The last trip to the southern ocean with visits to the Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctic Peninsula was very special. On many days there were encounters with fin and sei whales, humpbacks and minke whales.
I’ve posted many of the drawings and some notes about the encounters on the website and have added a short video about the trip. It includes some underwater film of the minke whale I managed to grab by hanging my GoPro camera over the side of the zodiac!
Getting ready for another great trip south (8th – 20th November) with Dick Filby and the One Ocean team.
If you missed the programme (and my small contribution) first broadcast yesterday on BBC Radio4, it is now available on iplayer and will be repeated on at 21:00 on Monday 19th September.
Last week I attended the week long John Busby Seabird Drawing Course in Scotland joining regular artist tutors Darren Woodhead, Greg Poole, Kittie Jones and John Threlfall as a guest tutor.
The week was exceptional – absolutely fantastic locations, fine weather almost throughout, great company and some wonderful creative opportunities to be shared with the participants and tutors.
The course has a great history and has proved hugely successful over the past 25 years, firstly under the guidance of John Busby (1938-2015) and now run by Darren Woodhead and others.
To find out more about the course and read about the opportunities each year to attend the course as a recipient of an SWLA bursary please visit SWLA Bursaries
The Bass Rock in the Firth of Forth now has the world’s largest colony of gannets with more than 150,000 birds on the rock. They breed at only a few localities: coastal cliffs and remote islands with cliffs, ledges and slopes – Scotland is home to around 60% of Europe’s gannets.
Recently returned from artist residency with Wildwings on a 10-day trip north to Fair Isle, Jan Mayen and Svalbard. Extraordinary and exciting experience and returned with a new bundle of sketches and ideas.
After a few months shuffling things about have finally settled down in my new central Cambridge studio space after 5 years at St. Barnabas Press.
The new press is installed and I’ve just about got the measure of it, but much tweaking to do as each piece of work progresses.
To Ironbridge Fine Arts today to collect new press (two, actually)!
The main one is a large studio press with a 192cm x 90cm bed – large enough to print blocks and plates up to about 1200mm x 840mm (46ins x 33ins).
The second one is a much smaller desktop (portable) press that has a bed size about 76 x 30 (30ins x 12ins) and can print larger than A4 (300 x 210cm).
It will take a while to adjust things in my new studio and get used to the handling qualities and capabilities of these lovely presses. I’m excited by getting printing as soon as I can, so more in due course.
Humpback and Wilson’s storm petrel among the ice. Have left it a bit late this year, but all finished tomorrow………I hope!
Last Sunday at the Mall Galleries we had a group of really enthusiastic participants all willing to collaborate and really let go enabling them to push the limits of the medium – and their own creative leanings. Thanks to all of them, and to Greg Poole for sharing the tutoring.
The non-figuration emphasis meant everyone abandoning their comfort zone for a while and lots of collaborative effort led to some exciting results and a lively atmosphere.
Interested for next year? Keep an eye on SWLA website.
Sunday 8th November (10.30am – 4.30pm)
Mall Galleries, The Mall, London SW1
There have been a couple of late cancellations, so spaces available. To book, please email Darren Rees
£75 (tuition and all materials included)
The workshop is part of the Society of Wildlife Artists Natural Eye exhibition print workshop programme
Bruce Pearson - blog and updates 