Scream, Scream and Scream Again!

Today is the anniversary of when the famous painting ‘The Scream’ by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch (1863 – 1944) was recovered undamaged where it was first stolen in February 1994 from the Oslo Museum.  It had been missing nearly 3 months. Artist and printmaker Munch explored themes of madness, jealousy and sexual awakening, among other psychological states.  His childhood was tragic.  His

Happy Birthday J M W Turner – Grand Master of the Elements – not all at Sea

Today is the birthday of British Romantic Landscape, seascape, watercolourist and printmaker  Joseph Mallord William Turner(b. London 1775 – 1851).  Turner understood the elements, for example when in 1834 parliament caught fire, Turner witnessed it.  He also sketched shipwrecks, storms and other natural phenomena like fog, rain, storms and above all the light and strove to capture it .  He was fascinated by the way

Weep not for me

Pablo Picasso b.(1881-1973 Spain) famous iconic painting ‘Weeping Woman’  is the artist’s protest about the bombing of Guernica.  It was completed in 1937 and  depicts the horror , pain, fear, grief and emotion women were experiencing though the tragic loss of their loved ones in the war.  This is a poem I wrote for a

Happy Birthday Odilon Redon!

Today is the birthday of French Symbolist artist Odilon Redon (b. France 1840 – 1916).  Redon (real name Bertrand-Jean) was also a printmaker, draughtsman and worked in pastels.  Born to an affluent family Redon acquired the nickname Odilon from his mother Odile.  He studied drawing at 15 but changed his path to architecture because his father approved this.  This

My Surfaces: Drawing journal ‘Gilding the Lily’

I love doodling with gold and silver ink pens, somehow the drawing just grows and grows, and I get more and more carried away!  This is good in a sense as it is free expression.  It must be said though that it doesn’t do to be too free.  I feel there must always be a

My Surfaces: Printmaking Journal

  This is the cover of one of my Printmaking  journals.  As you can see, I really went to town on this!  The techniques used are collage, layering and drawing.   I am very fond of silver and gold pens and can doodle for hours with these.  Mark making was done with whatever was at