Life Drawings

‘Drawing is like making an expressive gesture with the advantage of permanence’ Henri Matisse

Drawing from the figure has taught me the essential tools of expression through mark-making. Over the years it has become an important place to practice, observe and experiment. My favourite materials include charcoal, Indian ink, soluble carbon, and graphite. I often draw with feathers, sticks, sponges and my hands to enlarge my descriptive vocabulary. Working quickly to keep the essence of the pose, I overlay initial marks, rather than erase them, revealing my process of finding the figure. During the recent Lockdown my Life drawings and recollections of the figure have inspired me to sculpt small wax figures using some of my favourite models and poses.

‘If you are not skilful enough to sketch a man jumping out of a window in the time it takes him to fall from the fourth storey to the ground, you will never be able to produce great works’ Eugene Delacroix