Re-purposed prints

I've been having a sort out; loads (and I mean loads!) of old prints. What to do with them?

I've got a great book about Barbara Rae's printmaking. In it, she describes cutting up old/experimental prints and collaging them back together to create new ideas.

A bit of mono-screenprint helped to kick start things,

cutting and experimenting,

playing with wash backgrounds... and discarding elements, cutting up more prints...

'Spring Woodland' 30x30cm, intaglio and screenprint collage

...and then this woodland fell into place.

Wotton Gallery had an open submission exhibition coming up and I sent this off. How lovely to now hear its going to be included in their 30x30 Exhbition, opening very soon.

Open gardens

Avening village had an open gardens afternoon on Sunday - what a treat it was to see the beautiful spaces people create - some of them gave Chelsea a run for its money...

Always a privilege to see the gardens at Avening Court opened for the day...

Time to wander home after the enjoying the shady wisteria at the Highwayman's cottage.

a minor gale and a sketchbook

Last weekend I left the house in some very undecided weather conditions - black clouds against blue skies and a gusty breeze. As I got to my drawing spot the breeze had turned into a horizontal gale accompanied by very brisk drizzle.
I sheltered under a tree and the dog huddled by the wall and I promised him I would do a quick sketch.

A few minutes later - Its intriguing just how much weather conditions can affect drawing. I have to admit that I didn't purposely draw all of these marks. The minor gale did its work in lifting and buffeting my sketchbook against my pencil.

The wind 'drew' some lovely free lines which descibed the view very well!

A mark-making treat, but I won't be wishing for more bad weather.

Sketchbook - wave watching

We've just had a fabulous week in Cornwall, couldn't have asked for better weather - great sketching time!

One sunny, but windy, day on Constantine Beach the surf was really up and the waves were crashing into the rocks. The 15 feet high 'splashes' cried out to be drawn; something I hadn't attempted before.

It was great fun to draw. Amazing how the wave rhythm became somewhat predictable - I could concentrate on splash patterns. In fact so much fun I had another go...

...sitting closer this time! Of course the waves weren't so big for the rest of the week but I'll look out for big waves again.

I've added a new sketchbook page which will build over the next few weeks. You'll find a couple more Cornwall drawings there.

Etching process - Weathered effects

Here we go... my biggest plate yet! From sketches made on the spot to the final print..

Some of the sketches used as reference -
sketches provide the feel and the memory as well as a record of details such as the pitch and tilt of this lane.

Photographic reference shows the location but was not very helpful in seeing the undulations of the weathered, worn away surface. My amateur photography can flatten a view and disguise the original interest in a place.

Proof stage 4

Successive layers of open bite sugar lift and stop out resist provide structure and shape.

Its good to see I could go bigger than this plate!

The following close-ups show details - the plate has had a few more dips in the ferric. Further stop out washes and some combination aquatint and spit bite aquatint dips. All in the name of definition. Aquatints have been kept to a minimum to maintain a crispness in the final image.

Layers of open bite textures give the ground its worn, trampled and rain channeled surface. The multiple layers aim to hint at years of exposure and time worn impact on the lane.

Proof stage 6 - the plate looks much richer

Weathered and worn etching 66 x 44 cm

The final print achieves much of what I was hoping for, I'm really pleased that the layers of sugar lift allow each mark to survive each bite, and build up a sense of time having passed on this lane's surface. The print is now on show at 'Alchemy', Museum in The Park, Stroud.

Printmaking magic - Alchemy opens

The Gloucestershire Printmaking Co-operative proudly presents 'Alchemy'! Museum in the Park, Stroud, 10th March-26th April.

All members of the Co-operative were asked to present work for the exhibition; the Museum had the final say over whose work was hung. I'm very pleased that the lovely people there liked my offering - you'll find my latest print 'Weathered and worn' on display, below at the nearest end of the wall.

The work on show is a really great mix of diverse approaches and creativity. Hope you can visit.

Last days of the exhibition

Its been a very good couple of weeks at Wotton Gallery, I'm very appreciative of all those who have taken the time to visit. There has been lots of positive feedback which has been very encouraging.

 The exhibition enjoys its last full days on Saturday and Tuesday.