• Published on Thursday, 1 December 2005
  • | Bursary reports
  • | The Natural Eye Bursary

Celia Smith - Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) Bursary Winner 2005 Report

I set up a small work area in the corner of one of the hides and sketched the swans directly in wire

Celia Smith

The bursary gave me a chance to base myself at the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust (WWT) Welney centre for one week, where I studied whooper swans. I set up a small work area in the corner of one of the hides and sketched the swans directly in wire. Back at my own studio I experimented with printing the wire sketches.

The bursary really helped me to develop my observational drawing skills by giving me the time to draw in wire. Printing with the wire was also another leap forward in my work opening up a whole new world of possibilities. Subsequently becoming part of the SWLA as an associate member was another benefit for the contacts I made and to get to know the amazing work of other members.