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Greetings,
I hope that the year has begun well for you, and will be filled with whatever it is that you need over the months ahead.
Here we have an update from the studio, a wander amongst the black mountains, and a few books to inform and inspire your own exploration of both inner and outer landscapes. In other news I continue to put together my new mentoring offering (which will definitely appear in the next few weeks), and to focus on more in-depth writing about my work and its themes. The delay on that front is because my inner editor has yet to return to work this year, and the piece has developed a life of its own!
Studio Update

Work in the studio has commenced for another year. Here we have a couple of the familiar ink and pastel style underway.



What feels most significant in the studio so far this year is the beginning of work in oil. I have been intending to try this for a long time, so although currently in the earliest of stages, there is always something good about just finally getting on with an idea that needs to happen. I'll post more images as they develop, which due to the layering I have in mind and the extended drying time of oil paint, will be a process dictated by the paintings themselves.

Recent ramble...
Hatteral hill, Cymyoy, Llanvihangel Crucorney

My first walk in Wales this year, and I wanted to visit what is probably my favourite hilltop in the area. Hatteral hill rises to 531m and offers remarkable views further into the Black Mountains ahead and to the east (Wales), and down into Herefordshire (England) and the Golden Valley on the right. It is part of Offa's Dyke, which in locations such this is still a borderland between Wales and England. The photo at the top of this newsletter was taken part way up the hill, en route to the huge view in this image.
On this occasion it was a rather murky day, with a biting and relentless breeze. If you are in need of some more warming imagery, you might enjoy seeing the verdant greens and bright light of this area in these walks during the middle of the year.

Looking north towards Llanthony Priory down in the valley, and in the distance Capel Y Fin.

This shaft of light falls approximately on the church at Cymyoy, famed for its wonkiness.

The view toward Skirrid Fawr, Wales' 'holy mountain'.

Finishing up, as many of my walks in the area tend to, at the foot of the hill, inside the Skirrid Inn. Handy for its ale, hauntings, and bus stop.
Inspirations
Here are couple of useful books to assist with your explorations this year. In my opinion both are very rich in useful knowledge and images, a balance of informative and inspiring.

"This book is perfect for anyone who’s travelled through the countryside, scratched their head, and thought, ‘what on earth is that thing?'''Tony Robinson
I would say that is quite an accurate way to summarise this book, which is divided largely into questions that we may (or quite likely may not) have pondered. Is that an ancient tomb? Why does this field have rows of ridges? Who made that hole? It's straight, but is it Roman? How old is this hedge? And finally - What does a deserted plague village look like? All described through genuinely insightful and clear writing, ample photographs, maps, and illustrations.

This one is a recent acquisition for me, and I am enjoying its excellent mixture of quality photographs, maps, and information, none of which are lacking in quantity. The book can be treated as a geographical tour of the country, or engaged with by using the key to follow threads that include creation stories, magic, portals, christianised pagan sites, animate stones, healing, and so on. Something to be aware of if purchasing without seeing a physical copy, a lot has been crammed into this book, and consequently much of the print is quite small.
The cover image is likely to be a familiar one for readers in the British Isles as well as those further afield. Glastonbury Tor, an unmistakable landmark visible for many miles around, and is for many the heart of spiritual life in this country. A whole bookshop could probably be filled with writings on its numinous qualities, and I can recommend the recently published Avalon Working by Mark Nemglan as both introduction to, and in-depth study of the area, it history, culture, and deity.
Thank you for reading. See you next time.