Sinutab Spider

One of a collection of drawings on the verso of 31 empty packages of goods consumed in April; Bi-Narrative No14_Sinutab Spider. The boxes continue one narrative about headaches, breakfasts (cereal boxes), power consumption (battery boxes) etc. The verso drawings in Exbury oak ink reflect other daily obsessions, rituals and interests. This is one of the orb web spiders living in the egg and the subject of an earlier blog (a video making the drawing itself). I endeavour not to waste material in the Egg.

Oak on Cedar

‘Oak on Western Red Cedar’ Media: kitchen knife and Smoke from the paraffin lamp.

Everyday Action: Drawing

Nestling in the Nettle Tops 2

The nettle tops continue to harbour lots of different creatures, from the ladybirds already described to spiders, resting hover flies, bees and caterpillars (so far only evidenced by their eggs and eaten leaves). There are many earwigs too.

Nestling in the Nettle Tops

Many ladybirds were nestling in the nettle tops yesterday morning, including a pair of the scarlet and black seven spot sort.

Swallows come Home

The swallows were a welcome sight last night as a trio of new arrivals dipped and darted low across the pasture of my neighbouring field looking for food. I yelled the news up the hill to my neighbour Nick, who later saw around twenty five in the field about his house. They were hard to photograph in the dull cloudy light, but I made some studies in ink.

image source:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/3336271/Climate-change-confuses-migrating-birds.html

Charcoal

Fallen branches of riverine oak were split and packed sardine like into two tins, which were then heated over a fire for nearly eight hours. The charcoal produced is of excellent quality for drawing, but its four ounce weight required four pounds of logwood charcoal to create it.

Blackberry Infusion

Blackberries stored since last September were boiled to extract juices which, with the addition of alum and cream of tartar, infused cotton with their essential vibrant energy. The resulting T shirt is part of an evolving collection of ceremonial and practical Beadle wear. A test on paper produced a much flatter and cooler purple colour.

Mouse & Gulls

Three wood mice were in the trap at 50-47-08.83N x 1-24-27.84W on the morning of March 18th. Two were released immediately and a third is the subject of a short film. It washed itself for most of the time, which I now understand is a reaction to being afraid. It was released pretty quickly.

Bumble Bees

For the last three or four days bumble bees have been frequenting the marsh and fields beside the Egg. They are in and out of the mouse holes on the riverbank where they may be seeking shelter from the newly arrived colder weather, or a new home for a nest. I have found quite a few curled up dead on the ground or really lethargic and seemingly close to death. There are 25 species of bumble bee in the UK but I cannot recognise the differences. With the aid of a microscope and magnifying glass my drawings may soon start to answer this question.