Ultramarine
Exhibited 2020
What began as an exploration with graphite pencils quickly led to a deep engagement with marine megafauna. This body of work was created through the COVID-19 pandemic and the practice of drawing with pencils became a sort of meditation … The act of working with graphite is like slowly moving grains of sand on paper.
— WORKS —
Below are a selection of drawings that form a part of my body of work. All drawings were made using graphite on 100% cotton paper. You can find more about my process below.
Pulse of the Upwelling 560 x 380mm | 2020
Indian Connection 560 x 380mm | 2020
West Wind Drift 560 x 380mm | 2020
Pelagic Perimeter 560 x 380mm | 2020
South Atlantic Gyre 560 x 380mm | 2020
Benguela System 560 x 380mm | 2020
Orbital Distance 230 x 200 mm | 2020
Before A Hunter's Moon 230 x 330 mm | 2020
1.28 Light Seconds 230 x 200 mm | 2020
The Shelf 280 x 380mm | 2019
Good Hope 280 x 380mm | 2019
Sardinops Close 280 x 380mm | 2019
Harbour quays 280 x 380mm | 2019
Whales Of The Cape 700 x 700 mm | 2020
El Niño 230 x 200 mm | 2020
The Point 180 x 200 mm | 2020
La Nina 180 x 200 mm | 2020
Exhibition 11/2020
6 Spin Street Gallery, Cape Town
— PROCESS —
When you see a whale breach, it almost seems like time has slowed down. The brief moments in which they trade the enigmatic depths of the ocean for the surface, an indelible memory of their presence is formed. It is in their scale and elusive nature that I find large marine fauna inspiring.
Museum visits play an important part of my visualization process. The ability to observe cast models and skeletons of cetacea informs my sense of proportion and scale. While videos and photographs provide a good basis to study anatomy and behaviour, I tend to eschew reproducing photographs and instead draw from imagination. An intimate understanding of my subjects is paramount to my process.
Graphite, as a medium, can set quite a serious tone. At its darkest, it carries a certain heaviness and at its lightest it can evanesce into the sheet of paper. I was quite taken by traditional Bargue drawing techniques. By focussing on the nuance of proportion, value and lines I strived to breathe life into marine life forms. It was extremely important for me to bring a sense of physical presence to my subjects.
