IMPRESSIVE INSIGHT

Insight Printmakers at the cosy and welcoming Wotton Gallery this wekend until 22nd March.

We're having a launch event on Saturday 1 - 4pm, you'll be very welcome!

The gallery has been hung very beautifully by gallery staff  Belinda and Cate, a huge thank you to them for their talented support.

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.

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.

Notes for an exhibition

Recently I've been spending quite a lot of time on my biggest print to date, getting it ready for the Wotton Gallery show.
The print I was about to make was to be 66cm x 44cm - the preparation needed to be thorough to make sure I wasn't going to spoil the wonderful expanse of copper and it all started with drawing.
I find it useful to make notes when I am out and about making preparation drawings. I've turned my most recent jottings into a bit of creative writing (I call them word walks) that will be shown beside the big print. Here are my notes shown with the sketch created at the time. It helped me remember what I saw and felt when I was in the place that inspired me and I hope it gives an insight into the creative process for the viewer.

top of the lane, clear blue skies

   hard ground; quite a frost

     ice on the puddles

      dog claws scratching on the surface of the earth

          what am I going to be looking for today?

             process - surface rather than the view

           the way place is made / making the surface of the plate

                                  surface more worn as winter moves on

                              rain washed gravel - channel of gravel

                      I’ve decided to stop and draw here  

                          hands are starting to get cold, nose is freezing

        hat and glove day

                               surface damage - ankles twisting against the lane

                                                         surface shapes stretch across

                                                        a drawn swoosh where water drains

                                                           drawing following tyre tracks

                                            descriptive marks - quicker, and looser

                                           slope up or down or across, tilts, falls away

                                             dark across the middle, working the graphite

                                               sharp little points - precise detail and distance

                                                       pencil is quicker than my brain

                                        dog reminds me of the time - give him a biscuit

               dark - with the direction of winter sun, making a deep mark

                                                         snakes down

                                        line drawing now – mostly tonal before

                                   contouring the channels that the water has cut

   gouge into the paper - stone and harder edges, frozen frosted earth

                                                    water damage, weather and wear

                                                  - ends of fingers starting to ache

                                                                        time to go home

                                    let’s call this sketch ‘water damage/frosted’

The final print and words are shown together at Wotton Gallery, exhibition open for one more week. 

Walking, drawing, etching - exhibition opens

My exhibition in Wotton-under-Edge opened last night with a sociable crowd of friendly arty faces. The Gallery was dressed and prepared beautifully by Gallery Managers Belinda and Cate; I am very grateful to them both. The detailing was superb, right down to the white jugs brought in with catkins to compliment the wintery monochromatic feel of my prints.

Wotton Gallery has a lovely ambiance and provides a warm welcome to all its visitors. Thank you to all who came last night and if you're planning to visit I hope you'll enjoy the show.

http://www.wottongallery.com
Wotton Gallery, 42 Long Street, Wotton-under- Edge, GL12 7BT
Opening Hours: Tuesday - Saturday, 10am - 4pm (closed Wednesday afternoon)
Tel: 01453 845286

Exhibition preparation

I've been so busy preparing for my exhibition at Wotton Gallery that I have rather neglected the blog.
I will have lots to show everyone soon though!

The poster was designed by the gallery manager with the help of her talented son, one of the students at my school. If you're in the area we will all be very pleased to see you.