My Residency at Mud & Wool Creative Escapes has left me further mulling over wellbeing and creativity, which of course, go hand in hand. Jo & Adam, the hosts have an amazing wood fired sauna overlooking the mountains, which got me thinking about the dialogue between being indoors in such a beautiful location and getting out to experience nature first hand. Normally, I’d be advocating for everyone to get outdoors more, but when you have this, it turns that conversation completely on its head. There’s something really comforting about being cocooned in such a safe space with such beauty beyond, especially in the dark. Mud & Wool is so much more than a place to be creative, it’s the sum total of all its parts, the place and the people, being alone in nature, sharing nature, nurturing nature back to life, looking at nature beyond and getting up close to it. Mae’n le i enaid gael llonydd. It’s a place where your soul can rest.

I have plans to develop this idea with the working title Inside Out. I also did some research at Aberpoeth, the wood fired sauna on Aberystwyth seafront run by Iolo ap Dafydd. Watch this space for a piece about that location too.

I am interested in extending this to other outdoor saunas and welcome contact to further my research. Please get in touch if you run such a venture and are interested in paintings, prints and drawings of your business.

Watercolour and unpin on handmade Khadi paper.

Unmounted, unframed. Dimensions 42cm x 30cm

Currently unavailable

Pentre Ifan, Neolithic Burial Chamber, Pembrokeshire.

Watercolour and Unpin drawing, on watercolour paper, pre tinted with Payne’s Grey ink, and Schmincke Burnt Sienna Aqua Drop.

Mounted, unframed. Dimensions 22.5cm x 17.5cm.

Available

Inspired by textile work at Mud and Wool, I picked up some square fabric offcuts from Calico Kate in Lampeter and have started experimenting with mounting small drawings onto them, within frames, instead of the traditional cardboard mount.

Pentre Ifan, Neolithic Burial Chamber, Pembrokeshire.

Watercolour and Unpin drawing on Khadi handmade paper, pre tinted with Schmincke Amber and Sepia Aqua Drop.

Mounted on fabric, framed. Dimensions 172mm x 172mm

Available