Print Out Exhibition

26Jul09

I have curated an exhibition of work by the professional printmaking team at the Regional Print Centre, Yale College, Wrexham.

You can view photos here

I’m really pleased with the exhibition, which showcases work by 6 printmakers (Don Braisby, Nichola Goff, Allison John, Frances Carlile, Pam Newall and Heather Prescott).

Don’s work explores his investigations into the process of Saline Sulphate etching. His almost zen-like images play with elemental symbols, creating a series of prints which use burning colours and simple shapes.

Nichola has also been experimenting with process in her new series of etchings and Gum Arabic Lithography prints. Using an old immersion tank Nichola created copper plates which had an element of history to them already. She then transferred photographic images onto the plates and used these as a ground to etch. Although some of her experiments are still in development, she has successfully created images which are almost silhouettes, hinting at stories which we only see a snapshot of. We are left wondering what will happen next, there is something of the end of day, past times, twilight. The half light where we can only see things on the horizon, where details become invisible. Her work is very atmospheric and it will be interesting to see where it goes next.

Allison’s work also explores the layers of time. A series of mixed media prints explore the changes that have take place at the old Brymbo steelworks, a place that was once a forest in prehistorical times, then became an industrial landscape, before the demise of that industry under Thatcher. Alison is looking at the decay of man’s endeavors as nature claims back the land and buildings.

Frances Carlile has brought something of the sense of narrative to her delicate and subtle work. There is an element of loss and isolation, which is echoed across most of the works in this show. We are not sure if there is to be a happy ending but in the meantime the idea of having the rug swept from under your feet is evoked. Two small series of etchings and linocuts depict lone creatures in a sparse landscape and the motif of a house is depicted in various states of exposure, destruction, and sanctuary.

Pam’s work has elements of inhabited spaces now empty. A shed, the seafront at Morecombe. A subtle use of colour implies bygone times and her use of photographic imagery means that although often uninhabited her work acts as a portrait of persons unknown.

By contrast Heather’s work is in many ways more traditional. She presents here a series of mixed media prints which utilise primarily the qualities of relief printing. Her work draws on personal history and also has a social agenda. Her work would make good illustration for narrative in the tradition of John Lawrence.

Related articles

• Goya & Gillray – etchings exhibition (backtotheworld.net)
• Mezzo Cammin: An Online Journal of Formalist Poetry by Women – Featured Artist (womensphilanthropy.typepad.com)
• Learning About Printmaking From Picasso (johntravieso.blogspot.com)
• Relief Printmaking (morcanttod.wordpress.com)
• Getting Back into Printmaking (so many things to buy)! (calliegarp.wordpress.com)
• Print Exchange and New Sculptural Works (melindacrowther.wordpress.com)
• Evan Hecox “Dark Island” Painted Newspaper Prints (hypebeast.com)
• Color on Linocuts (artonthepage.blogspot.com)
• The Baltimore Contemporary Print Fair at BMA (newamericanpaintings.wordpress.com)
• Nature’s Architecture Inspires and Informs: The Prints of Julia Talcott (bostonartimages.wordpress.com)

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Filed under: Art and Life: so often one and the same, Exhibitions, Projects   |  1 Comment
Tags: art, Etching, linocut, Mixed media, printmaking, Relief print, Visual Arts, Yale College