Finishing work before going overseas for 2 months

As I am about to to Europe for 2 months I am desperately trying to finish a number of small projects I have been working on the past 4 months. I have also managed to achieve some well etched solar plates and am very happy with the prints pulled from them. Above are some photos of these recent works.Hopefully while I am away I'll gain lots of inspiration to pour into new work when I return.

2012 - An Overview

I'm feeling somewhat guilty that I haven't posted anything for months. So here is a wrap up of the last few months.

Travels

I have done quite a lot of travelling this year.I've been to London (just before the Olympic Games) and Israel. Of course,I made sure to visit a number of galleries, exhibitions and workshops.
Some of the standouts were:

• A visit to the Print Library at the Victoria and Albert Museum where I was able to view and handle freely magnificent prints by Albrecht Durer and William Blake.
• Spending a day at the Tate Modern
• Viewing the complete "Vollard Suite" by Picasso at the Brittish Museum.

•  Getting close up views of magnificent old illuminated biblical manuscripts at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.
• A very special visit to the Jerusalem Print Workshop (which is housed in a wonderful building from the Ottoman Empire) and a guided tour through the workshop with the director, Arik Kilemnik.

Arik Kilemnik, Director, Jerusalem Print Workshop

 

• Spent a weekend in Hobart and went of course to the extaordinary MONA. Loved the watercolours by Balint Zsako.
• In December, went for the day to Sydney with my son, Joel to see the Francis Bacon exhibition and the Dobell Drawing Prize.
• Spent 3 days in Tokyo recently. Visited the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Crafts Museum and the exquisite Museum of Ukiyo-e which is housed in a traditional private home.

Watercolour by Balint Zsako, MONA, Hobart

Lacquer Screen - Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo

An Overview of my Artwork and work with the Firestation Print Studio this Year.

This year I took part in the following exhibitions:

• "After Image".Inspired by the painting schools of Southern India, particular the Royal Palace Painters of Jodhpur, I created the collogragh/collaged work "Garden of Eden".

Krishna Lila c.1765 (detail) Mehrangarth Museum Trust, Jodhpur

"Garden of Eden" Collagraph/Collage

• Members of the FPS were invited to create a design for an Ex Libris. For most of us this was the first time we had designed one. Although we didn't all meet the strict criteria for Ex Libris, we really enjoyed the challenge.

"Ets Hadaat" (Tree of Knowledge) Ex Libris for Factor Family Prayer Book.(Etching)

• The Firestation Print Studio celebrated its 20th anniversary with a large retrospective exhibition.

• For the "Think Pink" Breast Cancer Fundraising exhibition I reworked a woodcut that I had originally done in 2005. I titled it "Fabulous at 50".

• For the Firestation Print Studio "Summer Salon" I entered 3 collagraphs and one etching. The artist Robert Clinch came to judge the entries and I was awarded a prize for my large collagraph.

Girona - collagraph (Winner "Best Collagraph FPS Summer Salon 2012) 

"Ets Hadaat" (Tree of knowledge) - Etching/chine Colle/Hand Colouring.

• The Firestation Print Studio ran its inaugural "Artisan Fair" in conjunction with the Summer Salon.

Open Studio with prints for sale.

I have been very busy this month at the Firestation. I have just completed a collagraph for the Firestation Print Studio exhibition "After Image",for which artists have been asked to create work inspired by a particular artist, style or school of painting.  Having travelled in India earlier this year, my inspiration for this piece has been the paintings of Rajasthan (in particular those from the Royal Court of Jodhpur). In my print titled "Garden of Eden" I have tried to recreate the stylized, flat shapes of the trees and plants which typically appear in the Jodhpur paintings. I have also tried to incorporate the vibrant green colours used by those artists.I have made a number of tree/plant stencils from cardboard and have also used coloured tissue paper as chin colle in some parts of the image. As a first attempt at this style, I'm quite pleased with the result.There are a few technical issues that I would deal with differently if I were to make another print. I think I'll probably attempt a couple more in this style as part of a series on the Garden of Eden.
Also, this month, as part of our Open Studios and exhibition  "The Artful Line", I gave a talk titled "Printmaking Demystified". My idea was to pitch the talk at people, who are not artists, but who are  interested in understanding the broad range of printmaking techniques. The talk was held in our print workshop and so as I was talking, fellow artist, Margaret Manchee was able to demonstrate pulling a linocut image as well as the inking up and printing of an etching. The exhibited prints in the gallery also gave people the opportunity to view different types of printmaking. The talk was really well patronised and from the feedback it seems that those attending came away with a better understanding of what's involved in printmaking.
After the talk, all the artists in residence opened their studios to visitors this was also well patronised. We hope to repeat both the talk and open studios later this year.

My travels in South India and Japan

I have recently returned from a month away travelling in South India and Japan. Kerala, South India was a gentle way of easing into the experience of travelling in India. The South is very lush, humid and exotic. The colours of the South are really vibrant. Although, not as heavily populated as other parts of India, there was so much to take in visually. I particularly loved the drive though the tea and spice plantations up in the hills around Munnar. Passing through towns and villages, seeing the local s going about their everyday activities was fascinating. The last few days were spent in in the noisy chaos of Delhi. Throughout our trip, I loved visiting the markets. The assault of vibrant colours was truly inspiring. In particular, I loved handling the magnificant, fabrics, saris, silks, scarves and shawls that are made and sold everywhere. I know that my art is going to be influenced by what I have experienced there.

We left the chaos of Delhi and flew to the eery , misty, snow covered expanse of Hokkaido, Japan for some skiing. The freezing weather, the sparsely populated countryside and the Japanese obsession with cleanliness were a total contrast to the previous weeks in India! However, we quickly adapted to our new pristine environment. I did not ski but managed some strenuous snowshoeing. I also managed to find a calligraphy class to attend. I wrongly assumed that I would have an advantage, being an artist. Actually, I found the brush technique for kanji quite difficult to grasp.
The trip ended with 5 days in Tokyo. I love the Japanese sensibilty for balance and design. I visited the Tokyo National Museum and saw the most beautiful kimonos, calligraphy and woodblock prints.I also bought some beautiful hand printed Washi paper Now that I am home in Australia again, I am sorting through my photos and am already feeling inspired to take a new direction with my art.

The Artful Line Exhibition at Stonnington Town Hall Office Foyer

When I tell people who are not artists that I am a printmaker, I can often tell from their reaction that they don't have a clue what a printmaker does! Trying to explain to them in a couple of sentences is almost impossible. The ideal explanation would involve showing them a variety of samples of different printmaking techniques as well as a demonstration in the studio as to how to ink up a plate and pull a print on a press. Obviously,that rarley happens. However, I am pleased to be currently showing a couple of collagraphs in an exhibition in the office foyer of the Stonnington Council Chambers entitled "Ther Artful Line" which is exhibiting a range of different print media by members of the Firestation Print Studio accompanied by definitions and explanations of the various techniques such as dry point, aquatint, lino cut, woodblock, collagraph etc. The exhibition will continue into February,2012. After that, the Firestation Print Studio committee will consider promoting that exhibition as a touring/educational exhibition. The exhibition could also be hung from time to time in our own gallery as a way of educating visitors about Printmaking.

In the gallery on the last day of the exhibition"The Print and Narrative"

I am one of 17 member artists participating in an exhibition titled " the Print and Narrative" being held in conjunction with IMPACT7  International Printmaking conference being held in Melbourne this month. The theme of 'the Print and Narrative" has been explored by the artists who each produced an edition of 22 prints using a variety of techniques such as etching, aquatint, linocut and collography.My contributing image, "First Lesson", has been inspired by old illuminated biblical manuscripts.  Each artist will receive a boxed set of all 17 artists' works. A boxed set of prints will also be presented to the City of Stonnington, Monash University and the Print Council of Australia. Works displayed in the gallery will be available for sale.  I would love you to come to the exhibition.Please see details above.