Journal of the Plague Year
On 18th March 2020 I began a daily drawing journal to document my own experience of living with the coronavirus restrictions. Most of the drawings showed aspects of my daily life in rural Kent, and in particular my observations of small occurrences in and around the house and garden. Over time they recorded the changes in the seasons, the projects that my partner Simon and I were busy with, and everyday objects that took on an added significance by being lovingly observed and drawn. Keeping up the journal became an essential part of the rhythm of each day, and it helped to give me focus and a sense of meaning when everything beyond the garden gate appeared to be more and more in a state of flux and uncertainty. The journal ended on 17 March 2021, 365 daily drawings later, contained in two 14 cm square hardbound sketchbooks. They were drawn predominantly in Inktense soluble pencils, graphite and pen, with occasional forays into printmaking along the way.
Between October 2021 and February 2022 Journal of the plague year featured in a major exhibition of Kent-based artists at Turner Contemporary in Margate. Accompanying the two sketchbooks was a slide show of all the drawings.
Shown below is a selection of images from the journal.
