“The Observant Squirrel” – sketch

“The Observant Squirrel” [11th June 2021] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist, sketch with 3H HB 3B pencils signed in black ink on A4 250gsm Artist’s paper.

This dear squirrel is composed from a video still photograph, curiously eating whilst observing me. The squirrel preferred a quiet supper it would seem.

Squirrels, otters, wolverines, honey badgers and raccoons all have distinctly comical personalities. Seconds after you see dear squirrel in this sketch, it drops the stick it was chewing upon and then, lightning quickly turning its head, looks directly at me.

As if to say ‘excuse me, sir, I am very busy doing squirrel things.’.

Naturally hilarious.

“Buzzards Wood Hollow” – sketch

“Buzzards Wood Hollow” [9th June 2021] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist, sketch with 3H HB 3B pencils signed in black ink on A4 250gsm Artist’s paper.

I photographed a few compositions of the entrance to Buzzards Wood via the central hollow from Meadow Three. This opening is directly opposite to Ridge Willow and Wrens Wood. There are three additional entranceways into Buzzards Wood.

There are four pathways within and immediately surrounding Buzzards Wood. Whenever I’m writing regarding Buzzards Wood I’m usually referring to the Nature Reserve area. However, Buzzards Wood technically also encompasses the wood to the rear (bow, north) beyond the Nature Reserve itself, in my opinion.

Buzzards fly regularly over the meadows, woods, and towards the north, where there is a local fishing pond. The post at the lower right of my sketch actually used to be a wooden bench. I rather hope it is restored as a bench as this is a great sitting place, centrally in Meadow Three.

Further along to this bench is a ‘watervole ground stone’. Rabbits do seem to enjoy using the flat stone surface as a convenient toilet, haha. A ‘rabbit ground stone’ can be viewed inside Buzzards Wood at the pathway crossroads, nicely covered by the shade of trees to enjoy. Rabbits frequent all three meadows, the private land to the west and all around the 29 acre lake to the south.

Another ‘ground stone’ meets with you to the left as one enters Meadow Three from Meadow One, walking up a small number of steps.

My sketch style in this article strongly reminds me of the beautifully artistic childrens animations I used to watch as a boy.

In keeping with that theme I included fanciful eyes and faces, Picasso-esque, to add fun to some of these series of artworks.

Meadow Conservation Sketches

*“Peace at Gated Meadow” [May/June 2021] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist, 3H HB 3B graphite pencils signed in black ink on 250gsm A4 artists paper.*

The artwork above entitled ‘Peace at Gated Meadow” includes ‘M autography seismic-sound waves grass’, purely for positive climate change.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.

*“Running Rabbit of the Meadows” [May 2021] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist, 3H HB 3B graphite pencils signed in black ink on 250gsm A4 artists paper.*

Art fans please remember the way you draw is your own uniqueness to enjoy.

“Running Rabbit of the Meadows” immediately above is from an actual photograph I took in betwixt Meadows One and Two of my local nature reserve.

The photograph is very grainy due to the zoom and speed of the rabbit, taken from a mobile phone video recording. Therefore I needed to freestyle somewhat.

It was immense fun. In the corner where this family of rabbits is, there is an old rusty cart on its side. One day I hope to produce a horse and cart sculpture there.

Let’s hope for such an opportunity. The reason I’d like to do this is to compliment the 1612 dated oak tree along the edge to its west.

“Peace at Gated Meadow” photograph by Matt The Unfathomable Artist, May 2021.

For comparison purposes I thought I would share the photograph inspiration for “Peace at Gated Meadow”, photo above.

I believe this to be such pretty a view, instantly I wanted to sketch the vista. Interestingly dog training and cow grazing have featured in this very field near to my local lake.

Furthermore organised running and walking is a regular pastime of locals, along with the childrens playground, picnics, feeding water birds and fish, fishing and lake boating.

Electro Oscillation, Sound and Seismic Waves

*“Triple Vertical Horizontal Seismic Waves – Perfect Imperfection” [11th May 2021] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist, dip nib pen with iron gall ink on A4 250gsm Artist’s paper.*

*“Electro-Oscillation Waves – one” [30th April 2021] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist, iron gall ink with dip nib pen on A4 135gsm Artist’s paper.*

The beauty of Seismic, Sound and Electro-Oscillation waves as a representation of art is apparent in both my artworks, shown above.

I find great enjoyment making these. The iron gall ink is perfect for fine lines, whilst using a dip nib pen requires accurate movement upon the paper.

There is a sense of connection to humanity and science producing these works. It’s an immensely peaceful process.

Usually I practice a few lines with the dip nib pen and then plan the design in mind. Triple vertical-horizontal lines use space excellently, in addition to looking good on the page.

The idea of listening to the Earth through human science is definitely a theme of my work in this area.

I think any art fan would reasonably find these works pleasing on the paper. Looking at them admiringly as I do, the whole simplicity enthralls me.

I hope dear Readers make their own art waves, Seismic, Sound or Electro Oscillation to appreciate this work even more.

Usually Seismic edges are more pointed, Sound edges curved at least at one end and Electro Oscillation waves have a patterned conformity to them.

Of course, how you make your waves is entirely up to you. Hopefully we can see everyones work online, as that would be fun.

Very best, Matt The Unfathomable Artist.

Monet Painted Spring

“Monet Painted Spring”

“Their Sounds are an Orchestra to me,

Unexpectedly,

Songs, Melodies, Conversations afar,

Water Rail and thy ascended Sky Lark,

Thine sight is a Field of Greens,

Betwixt Yellow Blue-Creams,

Rested here for quiet Studied scenes,

For thou art my plateaued Mountain,

Muddy carpeted, oaken Queen,

Thouest Monet painted Spring,

Bejewelled vision thou hast yet seen,

Rabbits hazel-brown, white-tailed hues,

Unforeseen,

Perfect rainbow covered,

Meadow shielded views,

One end to t’other,

Grains of feet an’ barley for thine Meal,

Buzzards Wood rising proud thy Bow,

Wrens Wood drawn aft galloping South.

A tinctured scythe for reaping Hay,

‘If thy made’st thou on thy Potter’s Wheel,

You’d be youthfully kiln fire minted Clay.’”

– a poem by Matt The Unfathomable Artist, copyright May 2021.

Light upon the Nightly Frog

On my birth day, the 3rd of May, I walked in the evening on a rainy day for some time amongst nature.

My local lake was very quiet of people, for the rain was heavy most of the day.

I had already seen wild rabbits eerily hopping about the pathways devoid of human activity. Even though night was still quite early.

The frog you see in my sketch (and photograph below) walked directly in front of me, over a path onwards to grass and the nearby woods. Travelling away from the lake, now some 75 feet behind.

I took this delightful opportunity to photograph the reluctant dear frog. I did so quickly so as to let the frog on its merrily way.

Before my eyes the frog dug its back legs into the soaking wet mud, as if the grass were Saharan sand to cover its whereabouts.

Oddly the frog looked rather indignant, yet intelligently patient. ‘Oh if you must photograph me, please do so speedily to let me on my sojourneying.”

Frog knew I was there. Its sentience clear and self glorious.

Here is our dear beloved frog:

*“Light upon the Nightly Frog – photograph” [3rd May 2021] by Matt The Unfathomable* Artist.

“the Rabbits of Ridge Willow – sketch one”

“the Rabbits of Ridge Willow – sketch one” really is a very quick simple sketch from a photograph of a rabbit at Ridge Willow.

I was stood still watching it lift up from its grass cover to chew some hay.

The first sketch session details were drawn ‘plein air’ in half an hour whilst I sat just in front of Ridge Willow, by their nearby burrow.

This artwork is purely fun. Discovering there were rabbits actually living on Ridge Willow is a delight of nature.

“Malevolence upon Trees”

“Malevolence upon Trees” represents the horrifying effects of manmade adverse climate change.

Faces drawn upon and around the trees show their sadness, surprise and the human industrial malevolence against our dear planet Earth.

Here is the original photograph:

“Malevolence upon Trees – photograph” [17th April 2021, 1118hrs] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist.

“Creatures Wood”

“Creatures Wood” is a unique landscape featuring an anomalous smiling tree, eerie alien-cat branches, a scowling owl bush, frogspawn bark eyes, a cute little puppy dog shrub, inconspicuous eyes above Creature’s Eye Hollow, a cubist faced tree amidst shadowy undertones and a strange twilight sky.

“Ancient Katana” – sketches

“Ancient Katana – sketch” [4th April 2021] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist, 3H HB 3B pencils signed in black ink on A4 250gsm Artist’s paper.

My interest in katana is founded from personal, artistic and spiritual perspectives.

Japanese culture is enshrined in cultural reverence, pride of work and profound intellectualism.

The beauty of katana-making itself has much earlier roots in clan symbolism spanning centuries.

Ironsmiths first collected ironsand to make the sword.

This was then superheated in a purpose built furnace over three days and three nights.

Often toiling without sleep, workers kept a constant heat temperature.

Then upon cooling, breaking open the amalgamated once-molten iron ore to carefully select multiple hardened iron fragment shards to fashion into billets.

Hammering the billet, folding, shaping, folding repeatedly into a finely crafted hand made object of functional sculptured art.

Expertly polished using the whetstone of an artisan. Fitted with tsuba (guard) and a purpose built wooden handle, individually crafted.

With climate change driving innovation in combustible processes, perhaps even katana making will find new innovative ways to work tradition with renewable resources.

“Study sketch for Ancient Katana” [27th March 2021] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist, 3H HB 3B pencils with white & green coloured pencils signed in black ink on A4 135gsm Artist’s paper.

I made these sketches purely through an appreciation in all kinds of sculpture.