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.
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!