29 July 2022

Back at the start of July I met a resident at Little Acre Studios in Rowledge, where my wife and I also share a studio. Mariya, Masha, Borysova, is a Ukrainian artist and painter who has fled to the UK with her children due to the war. 

It was lovely to meet and to talk to her. She also allowed me to make some pictures of her art work in addition to a portrait. Between our faltering conversation, art and photography we seemed to cross the language and cultural barriers. At least I felt that and hope she did also. 

At Little Acres Studios, Masha has found a place to immerse herself in her art and as many artists do, is expressing her current situation, and that of Ukraine, through her work. She told me that the painting she was working on at the time represents ‘Home’.

You can follow her work and new life in the UK via her Instagram @mariborisovaart

20 July 2022

The sun sets on the eve of the UK’s hottest ever day

“It feels like dog’s breath,” my wife remarked on Monday evening. The breeze coming in through the open windows and doors was so warm it was not cooling us down at all. The UK had not yet surpassed it’s hottest recorded temperature, that was to come.

As the sun went down that night, a ball of fire descending into the trees across the field, it felt like a portent, like we were moving into the dragon’s fire. Yesterday, 19 July 2022, did break records, passing 40C for the first time in the UK. Not in one location, but many. This feels like the new normal, in fact meteorologists are saying summer temperatures like this are far more likely to occur. 

The UK does not have the infrastructure for this and it seems our leaders are incapable of planning for a human-influenced climate that is here now, let alone the future. To see wildfires engulfing parks and homes in London is a terrifying new event. My heart goes  out those whose families have been affected. Let us hope this, finally, helps drive action towards not just Net Zero, but a net reduction in our consumption, in all ways. Like we give blood to those who need it, it is past time for us to give back to our planet. 

4 July 2022

I’m delighted that my work for this project has been featured on Caught by the River. Do hop on over to have a read: https://www.caughtbytheriver.net/2022/07/the-singing-hills-ed-brydon/ 

There’s more exciting news to come on this project, and to celebrate, I’ve made a couple of new prints available in my shop.

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