Green Man

I've been going through my piles of old artwork lately in a 'use it or lose it' sort of way. Today I've been trying out a bit of green. Not sure about it on this large collagraph print... But I did like how the colour worked when I tried it on the Topiary Tragedy postcards which I made at Uni (my homage to the wonderful Edward Gorey). It's brought them to life more, I think. They are a set of 12. The rest are on my website now if you fancy taking look...

Close to home...

I have work at two local venues this month...

StoryKeepers and Rabbitmen are going to be on show during an exciting evening event curated by the Good on Paper magazine as part of the Stroud Fringe Festival. 

On my Facebook page I have posted info about the other local artists who will be there (their work looks amazing).

And

Dotty O'Bracket and friends are in the Letter as Art printmaking exhibition at the Museum in the Park, Stroud. The PV is on Sunday 7th August at 5pm. During the day I am helping to run a 'drop in' family workshop which should be fun. The university have lent us some fabulous large wooden letterpress type to print/play with...

Once Upon a Time...

I have a book in an exhibition at UWE library at the moment along with lots of others by members of the Artists Book Club. I am running the club this year at UWE along with another Kate (Bernstein).

Once Upon a Time... is a double sided concertina book made up of collagraphs. Each tower has the king on one side and the princess on the other with the suitors riding between the two. It's about 12ins x 6ins when closed. You may recognize the characters. They are cut out from some of the (many) proofs/experiments I had  left from making the Journey Home print.

'Pilgrimage' exhibition, Gloucester Cathedral

It was the private view of the Pilgrimage exhibition at Gloucester Cathedral last night. There was a wonderfully varied response to the theme evident in the prints on show. And what a fabulous space for an exhibition! Unfortunately it was a bit dark for taking photos.

The start of the exhibition also marked the official opening of the IMPRESS PRINTMAKING FESTIVAL.A month long celebration of printmaking in the area.

I entered a new collagraph in to the exhibition

Checkmate   

(image size 41x30cms)

20:20 Print Exchange

Later this month some of the members of the Gloucestershire Print Co-op are taking part in an annual Print Exchange with other print workshops round the country. I decided to take part this year.
Each artist produces an edition of 25 prints each measuring 20cm x 20cm, [paper size]. In return each participant will receive a portfolio of 20 randomly selected prints from all over the UK and Ireland. Last year 585 artists from 40 print workshops created 14,625 prints.

Instead of making a new print one of my options was to use a little etching which I made on the 'Introduction to Etching' workshop at uni last year. The print wasn't that exciting - it was my first ever etching after all. Inking it up in different ways didn't really improve it, so then I experimented with colouring the print with watercolours. Painting prints seems to be frowned upon by purists but it really brought this little etching to life. Enough that I thought it would be acceptable as my contibution to the exchange. I printed and painted the edition of 25 over 2 days last week and I've just finished numbering and signing them ready to send them on their way. Now I'm looking forward to seeing what prints I get in exchange...