“Not a Neglected Landscape” (Lake St. Clair, Tasmania, Australia)

Gouache & Archival pen on Canvas, 81 x 106 cms.

I have been very productive so far this year, consistently completing 2 drawings each week, resulting in a large collection of coloured pencil work (and the need to buy more folders to store them).

A couple of weeks ago, with the release of my second adult colouring book looming, I though that it’s about time I put down the pencils and picked up a pen to complete my target of 40 (A4-size) drawings and have them scanned and ready for printing. I reached my goal last Monday and even managed to complete an extra 2!

Working in black and white has been a refreshing break, but it also opened another door, this time in the form of gouache paint, a long time favourite of mine. I decided that some of my line studies deserved to be seen in colour, but not coloured pencil this time. I needed to pick up a brush again and I remembered how much I enjoyed painting before we left Tasmania 2 years ago. It’s early days, but I’m pleased with my progress. I’m not sure where this will take me, but the journey thus far has been very satisfying!

There are times when I feel far more ‘at home’ with a pen than a coloured pencil or a paint brush. I began drawing with a pen a long time ago and I think this ‘return’ has ignited my interest in mark making.

I’m currently working on my 14^thline drawing, all of which I hope to offer for sale in an online exhibition. They are all part of my ‘neglected landscapes’ series that I have been working on for a number of years; the landscapes we walk on, but rarely take the time to  stop and look down to admire what humbly lies at our feet. I have a never-ending list of subjects to draw, so I expect that I will have enough to keep myself busy for a while!

Richard