Jonathan Effemey

What is central to my work is observation. I was taught observational drawing at Brockenhurst 6th Form college. This was followed up at the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne in the UK. I regularly attended formal life drawing classes.

This is what David Hockney calls ‘eyeballing’.

I was a teacher for 30 years in various High Schools in London. I did keep up my interest in art and produced a number of watercolors whilst on holiday in Europe. I might consider entering them here.

Since retiring I moved to the Philippines.

I started drawing in pencil on small postcards. I observed life in the large shopping Malls found in Metro Manila. One I concentrated on, in particular, was the 168 SM Mall in Tondo Manila, especially in the food hall there.

I would always tend to sit down in the same seat. This way I could hold down a number of constants such as chairs, tables, and my two ‘manikin mates’.

I also moved from using pencils to black Biro pens.

I also play and improvise on the tenor saxophone. If you mess up in a solo you have to ‘make good’ in real-time, the same is true when using an ink pen.

Texting is very common in the Philippines. This way I could concentrate on figures as they tended to stay still.

I am always v...

Brockenhurst 6th Form College
The University of Newcastle upon Tyne

As above