A plant out of place.

Above are a few of the errant plants growing along the pavements in my road.  It is incredible how interesting the pavements are at the moment, with such a diversity of plant and leaf types. A short spell of fecundity before the council sprays the whole place with weedkiller. I also discovered the 'June gap' which beekeepers talk about in relation to a worrying lack of nectar for the bees. The result is the verdant greenness of plants especially those classified as weeds, being much more noticeable as there is a lull between Spring and Summer blooming.

Nocturne #5

Nocturne #5
Indian and Acrylic ink on Paper
11.5 x 15cms
2015

More drawing

It's always a relief to dispense with naturalism. My mind's focus falls repeatedly on the principle elements of abstract drawing :- line, contrast, spatial relations, tone etc. that is where my interest really lies, puzzling it out, playing. There are certain advantages to allowing drawing to become more stylised, despite the consequent problems of neatness and designs that can become over-worked and overly detailed. Using a botanical theme lends itself to playing with improvised forms which can exist purely to look peculiar rather than pretty. Luckily there is plenty in nature that fits that category.

The best way of countering this static quality is by keeping the composition dynamic. What works for larger, gestural drawings, serves also for smaller intense works - introducing strong elements that expressly refer to the edges of the white paper, which then require careful negotiation. A bold initial move also seems to thwart any reluctance in approaching the snowy wasteland of the paper.


As someone who loves drawing, I found this a fascinating watch!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b05y3z5z/what-do-artists-do-all-day-18-tracey-emin