Another print discipline entirely

I have been solely making linocut prints for several years now, with an ambition one day to be able to produce etchings again. I kept on seeing printmakers using craft presses (such as Sizzix) for budget etching presses, and I already had a selection of potential plates to use for a design - from copper and zinc to Tetrapak and drypoint /collagraph card. I still have my steel point and burin from art college, and a few tubes of intaglio ink. I found that a local craft shop had a Sizzix press so decided to take the plunge. It sat on my desk for a long time but I gradually collected relevant things towards printing (small felt blanket, piles of mount card off-cuts to pad the plate out under the roller). I decided to make my exchange print for this year as a drypoint, so found a gap in the busy schedule to start drawing a local stone wall onto the 10cm square copper plate with a chinagraph pencil, then to draw carefully into the plate with my steel stylus.

I proofed it when I was happy - unfortunately with the inks that I have, and maybe the pressure still not being right on the Sizzix, I can't seem to get the deep black that I want for the shadows.

However, I was inspired to try green instead of black, this made perfect sense as the wall is mossy and surrounded by leafy plants and trees, and it is this version that is in this year's International Print Exchange in Derby and all over the world.

Over the last couple of months...

I've been working on a new landscape linocut for a year, it kept taking a back seat for various reasons but I finally finished it. I've written a long piece about it on my Substack, which you can find here. I submitted it, and the alternative version of the decorating kiln at Gladstone Pottery Museum, to the Derby Print Open and I'm happy to say that both got accepted! They have been delivered to Banks Mill Studios (using a local train service again which I love to do!), and the exhibition will be on throughout June.

I've been trying to think of ways of making my working practice easier this year. I've already produced a sub-par linocut for a challenge, it was a waste of time in the end I think, but I'll be very glad indeed if anyone ever takes a shine to it. I give in to these challenges far too easily when I don't really have the time to do them. However, there are three things that I have already made in some sense that can be used for three events over the next few months. One will involve fishing out the blocks for my only multiblock linocut, another will involve sticking my neck out and getting an existing large linocut framed, and the other will make me figure out the packing for my craft press so that I can finally print a drypoint plate that I made years ago for the Green Door Studios International Print Exchange, and at last send it in! More news on all of these soonish, hopefully.

Bring Me Sunshine fundraiser linocut

Estuary Dawn Linocut Print

For the first time this year, I am taking part in the Thought Press Project, a charity fundraiser involving 100 printmakers. I had heard of it before, but only really discovered what it was all about when one of the organisers came onto the Printmakers Chat Discord to promote it, and gather some more participants. The theme this year is "Bring Me Sunshine", inspired by the Morecambe and Wise song, and it can be interpreted in any form of printmaking. It's also aiming to be as accessible as possible to prospective buyers, with the price of each work of art being kept deliberately low - some below £10, and very few exceeding £40.

The two charities that will benefit are organisers Edible Rotherhithe, who provide creative learning opportunities through both gardening and printmaking sessions in schools, and Place 2 Be which helps school children improve their mental health and wellbeing across the UK.

The challenge was launched at the beginning of February, with all prints to be in London by the end of March. The limited editions of 10 hand-made prints have been listed on the shop as they have arrived, and have already been raising much needed funds.

Composite image of printing process

I chose to make an A6 - sized linocut, roughly 10cm x 15cm, in an edition of only 10. It's based on a photograph by a friend which I have used for two other linocuts previously, of a view across Ostal Bay in Argyll and Bute, Western Scotland. I'm happy to say that my fundraiser linocut is now available!