Local Printmaking Exhibition - "Alchemy"

Ann with her work "Mystical Waves" at the Open Studio Printmakers "Alchemy" Exhibition at the Hornsby TAFE Gallery September 12 -20 2013.

From the Studio

Lots happening at the studio on Friday, but not much of it recorded due to flat batteries on the camera :(

Lisa printed from her plastic templates (above). These will later be formed into 3D cubes.

Lisa's prints

Vivien has completed her reduction lino cut

Louise also printed an edition of drypoint portraits - photo next week.

Works in progress

Last Friday we had a special viewing when John brought in some of his "Snow gum" series - works in progress.

Artwork copyright 2013 John Crawford

The works above are reduction woodcuts using more than one plate. They're looking wonderful already so we're all keen to see the final results.

Also from Friday's studio were:

Bird drawing for monoprint by Michelle

Collagraph by Judith

Monoprint with collagraph by June

From the Studio today

Michelle printed her bird collagraph in Indigo ink with excellent results

Helen's linocut "Mini munchers" - great use of pattern here

Frances tried some leaf monoprints with maiden hair fern, wattle and jasmine

Lindsey printed her drypoint portrait of Woody Allen

and Vivien inked up a second plate, to add orange to her reduction linocut.

From the Studio

Collagraph plates by John Crawford

Last Friday saw a lot happening in the Studio. John brought in some collagraph plates (above). These plates are made from mountboard. The finished prints (below) show considerable detail and texture.

Artwork copyright 2013 John Crawford

The following three photos are from a demonstration of registration techniques by John earlier this year:

John demonstrates registration when several plates are used.

Judith prepares a plate for a monoprint

One of Judith's monoprints

June continues work on her dragonflies (collagraph)

Michelle considers the colour palette for her next series of birds

The background is printed with a woodblock, and the image printed with a drypoint plate

One of Michelle's collagraph plates (with carborundum)

Vivien adds another colour to her reduction linocut.

Towards INDIGO - August 2013

Vivien at work on her reduction linocut

Vivien's work table - interesting!

John holding up a print from a solar plate by Frances

I’ve Got the Blues - The INDIGO Blues... by Michelle Mabbott

Sometimes “blue” is a state of mind, and I am in that internal landscape at the moment, as I deal with another week of endless hospital corridors, elusive doctors and a hungry multi-level, money sucking parking station. Sometimes the daily frustrations can lead to expletives, and the air, as they say, turning a little “blue”!

As my thoughts turn from blue to INDIGO blue, I am, whenever possible, mentally designing my next print plates. I'm enjoying The Press Gang blog that Frances has skillfully created. It’s become a little art lifeline for me, voyeuristically espying, the glorious efforts of June Lord’s rich and lavish gold and indigo botanicals. (June “she who plays with leaves”, as my daughter Samantha fondly describes her). I peeked at Helen’s quaint character outback birds on a textured setting, as opposed to her delightful wading birds, bringing a coastal theme to life. Judith and Heather are also hard at work, and I can’t wait to see their finished prints.

I sorely needed a culture fix this afternoon, so popped into Wallarobba, just in time to see some of the HAS Members' Exhibition as it was being taken down.  Tucking wee Chester (Mum’s dog) under my arm, we enjoyed seeing several prints of our group and associates. Marianne Vidal Potts and Juliet Holden’s work, Ann Condon’s outer space with Astronaut, (that I had witnessed in development - see photo below) and more of Helen’s coastal series. This rounded out a very good art show, by including printmaking amongst all the other mediums. 

Whilst there, I met a new member and was able to explain the term “collagraph” to her as she wanted to understand how these effects were achieved. She told me about the inspiration behind her artworks, and methods. 

I felt artistically "refreshed", and even though I know my own designs are at present only pipedreams, I will finish them one day. In the works are Satin Bowerbirds, my daughters playing out a social statement, a nocturne, and recently a collagraph of a peacock feather, all in glorious blue. 

As well, I’ve been actively researching printmakers efforts using blue, and accompanying colours that make blue sing. I now have a good pile of these samples to share with the group very soon. Until then, I’m singing the blues!

Michelle  7/7/2013


and from the HAS exhibition...  

 "Spheres Series" 2013 collagraph, by Ann Condon

  "Date Frond" 2013 etched lino, by Ann Condon

 "Lipstick" 2013 drypoint, by Ann Condon

The above images copyright 2013 Ann Condon