Herbationes

"In like a lion and out like a lamb" The old saying proved true this year, March began with storms Freya and Gareth, in SW Suffolk we didn't get much rain but the wind was harsh and continuous for two weeks interrupted by occasional short sharp hail showers. The spring flowers that had begun to open in February's false-spring held off until this last week of the month now that warmth and sunshine has arrived with the Spring Equinox.  I'm continuing my posts about the illustrations I did last summer for Lia Leendertz's 2019 edition of  The Almanac - a seasonal guide   ... a book which nudges us to be aware of the natural seasons.   The inspiration for the opening illustration for  March  came from my local walk along the Stour Brook that I wrote about in January , the Blackthorn is just coming into bloom as are the 'Pussy Willow' catkins. On the grassy banks the Wood Anemone flowers are like patches of stars in the grass. A squally shower sends t...

Walking and inspiration Last year I was asked by author Lia Leendertz to illustrate the 2019 edition of her book The Almanac - a seasonal guide . I was both excited and daunted but had no time for either as work started almost at once and I spent May and June working on 50 linocuts. The publisher requested that both Lia and I kept the project under wraps ... no sharing of 'work in progress' on social meadia, which was frustrating as I wanted this blog to be a record of work in my studio as well as walks and the countryside that inspires me. So this year I'll do a monthly post about each of the chapters in The Almanac, with the sketches and linocuts and the countryside that I had in mind as I worked, starting with January ... (click on the photos to enlarge them) The two weeks I had to produce the 12 month-chapter opening illustrations were probably the hottest last year and there was no chance to do lots of new sketching from life, so I r...