Racing Lines
Art by Maxine Dodd
Operation I –
Posted on March 30, 2021
I made this image during the first lockdown. It was part of a series I called ‘Hospital’, inspired by news reports and documentaries shown through the early stages of the pandemic, when the crisis was acute.
I was struck by the depth of concentration that was still visible through the smallest glimpse of their faces and the lighting reminiscent of paintings from centuries before. It felt profound and evocative.
Earlier this year, I decided to enter the painting to the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour 209th exhibition.
I was over the moon to receive the email with the first word, ‘ CONGRATULATIONS’ at the top! My painting was accepted and will travel to London for the show in May.
Throughout the crisis, one promise I made to myself, was to visit London to see my favourite galleries as soon as they were able to reopen.
This impossibly long list, includes the National Gallery, both Tates, the Courtauld, the National Portrait Gallery, the Wallace Collection and the Mall Galleries.
Never in a million years did I think that my first visit will include a show featuring one of my own pictures!
What a joy it is? I am so excited and overwhelmed. I can’t wait to visit!
Hospital – 2
Posted on May 16, 2020
At the start of the Lockdown, the BBC were allowed to film the staff and patients at the Royal Free Hospital in London, a huge hospital that specialises in contagious diseases. The resulting footage was made into two special programmes called, ‘Hospital’ which were broadcast on Monday and Tuesday – Week 8 of Lockdown. The drawings and paintings shown here are based on images from these films.
‘It’s so hot in there, we can’t take a drink with our kit on’ – Staff on ICU, BBC 2’s ‘Hospital’ – Sketch 1
This trio of images were from the first programme where the healthcare nurses were able to film in the ICU, wearing chest cameras. This particular scene took place with the words of the staff explaining how difficult it was to work whilst wearing the essential PPE.
The basic complaint was the overpowering heat. How impossible it was even to take a drink whilst wearing their kit.
Staff were hot, and stressed.
‘It’s so hot in there, we can’t take a drink with our kit on’ – Staff on ICU, BBC 2’s ‘Hospital’ Sketch 2
These words are on first sketch. The second sketch shows figures only, just trying to get them right.
The final piece, essentially a full painting with watercolour, ink and gouache, shows the ward’s water dispenser in the distance – literally and metaphorically a long way off.
‘It’s so hot in there, we can’t take a drink with our kit on’ – Staff on ICU, BBC 2’s ‘Hospital’
These drawings and paintings are my inadequate but heartfelt tribute to all healthcare workers and carers, for the NHS and care homes.
They are all, quite simply, brilliant.
Thank you.
Stay safe and stay well
‘Racing Lines: Le Tour’
Posted on May 22, 2015
Hello! I’m in the process of choosing work for my exhibition which opens at the end of June. Over next few weeks, I thought I would run a series of posts featuring some of the pictures that you’ll be able to see. This first collection is based around the first four stages of last year’s Tour de France, set in England and France. They are linked thematically but I’ve grouped them also because they were made in a wide panorama format. I love this paper because it ‘pushes’ the composition to an extra width and reduced height that a conventional landscape paper doesn’t give. See what you think! Here are the drawings:
RideLondon 2014 – At last!
Posted on August 15, 2014
Hello! Well this has been a delay and no mistake! Let’s just say that it’s been one of those weeks and maybe leave it there! But with my apologies and hope that you can remember RideLondon if you were following last weekend. The event saw two wonderful days’ racing, with the women competing in a really harum-scarum dash round London, with a great win for Giorgia Bronzini who held off World Champion Marianne Vos. On Sunday, the men followed the course – just about- of the Olympic road race to Surrey to London, but in appalling conditions at times, with so much rain that the course had to be amended for safety reasons – Another deluge! Still, the sun shone later and another fantastic dash to the finish saw a great win for Adam Blythe held off fellow Briton Ben Swift to cross the line covered in mud! Here are my drawings :
RideLondon 2014 – very excited!
Posted on August 9, 2014
Hello! A great new cycling event took place in London last year, RideLondon engaged the whole cycling population of the city with races for amateurs and professionals alike. This weekend sees the second running and after the success of the Tour de France in Yorkshire, Cambridge and London in July, the Capital is going to be buzzing! Here are a few of my drawings from 2013 as a reminder – more to follow of course!:
Diving High
Posted on August 6, 2013
Hola! The World Championships for Diving and Swimming took place recently in the spectacular city of Barcelona. It was a great return to the pools used 21 years ago for the Olympics in 1992. A breathtaking outdoor location for diving, which was phenomenal! Here are my drawings:
Another great day
Posted on August 9, 2012
Another great day of sporting excellence. No medals for Team GB but still wonderful performances by all athletes. Drawing so many sports makes for a different challenge from following one. For example with diving, I had to show the progress of the dive in the one drawing. It is two views of the same dive. Here are a few impressions some of the day’s incredible variety of sport.
A bit late to the party…
Posted on August 8, 2012
But what a party? The Olympic Games has been wonderful so far – a delight. I’ve been drawing on and off since the Games started, but a bit late posting to say the least! I hope better late than never. There’s so much happening, it’s impossible to cover it all but I will do what I can. Here are some drawings to start with from an amazing few days in London.
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