Jono Dry Art

Another drawing that’s taking a few breaths before its finishing touches. I’ve been putting off working on this, I drew it shortly after a close friend left, and feel like it was a way of processing the loss. Holding off on finishing feels like symbolic somehow.

Another drawing that’s been waiting in the studio, it’s been almost a year since I last worked on this piece. And I can feel it calling me back to finish it. I learnt so much experimenting with the smoke textures here, which I took over to the smokey elephant drawing I started a few weeks later. I’m feel guilty about how many drawings are waiting for attention. In a way it’s like I’m holding on to them, knowing that when they are finished I might have to let them go.

This drawing has been resting in my studio, incomplete for the last few months. Putting a project away for a while has become part of the process. It’s almost like the drawing drains me of something and I need space and time to reset before I can work on it again. There are a few drawings that are marinating in an almost complete state, so I’m posting this to help remind myself that it’s ok to leave a project unfinished for a while. Let me know if you’ve needed to leave an artwork alone for a few months before coming back to it?

Practice study for textures of skin, hands hair and horns. A drawing exercise I did for my recent course with

It took over a year to finish this drawing, I gave up many times. If I worked on it consistently it added up to 6 months of focus. I think this was one of those make or break periods for me. Investing so much time in something and not completing it is not something I could afford but trying to stay motivated on the same piece for so long can feel like trying to squeeze water from a stone. I don’t know how I managed to finish it but I think it about this drawing every time a project feels like it’s taking too long. I’m still feeling rewarded for that experience. ‘Pupil’ - pencil on paper

This drawing took half a year to finish. It taught me so much about self discipline and perseverance. It was the first drawing that really tested my love for this practice, making it feel like job that I didn’t sign up for. The last 15 years have been punctuated by a hand full of drawings like this. The ones that tested me and asked if it’s really how I want to spend so much of my time. I love them so much

Between roots and fingers

Hey everyone, please be on the look out. Looks like there is some or other scam going on with accounts imitating me, please report them if you receive any strange invite requests.

Thanks for all the amazing feedback and support with this new drawing. I was sad to see it leave the studio but the support was incredibly special. “Weight of Mist” feels right as a title for it but reading through some of your suggestions made it a difficult choice 😊 I’ve just released the 50 limited edition prints of this piece. You can find them in my bio. Proofing and signing starts next week!

I was trying to get this drawing to line up with the other post so it looks satisfying on my profile but I had to give up on that dream. Anyways here is the other side of “Fracture” 😊

I can’t shake this obsession with contrasting textures in drawings. I’ve been really into playing with organic and inorganic texture, something rough or soft contrasting something hard or smooth. Playing with how they can interact with each other resulted in some interesting compositions. This drawing “Fracture” might be my favourite representation of that contrast.

A drawing from a few years ago that challenged my patience and focus. It reminded me of the beauty in slow deliberate work. Exploring growth and fragility - Iris - pencil on paper

2014 me was searching.

There isn’t enough time to do all the drawings I’d like to, but I hope I’ll be able to do a sister piece to this later in the year.

I have a box of old family portraits that I like to redraw as proud animals. I hope they don’t mind.

Trying to draw an elephant without drawing hands around it is near impossible for me.

I’m not sure where this drawing ended up. Often work sold through galleries comes with some distance between artist and collector. It’s understandable but can feel a bit sad to be so disconnected.

Still one of my most precious drawings, feels like it means something different as I change and get older.