Straight from Sketchbook

Essensuals Clifton

Ruth

Thanks to Philomena and Matt Filsell who let me spend an afternoon sketching in their hair salon at the top of Park Street. It was a real challenge and I’d like to go back. Drawing in a place that’s all about image is interesting to begin with. And hairdressers move, they go round and round their clients at a faster rate than you’d think. Then there’s so much going on in a room full of mirrors.

Thanks to Liz, Rachel, Phoebe and Aimee for letting me draw you at work. And it’s a lovely friendly place with a zen-like skylight over the washbasins and a more extensive drinks menu than you’d imagine!

Essensuals 20/8/16
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Alissa, Philomena, and Rachel

Alissa, Philomena, and Rachel

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Phoebe and Aimee

Phoebe and Aimee

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Liz

Liz

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Gower holiday

Ruth

A little collection of sketches from our usual family Gower holiday last week. We’ve been doing this since 1978. There is always more sunshine than rain.

Gower 2016
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Tide at Pobbles

Tide at Pobbles

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Lucy swimming at Pwll Du (men on boats drinking small beers)

Lucy swimming at Pwll Du (men on boats drinking small beers)

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Reading at Pobbles

Reading at Pobbles

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Llamas

Llamas

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Sandcastle at Rhossili

Sandcastle at Rhossili

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Harbour Festival 2016

Ruth

I’m not sure which was more spectacular; the flyboarders standing high above us on jets of water (much higher than the one in this sketch); or the constant train of thousands all walking slowly in the same direction around Bristol harbour. I was down at the harbour festival today partly to lend a hand to Bristol Channel Sea Scouts who are raising funds to rebuild their HQ in Southville. If you’re in Bristol you can visit them by the Benjamin Perry boathouse tomorrow (Sunday) and have a go on their raingutter regatta.

harbour festival - flyboarder by temporary bridge

I particularly like this one – thanks to the couple who stepped out of the human conveyor belt for a quiet romantic moment on the harbour wall. Will work on this one for Art on the Hill.

Couple on the harbour wall

Sheffield Central Lobbyists

Ruth

This is a large piece, and therefore suffering from web related breakup of ink line, and unfinished, but it was great to be able to sketch this entire crowd from Sheffield speaking to their MP Paul Bloomfield on the Climate Change mass lobby day on Wednesday. There were only four participants from my constituency, Bristol South, so we all had plenty of chance to talk  to Karyn Smith MP during our half hour on college green.

Will finish this one for people to talk about during Art on the Hill!

Sheffield Central lobbyists speaking to Paul Bloomfield outside the Palace of Westminster

Speak Up…Climate Change Mass Lobby

Ruth

Yesterday I took advantage of an unexpected day off and went on a coach trip to talk to my MP. I’ve tried to get a few of the sketches I did uploaded as quickly as possible, but it’s late now, so they will have to arrive in instalments.

Two climate campaigners dance by Lambeth Bridge  Here I show my ignorance, because once they’d moved on I wasn’t sure whether I’d been watching a tango or a samba, but this event was organised by the Climate Coalition and the dominant t-shirts were black (CAFOD), red (Christian Aid), and orange (38 degrees). Here were Christian Aid and 38 Degrees doing something very Latin by Lambeth Bridge.

Ruth Valerio talking to Michel from NigerThe day began with two services – I was in the happy clappy one because it was nearer. I didn’t catch this gentleman’s last name, but he made me realise something very simple without exactly saying it – many of the migrants causing such consternation by crossing the Mediterranean are climate refugees. Interviewing him is Ruth Valerio whose books I’ve known about for ages but not read yet, I’m afraid.

Art installation in Archbishops parkThis is the art installation in the Archbishop’s Park ( didn’t know he had one) across the other side of the bridge. It was a heart shaped wall for comments, but the curve of it and the patterns made it beautiful, as did the many verses from the Koran packed in with every other kind of expression of faith.

To be continued…

Bristol Arena Building Site

Ruth

building site behind Temple Meads station

People like it when I draw people, but a lot of the time I dream about drawing shapes, or rather recording shapes I see around me. For nine months I’ve been making my way through the building site that used to be Cattle Market Road, behind Temple Meads Station, rarely dismounting from my bicycle as instructed, but kind of building a silent, polite rapport with the pedestrians, cyclists, and builders who pass through the steel fence corridor every day.

They’re building a road bridge that will lead to Bristol’s  new indoor arena. They started work long before the design for the arena itself was chosen last month, digging around and gently moving pipes and cables, and then patiently laying new road in intricate layers. It’s more painstaking than you could imagine, often involving one man with a shovel. 18 months is a long road closure, but I will miss it when it’s gone.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve looked across this building site at the two intersecting crescents of the Bath Road Bridge and the Totterdown houses and wanted to draw them. I don’t really know why, either. But today was the first day in weeks when I felt I could spare ten minutes and do it.