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The art of deconstructing a book • Paeony Lewis

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A practical guide to gardening behind the post-war fence Deconstructed book by Paeony Lewis Whilst exploring the theme of suburban territory, I experimented with deconstructing books. Although initially it may feel wrong to cut up a published book, in reality it is another form of recycling, using ‘found objects’ to create art. Experimenting with a discarded textbook At Oxfam, I discovered a 1947 British gardening book that with post-war fervour stressed the physical and chemical control of the garden against alien interlopers (including nature). Using the synergy of words and images found solely within the book, I emphasised the controlling nature of gardening, and then displayed the deconstructed book on a stand representing locally-observed territory. Unearthed at Oxfam for about £1 There was a lot of advance planning as I would only be using the contents of the book. Unfortunately, I discovered that post-war printing (1947), when there were still p...
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Sketching people, gestures and body language • Paeony Lewis

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I've come to realise that when sketching people, what draws me are the body language and gestures made between people and objects, or between people. The interaction. Here are a few from my fledgling sketchbooks. Cafe Nero, cliched contrast. Slouching vs upright chair. Always looking down. Couldn't resist the eager woman with her dog pulling one way  and the man who wants to escape the conversation. However sketchy, I enjoy the interaction of adult and child. Sometimes gestures can be subtle. Just the upward turn of the head and downward side glance. Here, legs and shoes interact with hand luggage on the London underground.
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Zoo sketches • Paeony Lewis

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I thought, let's go to the zoo, but... Although good zoos have a role to play in conservation and animal study, when I'm there I feel uncomfortable viewing caged animals. I didn't stay until closing time. Bored, black-footed penguins Adult African Spoonbills. I liked the way they seemed to communicate with their beaks. And below is a new hatchling (already huge). Slender-tailed meerkats. I have a bit of a thing for inquisitive meerkats Ring-tailed lemurs. Like the meerkats, they huddle together when it's cold. And this summer... Perhaps sketching animals in the wild is preferable to zoos, but the human influence is inescapable. Here is a seal I spotted  this summer at Horsey beach on the Norfolk coast, trapped by a large plastic frisbee. Why is this plastic toy still being manufactured and sold?
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