Artwork
Inspired by Outdoor Swimming & created by
Robbie Hudson
Robbie’s artworkS, PRINTS AND DRAWINGS visually describe DIFFERENT landscapes AND THE VISCERAL EMOTIONS EXPERIENCED THROUGH COLD WATER IMMERSION…
Currently living in Bratislava, Robbie was raised in the English Lake District and spent a great deal of his life in the Scottish highlands.
The oldest of The Wild Swimming Brothers, he holds 4 world-swimming records and has been nominated for 3 WOWSA (World Open Water Swimming Awards).
Rob first started using water for inspiration when he swam the 9-mile length of Lake Ullswater - his favourite lake in Cumbria. From a young age he’d wondered how it would feel to swim it from end to end. Then he secured an artist bursary award from VARC (Visual Arts in Rural Communities) and finally completed this ambition. He then used the experience to create a series of abstract pieces. In this series he experimented with geometric symbols that referenced the visual cues of the landscape, as well various physical and psychological aspects of training.
“I believe that in order to see and represent a subject in a unique visual way, you must first earn a new perspective from which to look from. I enjoy exploring the link between extreme physical exercise and creativity.”
In his work, Rob experimented with different forms and ideas of journeys to structure the series. He traces a line through a landscape and follows that course to experience a place physically, mentally and emotionally. He then maps this journey artistically.
Literature, art and travel are important influences in Rob’s life and work. He also focuses on rewilding processes and the protection and preservation of the natural world.
Rob’s artwork has been exhibited in Berlin, London, Newcastle, Kendal, Istanbul and Toronto. His work has also featured in private collections throughout Europe, the US and Australia.
SWIM WILD ILLUSTRATIONS
Rob created this series of illustrations for Jack’s book about the Wild Swimming Brothers (Swim Wild). These are rough copies offering an idea of the style he eventually chose to match the narrative. These include a map of the Corryvreckan, three hand drawn portraits of the brothers and digital sketches of lion’s mane jellyfish...
ARCTIC SEA SKETCHES
In 2016 the brothers travelled into the Arctic Circle and completed two swims across the Moskstraumen and the Saltstraumen - the two most powerful maelstroms in the world. These maelstroms had never been swum by anyone before. For the longer 8km distance of the Moskstraumen, the boys spent 2 hours and 22-minutes in the icy water. These drawings are records of this experience…
GREEK ISLAND SKETCHES
Rob finished several sea swims around the Greek islands of Paxos and Anti-Paxos. The warm water was a welcome change from the cold Arctic. At the end of his swim, Rob sat down to sketch. He then used the water to manipulate, blur and shade each drawing...
LAKE ULLSWATER PROJECT
These large circular and square canvases were exhibited during Rob’s solo show at Kendal Museum. They are structured and inspired by the 12km/7.5 mile swim he completed in Lake Ullswater - backed by a bursary award from VARC (Visual Arts in Rural Communities). He then created this series of evocative artworks to describe the experience…
REINE HARBOUR SKETCHES
Finally, here are Rob’s early morning sketches of Reine Harbour in the Norwegian Lofoten Islands - where the waters are lined with stilted rorbuer (fishermen's cabins), seahouses and drying racks. Rob finished these sketches during the Into The Maelstrom expedition…
