THE START OF A NEW PRINT

I’m about to embark on a new print and have decided to record the process here on the blog. I’ve been given a commission to create a print that reflects my local Medical Centre. The initial design stage is always interesting, what to putin, what to leave out etc. now the bit I always find tedious preparing and transferring the image to the lino.

Image one shows the final working drawing, image two is the drawing reversed and ready to be transferred on to the block in the old fashioned way of scribbling on the back of the drawing wit a soft pencil and then going over the lines with a biro. When the image is on the lino I’ll have to go over it again wit biro as it is the only marker that will not come off when the block is being cleaned at each print stage. See what I mean by ‘tedious’!

Image reversed for tracing.

The original image.

'WAVES' A NEW PRINT

A few months ago I decided to be a bit more ‘spontaneous’ in my approach to my next print. I felt that my work was becoming too pre-planned and risked losing that sense of serendipity that is be part of the printing process; the cutting and printing of the block was becoming, essentially mechanical exercise. To this end, after a few initial pencil marks on the lino, the rest of the ‘drawing’ was done using my No. 12 blade as the reduction stages progressed. Of course, working in this ‘spontaneous’ way inevitably resulted in me making many ‘spontaneous’ mistakes. What was supposed to be a single block reduction print using 7 colours, ended up as a 3 block print with so many overprints and reductions I lost track of the number of colours and hues used!

Based on a very old 5 x 4 photo I took years ago on a Greek island holiday, the print measures 30 x 40cms. Printed with T.N. Lawrence oil based inks (using vast quantities of reducing medium) on Bristol Board, ‘Waves’ is in an edition of 12 - having lost 3 to ‘spontaneous’ mistakes!

A NEW PRINT

I’ve finally finished my latest print: ‘A Common Snipe’.A combination of Christmas and the New Year as well as my inability to work for more than a few hours at a time has meant that it has taken well over two months. The print measures 30 x 21cms. and is printed in fourteen reductions as well as a second block and tissue masks. As usual I have used Lawrence oil based printing ink ( with a lot of reducing medium), printing on to Bristol Board.

Now for something a lot simpler and much more spontaneous!

THE GREAT PRINT EXHIBITION 5

This incredible exhibition opened at the Rheged Centre in Penrith on the 6th December and will run until March 2020. With over 70 printmakers’ exhibiting and more than a 1000 framed and unframed prints on show, the exhibition has launched this new beautiful gallery at the Centre.

The preview evening crowds were entertained with a ‘conversation’ with Anne Desmet, Anita Klein and John Pedder during which they described their motivations and practice.

Having my own work in such exalted company meant that one glass of wine at a time was not enough!

THE GREAT PRINT EXHIBITION No.5

I’ve been invited to take part in the ‘Great Print Exhibition No 5’ at the Rheged Centre in Penrith. Opening on December 6th and running on until March 2020, with over 80 contemporary printmakers exhibiting, it is currently the largest print exhibition taking place in the country.

I shall be showing 8 framed and 10 unframed prints ranging from ‘A Slash of Red’ to ‘Super Fairy Wren’

ILKLEY ARTS 'DRAWING IN' EXHIBITION

Ilkley Arts are holding their latest exhibition at the Solar Gallery at the Manor House in Ilkley. Commencing this weekend, 9th Dec 2019, it is entitled ‘Drawing In’. I suspect that this was supposed to reflect the season, as the days get shorter - and we start to hunker down around the fire. I didn’t really have many prints that obviously reflected that theme so I decided on a bit of interpretation.

My three submissions are ‘Drawing In’ - line, - tone and - colour. They are all reduction lino prints done in Lawrence oil based inks on Bristol Board are titled:

‘Chair on the Stairs - Sunnybank Mills’.

‘Pied Wagtails at Linton Falls’

‘Gannets - from Bempton Cliffs’

I leave you to determine which image reflects the appropriate emphasis! Do get along to the exhibition if you can, the quality and range of work is excellent!

A NEW PRINT.

I've just completed this lino print of a 'Treecreeper'. A ten colour reduction print, it also involved so 'partial' printing and, in the end, overprinting with a second block to tone down the tree bark. Measuring 26 x 20cms, it's printed in Lawrence oil based inks onto Bristol Board. I saw this extraordinary little bird in the woods above the 'Strid' near Bolton Abbey.

THE WEAVERBIRD GALLERY ILKLEY

A range of my work will be on show at the Weaverbird Gallery throughout October. Covering a wide range of subjects, the exhibition also reflects prints done over the last 10 years. Get along there if you can over the next few weeks!

THE GREAT NORTH ART SHOW - RIPON CATHEDRAL 2

The Great North Art Show is now open to the public! I was a little disappointed by the number of printmakers exhibiting although the overall exhibition is, with one or two exceptions, of a very high standard indeed. The work of four linoprinters’ is on show, my own, Sarah Cemmick, Holly Scott and Gillian Tyler.

Sorry about the quality of some of the images, blame the preview wine!

Ripon Cathedral

Exhibition space in the nave.

Exhibition space

Mike Smith

Gillian Tyler

Holly Scott

Sarah Cemmick

THE GREAT NORTH ART SHOW - RIPON CATHEDRAL

This year’s GNAS opens on Saturday and runs for most of September.The nave of Ripon Cathedral is a fantastic venue for this is always beautifully curated exhibition which includes a wide range of the two and three dimensional work of over 60 artists. I will be exhibiting six framed prints as well as having other work in the ’pop up’ shop.

Do come along, the exhibition is free to enter and is open every day.

‘Wildflower Meadow - Upper Wharfedale’ is one of the prints I will have on show.

A NEW PRINT

I’ve just completed , ‘A Splash of Red - Arctic Terns over the Norwegian Sea’. A ten colour reduction linoprint, it is based on the trip we made up the Norwegian coast during the winter of 2018. The terns endlessly followed the ship and I was struck by the red of their beaks being, at times, virtually the only strong colour in a bleak seascape. I was also intrigued by the backdrop confusion of ship wash and waves against which the terns almost disappeared ; making their contribution to the apparent chaos.

'LIGHT 2'

The second part of the’Light’ exhibition opens this weekend at the Solar Gallery in the Manor House in Ilkley and my prints will be on show. Unfortunately the gallery is only open over weekends as it has to be staffed on a voluntary basis. Do go along if you can, it’s a very good exhibition in a superb space (that’s worth a look for its own sake)!!

Ilkley Arts 'Light' Exhibition.

Ilkley Arts are opening an exhibition based on the theme of ‘Light’. The exhibition will be in the Solar Gallery at the Manor House in the centre of the town and starts on Saturday 20th July.

These are the three prints I’m hoping to show. From the left, a view of the Marine Lake on the Dee Estuary at West Kirby, Ullswater, and Crosby Beach on Liverpool Bay.

ILKLEY ART TRAIL 2019

After a year’s pause to get its breath back the massively successful Ilkley Art Trail is making a triumphant return over the last weekend in June. Featuring an enormous range of mediums, ceramics, sculpture, jewellery, textiles,painting and printmaking, the trail reflects the depth of skill and range of over 50 artist/makers in this region.

Centred upon Ilkley’s medieval manor house, the trail uses 24 venues in and around the town, most of which are well with walking distance of each other. You will be able to see my work in the Ilkley Playhouse in Weston Road.

Look out for the catalogue of artists and map of the venues in shops, pubs etc. around the area or from any of the venues which will be clearly signposted.

All the venues are free to enter and they will be open from 11am. to 5pm. on 28th to 30th of June. We look forward to seeing you!!

Many thanks to my wife, the artist Julia Keates, for the use of one of her collages as the basisof the accompanying poster!

A NEW PRINT

I’ve just completed a 10 colour/hue reduction linoprint of this character. Called a ‘Dipper’, I saw him on the R. Wharfe at the point where the beck that runs down from Hebden joins the main river - near the foot suspension bridge. I’d never seen one before and managed to capture a rather ‘fuzzy’ shot on my phone. He’s been tidied up and made a little more presentable for his debut!

Measuring 19 x 26cms, he’s been printed in Lawrence oil based relief inks in 10 reductions on Bristol Board. He can be found in the my website’s ‘Sea & River Birds’ folder.

WINGS OVER WATER

I’ve just received my copy of ‘Wings Over Water’, the latest beautifully produced compilation of printmakers’ work by Alan Marshall. I’m honoured to have examples of my work included along with such illustrious artists as Carry Ackroyd, Hester Cox, Robert Gillmor, Nick Wonham and many more. Differing from previous compilations such as ‘The Printmaker’s Cat’ and ‘The Elegant Fowl’, ‘Wings Over Water’ is structured around over 60 specific species of birds and Printmakers’ individual responses to them.

Produced by Mascot Media (www.mascotmedia.co.uk) this compilation represents the work of some of the very best contemporary printmakers working in the UK today and would be of interest to printmakers and ‘birders’ alike!

A New Print

‘NORWEGIAN COAST WITH ARCTIC TERNS’

I’ve just completed a new print based on our trip up the Norwegian coast to the Arctic Circle in February last year. Not having done this trip, or visited Norway before, we were surprised (and, at times, alarmed) by how close to the shore our 15000 ton ship would sail! Along the shoreline it would appear that any land inclined at less than 45 degrees was cultivated. The print is based on a field just north of Bergen that crossed the snow line. Previous preparatory harrowing of the land had left a regular and irregular pattern of snow and tractor marks which fascinated me. During the trip our ship was constantly escorted by Arctic Terns so I chose to include a flight of four!

Having included 13 reductions on my last print I was determined to make this simpler so kept it to just 6, although I did use 10 different colour hues! Measuring 30 x 40cms. it is printed in T.N. Lawrence oil based inks on Bristol Board in a limited edition of 10.

‘NORWEGIAN COAST WITH ARCTIC TERNS’

THE NEW SOLAR GALLERY - The Manor House, Ilkley.

A new gallery is opening in Ilkley. Called ‘The Solar Gallery’ , it is based on the first floor of Ilkley Manor House. A fascinating and beautiful structure built in the 17th century on the site of a Roman fort, it’s running was taken over recently by a trust and is now rapidly becoming a focus of the lively and highly talented cultural/visual arts scene in Ilkley. As part of this development the house’s solar has been turned into a gallery space.The first exhibition , which opens on March 30th. celebrates the two and three dimensional work of thirty members of the ‘ilkley Arts’ group and includes printmaking, painting, multi media work, ceramics and jewelry.For the moment the gallery is only open at the weekends from 10.00am. to 4.00pm. but the current exhibition will run until the 23rd of June.

I’m lucky enough part of the exhibition, showing my recent 13 colour reduction print of Eider Ducks.

If you’ve not visited the Manor House in recent years, do come along. I think you will be surprised and delighted by the work the trust has already undertaken and their plans for the future for this gem of a building!

The Manor House, Ilkley.

The Ilkley Arts Exhibition Opening Party.

My entry for the exhibition.

A New Print

I’ve finally finished my new print ‘Eider Ducks’. Based on personal observations and photos near the Farne Islands, it measures 30 x 40cms. and is printed on Bristol Board using T.N.Lawrence oil base relief inks. It’s a reduction linoprint using thirteen different hues/tones of colour.

I chose to bring the the female to the foreground for, although the male has a more dramatic plumage, I really wanted to emphasize the more subtle colouring of the female.

The print is for sale and details can be found on the Sea/River Bird folder on the ‘Birds’ page.

Many thanks again to Conrad Cookson who made the table top easel for me that has been a great help and to Keith Dickinson for his expert photographic help today!

Eider Ducks.

Easel 'y' Done by Some!

This is my good friend and ex colleague Conrad Cookson who has made a bench top easel for me. An excellent artist/photographer in his own right (check out his website www.conradcookson.com) he is also a superb craftsman. The easel will allow me to stand, or sit with a straight back, to do my work - doing it ‘all hunched up’ has become increasingly painful over recent months.

THANKS AGAIN CONRAD!