Words

Two day course held at the Moorland Discovery Centre on the National Trust's beautiful Longshaw Estate. Within walking distance to the gritstone edges, the course focuses on direct experience of the landscape.

We'll be taking a walk out into the counrtyside no matter what the weather to gather photos and inspiration to draw fro and if the sun is out then we'll draw outside but otherwise we will return to the discovery centre with our findings.
The course has an emphasis on drawing with charcoal and ink and is designed to encourage a very playful approach to drawing with these materials.

Suitable for all abilities.
£125 including art materials, tea, coffee and cake.
Sunday 2nd October 10-4pm
Sunday 9th October 10-4pm

Booking essential, limited places available.
Please email Tessa at tessaamylyons@gmail.com

https://www.facebook.com/events/1732255636991392/

This year’s BMC Women in Adventure theme is to do with finding inspiration and forging paths that are undefined. For me the past year or so has been all about this, technically the past 6 years have too, but more so recently having stepped into full time self employment as an artist.  Reflecting on the idea of forging I thought I would share some thoughts on this.  I’m constantly drawing parallels between art and climbing so I might swap and change between the two but I think it all merges anyway.

Inspiration. First and foremost, its where ideas are hatched and plans are formed. Being aware of what moves you and what gets you excited. It’s within this space that we have the opportunity to expand. If you want to grow and push your own boundaries then look for what gets you excited and go with it. It could be big blue paintings, making pots, it could be slab climbing, it could be running, whatever.

Persistence. Initially inspiration will get you there, forging the path, but I have found that it’s never a constant. Inevitably there will be times of creative block, there will be times of overcoming barriers that aren’t particularly comfortable, so when psyche is low you have to be able to call on a certain amount of determination to get you through.

Faith. This is something I have been thinking a lot about recently. What do you place your faith in? In order to persist with something in a committed way, you have to have faith in that it’s a good thing to be doing. If you commit to something that you don’t have a good feeling about to start with then it’s likely that your reasons behind forging that path are not true to yourself.   

Failure.  Persistence is basically a constant process of continually failing interspersed with bursts of successes and satisfaction. Failing a lot also teaches you when to change tactics, whether that’s finding a different sequence to a climb or approaching the canvas in a different way, it forces you to be innovative.    

Committing. Putting as much as you can into it. In terms of forging a self employed creative career that means giving it the time and space where you can and making a commitment to that. It could mean working part-time or it might mean making stuff in your bedroom in the evenings after work, if you feel like you're moving forward with it then commit a bit more.

The idea of forging into the unknown is not gender specific, but I think we’re at an interesting time when exceptional feats carried out by women are no longer an anomaly. It’s become almost normal to hear that a 14 year old girl has climbed 9a. I think in the past perhaps girls in general weren’t expected and therefore not encouraged in a way to push themselves. Obviously this differs from person to person depending on upbringing, however society as a whole has developed certain expectations to do with gender that have been shaped by what has came before. It’s constantly evolving though and this is not to say that there haven’t been women who have turned this completely on its head. Clearly there have been women with vision and talent who have excelled themselves and, perhaps inadvertently, have served as role models inspiring the next generation. But where we are at now is a time where you expect to see women pushing themselves in all fields, this is how it should be.

I personally don’t think it’s about getting women motivated to climb the hardest, fastest, tallest, in order to prove something. But more about asking the question what inspires individuals on a personal level and encouraging people to pursue that regardless of gender.

The BMC Women in Adventure event is going to be held at Sheffield Adventure Film Festival next Saturday 12th March.  

I'll also be exhibiting some prints in the Workstation, Sheffield as part of ShAFF. 8th - 17th March

Prominent Lines
Heaton Cooper Studio, Grasmere, Lake DIstrict
25th Janurary - 6th March

I am honoured to be exhibiting at the Heaton Cooper Studio in the beautiful surroundings of the Lake District. I can't think of a better fitting gallery to exhibit my work in, with firm roots in the landscape and our experience of it, the Heaton Cooper family boasts a long line of artists including William Heaton Cooper who illustrated the original guidebooks for the Fell and Rock Club and more recently the stunning paintings of Julian Cooper.
 

Private View
Thursday 4th February from 2 till 4pm.

Please do come and join us for some mulled wine at the opening of the show…fingers crossed for clear skies and snowy mountains!

Thanks to the folk at UKC for the interview!

http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=7955

Shards of slate crack underfoot as I navigate the quarried labyrinth. Walking through amphitheaters of rock faces, passing hunks of rusted machines; clogs, chains and winches twisting out of the ground. From afar this place looks pretty grey and depressing, a scar on the side of the mountain. It’s a similar story as you walk in, it resonates a certain apocalyptic vibe. Poking about in the old stone worker’s huts; battered work shoes are laid out neatly under a coat, a banged up kettle sits expectantly as though it would all start up again tomorrow.  
But there is something really beautiful about the place that I feel drawn to. The first time I came here I was mesmerised by the textures and colours of the rock. The angular nature of the climbing, the tiny edges cutting across the smooth rock face, teetering and pouncing your way up at the same time. I could feel myself wanting to draw the dark angular shadows against the extraordinary colours of the rock.  
I returned last week with a van full of art supplies and a lucky break in the weather. It turns out slate is actually really difficult to draw, but I’ll persist. This is the beginnings of the remarkable looking Rainbow Slab.

Another feature in the British Mountaineering Council's quarterlly publication 'Summit'. Enjoyed making this one and quite pleased with how it turned out. Based on the idea of staring adventure stories around the fire.

I am delighted to have been awarded a microgrant from Yorkshire Artspace to produce some new work! I will be picking the brains of YArtspace based artist Neil Woodall for his vast knowledge of the etching printmaking process. The outcomes will then be on display at Persistence Works in the November Open Studios where I will also be running ink drawing workshops for the general public to attend.

Here's a short film of the master at work…

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KS_nLiLlUXc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

*photo from Our Favourite Places

The elusive man in my drawings talks…

https://bensilvestreclimbs.wordpress.com/

New goodies for traveling with…Utah i'm ready for you! Even got some red ink!!

Amazing trio Claire Jane Carter, Heather Dawe and Helen Mort are putting together an anthology of women's writing and art inspired by wild landscapes. This is going to be awesome. Submissions are now open!! http://www.waymaking.org.uk/