I’m very pleased to find that my drawing, ‘Displaced Portrait No15 (woman with baby)’ will be included in the Turner Contemporary Open exhibition later this year. This piece is one of an ongoing series of silverpoint drawings based on souvenir and identity […]
The last day of this year’s residency. Three weeks have flown by too quickly. This is the shortest time I have spent at the Ness of Brodgar but on the other hand it is my first time away from home […]
Many hands helping with cleaning the floor for Drone photography in Structure 10. Meanwhile the cinema in a hut has been taking shape for tomorrow’s world premiere for the archaeologists. Pictures of the event tomorrow.
Today the wind has dropped to a modest breeze – but as a result the clouds are almost static making the sky an overall light grey with just an occasional glimpse of blue. So while the normal strong winds create […]
Most of the day was spent gathering materials to convert a small hut on site into a cinema for Friday’s world premiere of my film about the Ness of Brodgar. This afternoon I made it into Structure 10 for a […]
Today was mostly spent doing a final edit for the world premiere of my film about the Ness of Brodgar on Friday. So just the one drawing today. In Trench J they have reached ‘the natural’ – the earth that […]
Following on with the story of the big pot. Here is a piece now dry enough to be turned over, revealing its decoration. It was removed from the big slab of pot (from the top right hand corner of the […]
After the excavation of the big pot comes the paperwork in meticulous detail. Just one drawing as the day was mostly was spent sourcing technology for my film show next week. Later on with the return of Orkney winds, I […]
This morning there was a gentle breeze, pale sunshine, and big black clouds on the horizon – standard Orkney weather except the wind is usually much stronger. After a personal tour of Structure 10, I drew some of the diggers, […]
I have history with drawing What exactly is going on when I decide to make a drawing I wonder, what is so complex about this apparently simple decision to make my mark? Drawing has waxed and waned as a significant […]
There are two sides to my work, practice and reflection. Here at the Ness of Brodgar there is much to draw, paint, and many sounds to record. But I also feel a need to keep a handle on the thinking […]
One of my drawings has made it through to the second stage of the selection process for the 2021 Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize. ‘Displaced Portrait No16 (woman from Brünn/Brno, 1942)’ is one of an ongoing series of silverpoint drawings based on […]
Previously I have said that human activity is my primary focus. But that is not the whole story. To clarify, it is the place in which people, including myself, are located that is the anchor for my work. That to […]
The first part of the day was spent putting up pictures to advertise the Artists in Residence, in the hope of sales – directing people to my website at karenwallis.co.uk. This was followed by a trip into Kirlkwall in search […]
The Social Art Library recently published a short piece of my writing as part of their ‘Storytelling for artists’ programme. You can read it here: https://www.socialartlibrary.org/library/to-change-75ntb-ffjbj-n5b7h-hw3zw-tp5gp-z3s6z-yzn8s-m45cy-ds54y-az7ms-9d99f-dx35b-4k88s
Today they began an extension to Trench J to investigate more of Structure 5 and the building on top of it. The top soil was cleared before the morning tea break – and a tour of the trench followed. Then […]
Looking out across Structure 12 towards the Loch of Harray. The full extent of the landscape is now visible because, due to Covid regulations, there is no viewing platform for visitors. In the drawing the sun is shining on the […]
After last year’s cancelled dig, we are all very glad to be back. However, things are strictly limited in order to comply with Covid rules. There is only a small team on site working in a much reduced area of the […]
I’m very happy to find that my metalpoint drawing, ‘Mum’, has been selected for the Mall Galleries’ ‘Figurative Art Now’ exhibition (7th July – 20th September). ‘Mum’ is a drawing done in gold and silverpoint on gesso on board (a metalpoint drawing). […]
Today is Mother’s Day in Sweden. In the week I made a card to send to my mother. Specifically I drew a card for my mother. I cannot remember the last time that I ’simply’ drew what was […]
