding in kind with loads of freshwater and sediment from the land.

 

Estuaries are, it seems, amongst the most productive natural habitats. Little wander oystercatchers, curlews and other waders constantly patrol and harvest from these shifting grounds.

 

*The artist Osi Rhys Osmond spent his time exploring Carmarthenshire’s estuary land he declared

 ‘It is a land that is not earth, air or water but an amalgam of all three’

Source: My Brief Eternity a film by Clare Sturgis that documents the making of the last artistic work of Osi Rhys Osmond, which he chose to create for Maggie's cancer charity, Swansea.

This short award-winning film is here https://filmfreeway.com/414404

Estuarylight  49 x 65 cm

GREAT TRAIN JOURNEYS IN WALES: CARMARTHEN TO SWANSEA

The bright red and grey train from Carmarthen to Swansea takes 42 minutes for its 22 miles route.This two carriage Transport for Wales train whisks you along the coast for most of the journey.

 

We start by bus from Laugharne direct to the station

Ready for the off

The sun was high, sky blue as we left. 

Carmarthen and remained so for the journey to Swansea and the return trip. We run along the Taf estuary on departure and then to Ferryside with a great view of Llansteffan Castle as we stop at Ferryside. Kidwelly is the next stop also with a fine castle. Burry Port provides excellent views of the Pembrey country park. 

 

Just along the coast, a castle

Llanelli, home of the Scarlets rugby team and Tata Steel is the next stop. Just outside the town is the Felinfoel Brewery. A good pint however apparently referred to, uncharitably, by some as ‘feeling fowl’. The BBC’s very own Hue Edwards was born in Llanelli.

Broad, sun-lit estuaries 

 

Gowerton is the final stop before Swansea. Known as the gateway to the Gower Its population of 8,100 once had access to five church or chapel buildings. It hosted the National Eisteddfod in 1980.

 

We arrive in Swansea. The wonderful Glynn Gallery, my final destination was only three minutes walk from the station! More of this box of treasures later….   

Tata Steel Shop

Outside the station at Burry Port

All drawings made on Amazon packaging paper. A good surface on which to work and easily cut to travel-sized pieces  

WASHED, SCRUBBED AND DRIED FOR WINTER.

This land of impossible greens has, of late, being given a going over. Local friends remark on the amount of rain we are enjoying. Most days we are washed with biblical proportions of rain which make indoor chores a delight.

Aside from fir, holly and ivy, the trees are splendidly bare. Each stands proudly on its ridge line. Along and down these hills scrub the winds of winter, right into our backyard. They rattle the tin bath appended the wall.

Hills scrubbed by winds

 

Drawing with charcoal seems the most appropriate medium to capture the captivating landscape of our township, surrounding hills and estuary.

 

Lynette Roberts, poet, artist, and writer lived on the other side of the Taff estuary in Llan y bri. Dylan Thomas was best man at Roberts’s wedding, her work was much admired by Robert Graves who was also a close friend.

 

I borrowed these lines to adorn one of my art school projects for the great hand-in of work on January 7^th. 

 

'To the village of lace and stone 

Came strangers. I was one of these 

Always observant and slightly obscure. 

I roamed the hills of bird and bone…. '

 

From Lamentation Lynette Roberts 

Collected Poems

 

They sit well on this landscape. 

The Taff Estuary from Laugharne Castle

LIGHT BLUE TOUCH PAPER AND RETIRE

Happy New Year! And last chance to catch up.It has been a crazy couple of months.

As mentioned previously the 10th of October I was invited to go 'upstairs to join the BA fine art course here at Carmarthen School of Art. 

Quite a leap. However it has been an exhilarating couple of months and I really am excited about all that studying at this level entails. 

Painting from Life

Along the way some tears, lots of frustration. 

Experiments in colour

Yet also the chance to work with some great people, share ideas and discover ways to paint and discover new names in terms of painters and artists, people that I would've never have discovered otherwise.

Large scale pieces in charcoal 84 x 60 cm

Today, January 6, is a special day. This morning I handed all my working including project notebook sketchbooks and of course coursework since I joined the program. Most of Christmas was actually spent getting ready for this big handing day especially as, I joined the program late so therefore had some catching up to do! Anyway it's good. It's done. Now we sit back and wait for our assessment and feedback.

Here is a short show of what I have been up too...

Flat colour techniques