Drawing

The American Artist, Jim Dine described drawing as ‘... talking as clearly as I can’.

For me drawing is a language at its most direct when drawing from life. London with its continually evolving Cityscape has always been a source of wonder. This began with family visits to my Grandfather and Uncle, both sculptors, living and working in the City. The grand architecture, parks, bustling streets and most memorably, crossing the mighty Thames after dark, its swirling waters lit by bridges, left a strong visual impression. Then, as a teenager escaping the South London suburbs, I would take the long bus ride to Trafalgar Square. I explored on foot, all the parks, museums, galleries, markets and hidden treasures such as quiet, squares and medieval churches.

My drawings are primarily about time and place, worked quickly and intensely to convey the movement of people, traffic, fleeting glimpses and changing weather, all set in the grand structures of the city. Though I love to use a variety of media I always return to my trusted companions, paper, charcoal, and coloured pencils to make my observations.

‘Drawing is still basically the same as it has been since prehistoric times. It brings together man and the World. It lives through magic’. Keith Haring