Etching Hepworth

Since finishing the MA at UWE I've been without the facilities to etch copper - its been like losing a chunk of my character, etching had become part of who I was in quite a significant way during those 3 years. But all is now rectified as I have joined a local print making co-operative. Its so exciting to making plates and printing again.

To start me off I used the back of an old plate cut into smaller pieces. This is a 'no pressure' way of getting going because the copper isn't precious, and sometimes there are some juicy marks already on the plate that add to the new image.

First stages of small prints based on the sketch book drawings from my last post, 'Inspirational Hepworth'. The shapes are wonderful to work with.
There is a beautiful surface to Barbara Hepworth's sculptures and the subtle colour varies depending on the material she uses. Whilst colour is usually a scary prospect for me I decided to try some top rolls of (subtle) colour.

I'm not sure the grey/lilac works, but it was exciting to see the white flashes that appeared where my open bite had etched really deeply.
They could stay like this... but I'm going to try some other colour ways, and maybe a burnished aquatint in the background.
I'll keep you posted.

Its great to be etching again!

Inspirational Hepworth

I was fortunate enough to be able to visit the 'Hepworth Wakefield' with my half term Study Visit.

This stunning building was nominated for the recent Stirling Prize. It is built into a weir, and generates all its heating from the water rushing past its foundations. The structure and forms are very unusual - I suspect Hepworth may have had something to say about it! The play of light and shadow is very effective.

View of the river running past the gallery, and below, the weir from inside the gallery

 

The Gallery spaces are large and light and purpose built to show off working maquettes and finished Hepworth sculptures

The sculptures were crying out to be drawn, and proved to be very inspirational forms

 

 

Combined inspiration from an exhibition in Leeds, and a Hepworth sculpture

 

The first two pages are currently being translated into etchings, hope to show you on the next post.

 

My visits to galleries in the Northern Cities was a real eye opener, the architecture is stunning and the exhibitions are hard to beat. We will return to see more.

The First Cut - Manchester Art Gallery

Last weekend I took a group of Sixth Form students on a tour of galleries in Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool. We had quite an itinerary and saw some truly amazing shows. The galleries in this area have clearly benefited from large investments, and have employed outstanding curation teams.

Manchester Art Gallery's 'The First Cut' was such an exciting and inspiring show that I would urge everyone to somehow go there and see it. Most of these photos are from the main gallery space on the top floor, but pieces are displayed throughout the gallery. Further pieces are also on display at the Museum of Costume. We were blown away...

 

The works shown portrayed the best of radically innovative and imaginative creativity that exists in the contemporary art world.

Andy Singleton

The scale of some of the pieces was just astonishing, the piece, above, was the full height of the gallery space.

Mia Perlman
miapearlman.com/CUT_PAPER/cut_paper

The hours and hours of commitment behind the pieces was awe inspiring, we had huge respect for the craftsmanship behind the creation of such beautiful work.

Nicola Dale
http://www.nicoladale.com/the-making-of-sequel.html

All made from paper and books.

The creative hanging meant that you can wander through this copse of gently rotating 'trees'.

Manabu Hangai

Go, soak up the beauty, be inspired.

October Walk

My new altered book project is providing the opportunity to follow up ideas, marks and themes tentatively explored in the past

 

 



Thinking as drawing, exploring and experimenting, thinking out on the page.

Mark making - gently erasing

Birch wood, graphite, gesso, electric sander...

Mark making magic!

Sketchbook - a familiar place

I didn't do too badly with my 'sketch a day' challenge. I limited the challenge to the school holiday, knowing that with the best will in the world I would not get out every day once the organised chaos of the school year started. Over the 6 week hols I missed just two days, and only twice had to take shelter from the rain to draw, although some days I had to time my drawing quite carefully!

As the days went by I found myself returning to a couple of spots to draw more than once. It became an intriguing thing to do, what would I look for on each occasion?

This is a familiar place that I drew 4 times, the sketches are starting to provide a much fuller picture than my photographs can...

surface

structure

 

focal point

 

light

Changes in light and mood, the influence of the weather, building memory. Building blocks for future work.

 

 

Altered Map Book

I've been invited to join an Altered Book group; a lovely way to broaden ideas.
My book has been made out of old ordnance survey maps ... an 'Altered Map' maybe... there's another idea there...

front cover details

 

page 1

page 1 - detail

mark making,

tracking,

making marks,

tracing,

leaving marks

 

page 2 - purely experimental

exploring,

experimenting,

layering marks,

creating marks,

experimark

 

page 2 - detail

This book is on its way to the next artist, can't wait to see what I get to work on next...