Apparatus — Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize 2026

A wonderful evening at the private view of the Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize 2026 in London. It was a real pleasure to see my drawing Apparatus hanging among such an extraordinary and wide-ranging celebration of contemporary drawing.

Apparatus is part of a developing series of drawings inspired by memories of my schooldays at Robert Gordon’s College in Aberdeen during the 1970s and early 1980s. Made with scratch dip pen and diluted gouache, it draws on recollections of physical education, school discipline, institutional architecture and the peculiar rituals of school life. As with much of my work, memory provides the starting point, but imagination soon takes over.

The Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize is particularly interesting because of its wonderfully broad interpretation of what drawing can be. From the most delicate and intimate observations to ambitious, experimental and unconventional approaches, the exhibition is a reminder of just how inventive and vital drawing continues to be.

It was also lovely to catch up with fellow artists Annie Cattrell, Heather McAteer and Susan Absolon. One of the pleasures of these occasions is the opportunity to reconnect with friends and colleagues, often after far too long, and to discover what everyone has been working on.

Many thanks to prize founder and director Anita Taylor, along with everyone at Trinity Buoy Wharf and Drawing Projects UK, for bringing together such a fascinating exhibition. The selection and installation must have been quite an undertaking, and it was a privilege to have my drawing included.

The exhibition was open at Trinity Buoy Wharf, London, from 17 September until 4 October 2026.

Further links

Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize

Annie Cattrell on Instagram