When I first started sailing back in the 1980s, Britain had been part of Europe for only ten years and I remember that there were still procedures to follow when Going Foreign. Sailing across the Channel to France meant that we had to fly a yellow Q flag on approach, and then report with our continue reading »
A year ago I was lucky enough to be appointed Artist in Residence by the Friends of Scott Polar Research Institute in Cambridge. Since then of course there’s been covid and the ship was having a refit so there was no opportunity to get down to the Antarctic last season. I was happy to wait; continue reading »
Just before 2am I came on deck for the 2-5 watch. I was sleepy and slightly queasy from the westerly swell coming in from the Atlantic, making it a balancing act to pull on waterproof trousers and boots by my bunk in the forepeak. Night watches on a sailing ship can be dull and cold, continue reading »
Amongst many things this pandemic time has taught us patience and flexibility. When events we look forward to may or may not go ahead, we learn to be resigned if they don’t and delighted when they do. I had been planning an exhibition of small sketches based on my year on the river as part continue reading »
Zoom used to be a photographer’s term. Lockdown has changed the way we meet and interact, and now I daren’t count up how many hours I spend talking to a screen; peering closely at a piece of artwork held up close to a camera in Kent or Canada to try and work out what isn’t continue reading »