I wish the weather would turn. We’ve had nothing but sunshine in Wales and it is beginning to weaken my focus, resolve and discipline.

The allures of a residency in a remote-ish part of the country are the solitude, the excuse of not having a very good signal, and the distance between myself and my studio life. The ability to put reading and writing front and centre feels both luxurious and stressful.

Unlike previous residencies, I am not tethered to a teaching or process schedule, or the need to make work. I miss the tethers already.

I have now read the books and articles I’ve set out to read for this journey. Today begins a series of exercises outlined in ‘Writing for the Design Mind’ by Natalia Ilyin. This book came highly recommended to me by several writers, academics and artists: a useful and practical guide designed to help those in visual practices to articulate better.

As well as writing about sustainable, inclusive printmaking practices, I will be setting aside time each day to complete an exercise, moving through the book step by step. The goal is two-fold: develop my writing style so that I can communicate better, and develop a daily habit of conscious, thoughtful writing that I hope will continue when I return to London. I feel optimistic about the former, less so of the latter.