This drawing began not with paper, charcoal, or pen, but with memory.

 

Years ago, whenever I visited a friend, his granny was always there with wiry humour, watchful eyes, and a sense of gravitas that filled the room. She stayed with me.

 

I set myself the task of drawing her, not from a photo, but from the layers of recollection. Grey paper, white and black charcoal, pastel, even pen materials layered like memory itself, sometimes sharp, sometimes hazy.

 

Every line of her face became less about accuracy and more about presence.

 

It’s strange: in trying to capture her, I realised I was also drawing the feeling she left behind wisdom, endurance, and that glint of humour.

 

She is long gone, yet here she is again, looking back at us.

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Selected for the inaugural The "RP Drawing Prize: Revealing the Human" specifically celebrates drawing as a direct response to the human, exploring its ability to capture vulnerability and authenticity. 2025

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