Avebury Manor
Over the past year I have been working as an Artist in Residence at National Trust's Avebury Manor. Planned with the staff in advance, I have visited once a month. I sketched whilst also talking to the visitors about my work.
My art has explored the architecture, the beautiful setting within the gardens, and the interiors. In the summer I was mainly outside, and I was very lucky with the weather!
In the Autumn and Winter I have been drawing in the house, including when the Christmas decorations were being installed.
These are some of my drawings so far. I am looking forward to doing more in the next couple of months, based on the garden through the winter season.
Please click on an image below to open up the gallery.
A winter drawing of the sunlit facade viewed through a gate.
Inspired by seeing the dried flower decorations, this is an imagined scene in a small room out the back of the manor.
A living fence and fragile frost bitten foliage outline a cleared garden. The stark white facade of the building contrasts the detail and textures
Hidden away in a courtyard, andd framed by ferns, this stone deer nestles in the foliage. Black and white ink drawing.
Beautiful handmade cloth pears adorn the table around this embroidered partridge.
Against the background of the kitchen, this is a golden display of goldfinches and 5 golden cakes representing 'Five Gold Rings'
A Christmas display in the Keiller Parlour.
Jewelled Swans sit on reflective pools with lacy paper rushes.
A display of cloth christmas trees and handwrapped presents.
Sketched from life whilst the flower arrangements were being constructed.
Arranging flowers in the Queen Anne bedroom.
Sketches completed whilst I was watching Christmas decorations being installed.
As if viewed from the trees on the front lawn - an idea for a drawing with a bird in the foreground
I'm always for people to come and say hello and watch what I'm doing!
This is a plan for a pop up paper model
My first sketch at Avebury. I focused on the main entrance, looking at the subtle variation in the stone facade. Using ink pen and watercolour.
An overview of the East facing side of the house, trying to capture the foliage softening the edges of the architecture.
This is the view from the main entrance, of the museum opposite. A lovely balanced image to draw, I have done this a few times. Naturally flowing between architecture and nature.
First lino cut I have done in a while - it's all backwards but I enjoyed doing it!
In preparation for my third visit, I spent some time at home drawing flowers. I plan to be in the garden for my next visit.