Sula Sgeir
2 July 2015
Thursday 2nd July
We saw a few more dolphin and delicate grey mountains against grey water and grey sky. It has been fifty shades of grey since Oban.
A day and a half sailing, through the Minch – leaving the Shiant Isles and their 300,000 puffins behind – just sea, no land, then suddenly, out of the mist, up rose Booby Rock, Sula Sgeir; a surreal, dark lump in the middle of the North Atlantic covered in guano and thousands of nesting gannets. Wheeling round and round in formation, dark against the sky, white against the rock, virtually silent. The rock had small cairns on top of its 80ft sheer cliffs – old lighthouses the only sign that humans had ever witnessed this unearthly sight. Our first glimpse came just over a mile away, through the mist and the cloud, it loomed up, the rain eased, then poured down all over the sketchbook, washing away the colour from my painting. We rounded the rock then left the surreal little world to itself. Ten minutes later it was invisible and we saw no more land for two days.
Leaving Skomer
22 June 2015
Monday 22nd June, 2015
Darkness, thousands of stars and at 1am finally the bay is filled with the cries of thousands of returning shearwater ‘a bit like strangled cockerels’ (Amber).
We sleep. My alarm set for 6.30am to be on board to leave at 7am. No-one else wakes. Wake Ron, asking if they’d changed plans again, but no, his phone had no charge so the alarm didn’t go off. We motor off to sail to Ireland. Bacon sandwiches after changing a gas bottle, then coffee, sleep, sailing – a good wind (westerly) and sailing at over 8 knots, a new record for Ezra. It calms and I take the helm, order a cup of tea, and immediately a ‘small vessel warning: Force 6 wind all around the Irish Coast’ is issued, so suddenly we are at a 30 degree angle and waves coming over the side of the deck all the time. Three months ago I never thought I’d be able to do this.
Driftwood Cross
28 July 2014
My Driftwood Cross has taken up semi-permanent residence in the Chapel of St James at Exeter Cathedral – the one that was bombed in the Blitz on the south side.
Exeter Cathedral
17 March 2014
I have been commissioned to make a cross for Exeter Cathedral for a special Lent service.
All About Migration
5 September 2013
The culmination of a world-wide, public-participation, art-science collaboration with Exeter University, from Saturday 14 September until Sunday 22nd. See www.allaboutmigration.com for more details.
Art at Yarner
5 September 2013
New work installed at Yarner Wood, Dartmoor as part of Art at Yarner, Devon Open Studios, open as part of an art trail 7-22 September 2013.
Showing at Gloss Gallery, Exeter
17 June 2013
Some of my work will be in Gloss Gallery, Exeter from 4th July to 24th August with Devon Artist Network.. do come along and have a look!
Travel sketchbooks
17 June 2013
A new course in learning how to keep a travel sketchbook, led by Naomi Hart (as seen in Devon Life and Exeter Life Magazines). 3 week course starting Monday 1st July. 3 Monday evenings (1,8,15 July) from 7pm to 9pm, £35 for the course, materials included. We will look at different versions of travel journals and learn techniques with drawing, cutting, collage and writing to help you find your own technique.
Booking essential, only 2 places left!
Carnet de voyage
4 March 2013
Learn to keep your own ‘Carnet de voyage’ – a travel sketchbook journal – with Naomi Hart. Monday evenings 7pm-9pm 15th, 22nd 29th April at Hope Hall. Beginners welcome, we will cover drawing and painting, collage, writing and how to choose what to put in. £35 for the 3-week course.
Devon Life
26 February 2013
Very proud to be in March Devon Life!