Exhibition Celebrations

 Due to various prior commitments the usual "Opening" celebrations could not occur until yesterday (March 15). Both the number of additional red dots that have sprouted as a result and people's comments were very reassuring.

Below are some images of the work in the gallery section to add to the photos I have previously posted of hung work. There is also an image of the contents of the glass cabinet in the foyer area, where I made a display of photos and objects that I have used as inspiration, together with visual diary sketches and some printing plate examples. These came in very handy as I tried to answer the inevitable questions at the opening, such as "How did you do that" and "What is a collagraph." 

The exhibition

 

Ready for exhibition

 

The exhibition work for Close to Home, is all sitting ready on my studio bench. Fifteen pieces are mounted and the rest, on paper, will be attached to the walls with magnets, making hanging much simpler.

The mounted works are on painted board and to protect them I spray them over and over again with a matt spray, then leave them out to dry, a slow and tedious task. This time I took some photos while the work was drying in the studio. The small ones are monotypes (image painted onto a board and then printed once) and the larger ones collagraphs (plate made of cardboard with shellac coating on which the image is made and which can then then be printed multiple times) or linocuts. Since I prefer variety to a lot of identical prints, I use different colours and then work on the print with pencil and watercolour later as well.

 

Close to Home

 

A few examples of the Close to Home work: 

Collagraph + watercolour + aquarel

Linocut + watercolour

Monotype + aquarel

Print collage

The theme of my current body of work is By the Sea. I have been working on this theme since 2019. There was supposed to be an exhibition of the work in 2021, but that did not happen due to Covid.

Now, mid-way through 2022, everything is finally complete and ready for an exhibition at the Firestation Print Studio from August 10 – 27th.

(Above - Paintings)

The work is a mixture of prints, drawings and paintings as always. The paintings are in oils and incorporate string. The drawings are simple HB pencil, worked up and back in layers, and with the aid of a pencil eraser. I did a series of small monoprints during our various Lockdowns and the other prints are collagraphs or linocuts incorporating watercolour or coloured pencil.

(Above - Collagraphs + linocuts)

Once again, the works are referenced from photos I take when out walking. Many of the references this time were from photos around Inverloch and Lorne.

(Below - monotype)

(Below - Drawings)