DAW 2016

It has come around again, Dorset Arts Weeks and once more I am fortunate to be exhibiting in the chapel at Othona West Dorset.  Its always a most enjoyable event meeting so many visitors who have a genuine interest with art and so many questions.  Not to mention the wonderful cream teas on offer.

In front of my most recent prints

Canvases by Mart Tebbs

Towards the rear of the chapel

Small Print International

I recently submitted three prints to the Leicester Print Workshop's Small Print International Exhibition and was fortunate enough to have all three selected.  The prints had to be no larger than 100 square cm, an interesting size to work to.  They also had to be an edition of at least 6 prints, thesse I di as an edition of 8.  They can also be brought online via Leicester Print Workshop. The exhibition will be touring to six different locations around the country during the next year.  A great opportunity to see a range of exciting prints.

Away

Splay

Zenith

 

Printmakers Council at Fifty

Last year the Printmakers Council celebrated its 50^th Anniversary.  I have been a member for the last five years and have been able to participate in a number of exhibitions organised by the group.  Last year to celebrate the anniversary the Council organised a number of events to mark the occasion.

These included the publication of a book, ‘Making an Impression’, an Exhibition at the Bankside Gallery and a mini-print portfolio.  I had a print accepted for the mini-print portfolio (shown below) this was exhibited at the main exhibition and then 2 copies of the edition of 5 were included in presentation portfolios that are now held in the collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. The prints all had to be within a 19 by 14 cm image size.

The organising committee worked really hard to activities which helped demonstrate the vibrancy and variety in contemporary printmaking in the UK.

Rise

Drawings for a Cathedral

Last year as one of The Ten Group of Artists, I was able to exhibit some new drawings within Guildford Cathedral.  Our graduation ceremony for the Fine Art degree we all completed in 2010 took place in the Cathedral so the venue was the ideal place to celebrate the fifth anniversary in an exhibition called appropriately Quinquennial.

We decided to make new work for the exhibition inspired by the Cathedral itself.  My drawings took the theme of the Seven Virtues and the Seven Gifts of Spirit, encoding the words themselves and meditating on their meaning.

It was an interesting experience to research the venue and then exhibit there and the Cathedral's team were very supportive of our work.

Guildford Cathedral looking towards the Altar

Panel with my Drawings

Hope

Faith

Justice

DAW's Open

After 6 months hard preparation Dorset Art Weeks started yesterday and we opened the doors at Othona to our exhibition 'Glimpsing Wholeness'. I am lucky enough to be exhibiting again at this venue along side four fellow artists, Tiernan Philpott, Elizabeth Sayers, Robin Shaw and Mart Tebbs.

Like the last event two years ago we have converted the chapel and adjoining library space into a gallery to show our work. It makes a wonderful setting and gives an opportunity to show a number of works rather than just the usual 2 or 3 at most exhibitions.

Yesterday we had over fifty visitors on a damp drizzly day so with the sun out we are hopeful for a few more today particularly in the afternoon when the cream teas are available as well.

View towards installation in chancel

Opposite View

Two of my large drawings flanking tryptich by Edward Robinson

Open Spaces

Mottisfont Abbey is a National Trust property near Romsey in Hampshire.  A few years ago they converted unused upper rooms into a gallery and since then they have been showing a range of interesting exhibitions.

This month they have an exhibition called Open Spaces, which includes one of my recent larger screenprints.  This is an exhibition of selected works from an open submission, the selectors were, Tim Craven of the Southampton City Art Gallery, Jo Bushnell, the Director of the Aspex Gallery in Portsmouth and Alex Hoare the Arts Development Officer at the Test Valley Borough Council.

So I’m really pleased that one of my works was selected and will be on show from 28^th September – 17^th November.

Further information at Mottisfont Abbey

Imaginary Site I

A Bit of Play Time

Recently I have been experimenting with a new set of screenprints.  Three different drawings, layering over each, in different orientations and different colours.  This is always a fun way to work as such different results can be achieved in a short amount of printing time.

The hard bit is afterwards which are the most interesting results and where to go next.

The photo below shows some of the results in the studio.

Photo: S Eyre

 I then did a montage of them just to see what that would be like.