My pencil case – one I made when I was 10 years old, with Laura hand stitched on it – has been coming walks with me. For many years, it stayed in the studio and didn’t see the light of day. Now, it comes with me every time, along with a water colour palette and a sketch book.
A place to gather colours, textures and lines. And ideas.
My current sketch book includes studies of the Hoy Hills from different areas of Orkney.
Recently while I was sketching I concentrated on the parts of the landscape that could be seen before the Hoy Hills, changing the perspective, distance and how I see them. My focus was drawn to the sand edging Lamb Holm – the sun was shining brightly, making it glow. I focused in on small details and ignored the parts I didn’t want to see, played around with lines, marks and colours.
On another walk, on a different day, my focus was on mapping out the pattern of the fields and following the land to the Hoy Hills. I quite like it when a bird gets in the way and I can follow the flight path, making me see new lines, giving a new perspective and taking the sketch in a new direction and adding interest.
Who knows if these sketches will be looked at when I am back in the studio. The purpose of them is to take notes and help remember what made that walk, on that day, special.
My diary I guess.
Laura Drever 
Hello, Laura.
I’m so enjoying your insightful posts about your practice.
Best wishes for your exhibition at the Pier Arts Centre: I would love to have been there because I know it’s an important one for you, but I have commitments of my own on your opening weekend and in July. I haven’t ruled out getting up to Orkney in August before the exhibition closes but I’ll have to see.
Take care and keep well.
Stuart sends his love as well.
Bill xx
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Thanks Bill, I Have just sent you an email – we must have been thinking about each other at the same time! x
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