Cath Sheard Art

Author: Catherine Barker-Sheard

  • Sketchbook Revival 2026

    I follow Helen Wells on YouTube. She posted recently about Sketchbook Revival 2026, a free course in April to refresh your sketchbook practice. Heck yes! I love working in my sketchbooks so this was a no brainer.

    There’s a pre course class where you make a book to use for the course if you want … of course you can use what you already have, or buy one. I can do a simple sewn signature journal, but not much else. This looked achievable so I have it a go.

    I’ll use the Australian Piano Hinge style again. Is mine perfect? Of course not, it’s my first attempt, and anyway nothing’s ever perfect. The paper I used for one element is a bit heavy, so it cracked on the fold. My cutting is slightly off, so some pages are a little bit shorter. But you know what? It doesn’t matter … I love it!

  • Inspired by online courses

    I recently completed a course by Marabeth Quinn on mixed media collage and intuitive landscape. I’m continuing to use the practice exercise she taught, and find it helpful for focusing in on what I love. Some of my work from the last few days is below.

    That set of 24 small pieces on paper inspired me to grab a medium sized wooden panel I’d worked on as part of a series, that didn’t fit with the rest in the end, and rework it. It probably isn’t finished yet, but I’m sitting with it for a few days to see how it feels. Below shows before and after.

  • Inspiration journal

    Through the years of looking after Tony my self care slipped a lot. I lost fitness and put on weight. Some people’s bodies cope fine with extra weight, unfortunately mine isn’t one of them. It’s four and a half months since Tony died. It feels like yesterday and forever at the same time … but what I do know is it’s time to take back control. Tony will be cheering me on.

    I’ve bought a second hand elliptical for at home, rejoined the gym (a different one that offers better support) and gone back to a proper eating plan.

    I’ve just had a three day weekend and spent it sorting stuff, getting used to the elliptical, and making an art journal that’s all about taking control and being capable – it’s an encouragement journal for me.

  • Small concertina

    Small concertina

    Over the weekend I’ve been working on a small handmade concertina journal, with just 4 pages each side. It’s not finished yet, but my work is clearly less controlled thanks to the Marabeth Quin course I’ve been doing.

    I’ve used paint, ink, collage, NeoColour II and pencil. It’s dying overnight and I’ll keep working on it tomorrow after work.

  • Mark making & Cy Twombly

    I have always loved the work of Cy Twombly, with his expressive gestural mark making and scratchy lines. It’s not what I create, but I love seeing it. Pen Kirk and I were talking about that the other day, that for many artists what we like to view is not the same as what we create. Which is not to say we don’t love what we create! Anyway…

    I’ve been doing a course from Marabeth Quin called Mixed Media Collage and the Intuitive Landscape. I’ve been working on the 4 larger pieces from the second part of the course and I’m struggling to finish them so have put them aside.

    Last night I grabbed an art journal and was playing with layering and mark making … and boom! Suddenly there was a combination of my old mark making, which I’d lost at some point, and a new visual language that’s emerging thanks to the course. I can see hints of Cy Twombly and the Abstract Expressionists and that makes me happy.