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The Colours

An ode to the Mediterranean

 

Seven pm on a warm August evening; the sun sits low over the horizon as I'm fishing. The wind settles and the sky turns a hazy pink, cut by the stark orange of the sun as it draws closer to dusk. The sea catches the last few glints of day as its tones of aqua fade and turquoise to deep blues. The bright red float bobs up and down gently. It sinks suddenly as a fish takes the bait. No luck though - it bounces back up to the surface and continues its rhythmic bobbing.

I look for another piece of bait. The rocks have suddenly turned bright gold as the sun’s last rays embrace them. I lift the rod and pull the hook out of the water. One last shot. I fix another piece of bait and give it one last try. The bobbing resumes. The sun dips below the horizon and cool greys and blues fill the bay. The sky turns magnetic pink and suddenly mosquitoes are at my neck. Time to go home.

I pack up swiftly and head off up the hill. Not much of a catch; a few small fish that were set back into the water. But that’s OK. It’s not really about the fish anyway, is it? It’s about the sea, the sky, the rocks and the colours

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The ink

After moving to Scotland in 2013, I slowly started shifting away from digital illustration with a new focus on pen and ink drawing. India ink is great; It’s lightfast and waterproof. Over the last few years I’ve been working with ink to portray scenes that remind me of my time growing up in Malta - the long summers, warm nights and idle afternoons.

Today I use this medium to convey Maltese culture and heritage, abstract concepts, as well as my new home in Glasgow.. But the colours…the colours remain an ode to the Mediterranean and those summers by the sea.

Late afternoon over Xatt l-Ahmar - 2013

Late afternoon over Xatt l-Ahmar - 2013