Concertina Sketchbook

So 2024 is here, happy new year all. So far, the news of wars, climate change and the local weather are not making it the happiest start. For me spending time in my studio concentrating on the beauty of nature, in particular hyacinths...their fragrance, colour and vibrant life force relieve stress and nurture my soul. The daylight hours of these first short January days are flying by.

Most of my work is on a large scale but at the start of the studio day I will warm up with small paintings on scraps of paper, boards, or small canvases…trying out colour combinations, new textures and generally playing. Recently, I have been absorbed with something very new for me, a sketchbook! Art school made me equate sketchbooks with work and words and explanations. But thanks to an artist friend Alison Critchlow I have discovered the joy of a concertina sketch book. I can start anywhere I want to…go forward or backward, develop themes, forget them and think of something else entirely, work quickly, work slowly and I love it!

Here is the result 35 A5 pages of pure happiness, concentration, memories and contentment.

This sketch book has taken me to Januarys spent in Egypt, in Italy, in Australia and here now in my little cottage beside an increasingly full River Avon.

This is Egypt. The first piece of metal leaf I stuck down made me think of the pyramids at Giza which I visited one snowy day in January. And then the solar boat of the pharaohs used to travel from earth to the afterlife.

And this pink reminded me of crumbling Italian walls.

and one that celebrated January 3rd, the perihelion when the earth is closest to the sun

I hope you enjoy this glimpse into my studio practice. I can definitely see more concertina sketchbook in my future!

I’ve also just completed 4 small paintings of hyacinths. If you would like to be the first to know about small works for sale from the studio please sign up for my newsletter below…that’s always where I show them first.

More from the blog …

Four small Hyacinth paintings

Adding Texture to Paintings