Wednesday 17 July 2024

Artist (who is isolated thru' ill health) decides to voice her thoughts, reflections and so on - to herself and others

 It has been so long that I seem to have been 'stuck' stunted' etc etc. that is, with regard to my creativity. 

I guess, for me,  it all changed vis a vis the Pandemic.  At the beginning we all called it the Virus or Covid-20.  When we became aware of it through the radio but mainly TV....................I suppose it seemed like we would all just have to 'put up' with 'staying at home' full time.  Part of me couldn't help but think well now you all know what it's like living my life.  

I have been 'housebound' for several years now.  Maybe since about 2016 - it's hard to know the date exactly.  But I know I stopped being a full time member of the print workshop at that time and that's a surefire indicator.  

Until the time that the 'covid virus' came into being I used to work away creatively in my small printmaking studio here at home.  I would select certain printmaking Biennials/ Triennials etc and make submissions to those.  I would tend to do at least say 5 or 6 a year.  These were mainly abroad in Europe and further afield.   Participating in these exhibitions  required less energy/ physical effort....something which has become increasingly important among my considerations.  



One of the last print exhibition I was in was

 The 11th International Triennial of Small Graphic Forms Vilnius 2020

The more energy I expend doing art related activities never mind actually printmaking-in-studio - the more lower spinal pain I experience.  The other important factor is that whereas in the past I could attend eg a one day course in printmaking at eg DCA ( and it was best if I could go along with my friends Sheila or Tatiana ). although I would be utterly shattered - I would 'recover' the following evening and  be flat out the next day.  Then the next day I would be my usual normal pained self.

For me it meant I could, when successful, have the opportunity to have my artwork in exhibitions and often there would be documentation of the artworks in-situ including my own.  In addition to this I selected printmaking exhibitions to submit to that created and printed published a catalogue with all of the works exhibited.  To me this was like a document celebrating the event and it definitely had significance to me.  The other thing which is/was particularly important for me, is that I didn't have to send the work already framed and 'ready to hang' .  Instead I could send the prints in a rigid cardboard tube or if smaller - it could be sent in an A4 or A3 cardboard  folder package.

Having said all of the above - things have now become worse - in that now I have become increasingly fatigued at doing very little.  For example tidying up my work surface in my studio - whereas it might take me a couple of hours a few years ago NOW I need a couple of days.    I have to really take it slowly or I could overdo it and have increased pain.  

I decided to rejoin the print workshop about 9 months ago.  It was in February and I went along on the Thursday.  Charlie took me there and carried my A1 portfolio in and set me up at a 'work station' so to speak.  I had decided to keep my movements around the workshop to an absolute minimum.  I had my 'rollator' with me, to walk around with.  I went for about 4 or 5 weeks in total.  sometimes in succession other times with a one-week gap in between.

I was very pleased that I met a (new-to-me) person called Malcolm B.  I found him to be an interesting  intelligent person and helpful too - which of course I very much appreciated.  What I also liked was that he was 'into; using Andrew Baldwins', BIG etching ground.   Less toxic than traditional etching ground and the solvents (eg White Spirits) needed to clean up afterwards.  With the Baldwins 'ground' one need not use solvents and it was/is possible to do a range of techniques using it.  One thing that I had hoped to do with Malcolm was the photo etch using a toner copy eg photo copy or laser print.  It never happened in the end Malcolm was busy working on something or other so that by the time he was free I had by then "fallen into disrepair".      



Tuesday 4 January 2022

Testing new posts - especially whether an email notifying new content on blog is sent to subscribers

Well the last post on here was to do with the International Print Exhibition in Wrexham and how I would love to have been there for the opening and particularly to see all of the other  artwork.  If this works I will do some 'catch up' on here.

NOTE for those who are unaware Blogger/Google notified us 'bloggers' that the "Sign up by Email" function was to be 'scrapped' after June 2020 or possibly 2021?  There was to be no replacement!


Re losing Feed burner  Follow by Email”....


The impression I get is that followers who are already on my 'RSS email Feed' list - continue to receive email notifications whenever I create new posts on my blog.

HOWEVER the gadget for "Follow by Email" is no longer visible in the column to the side of my blog.  I double checked by going to my dashboard and then 'Page Layout' and clicked on 'Add a Gadget' ------Alas-------"Follow by Email" is no longer on the list of gadgets.  


Anyway lets see...........

I am pleased to report that through the excellent research and advice offered through https://sofanmax.blogspot.com/2021/10/followit-to-replace-feedburner-follow-by-email-widget-in-blogger-for-free.html.   I was able to register with Follow.it. and thereby enable those people who wished to subscribe, to do so.  This was/is at no cost........ 


Just doing a further test so will resume posting on here soon. 

Wednesday 1 May 2019

Z is for Zea Mays

I have known about ZeaMays for a good few years now.. I can't remember what it was that first brought me onto their website.  Established by Liz Chalfin, in 2000, Zea Mays Printmaking, is a print studio in Florence, Massachusetts, USA.   

So it's a place where you can go to do some printmaking or go see an exhibition.  You might also go there to learn specifically about non toxic printmaking OR to do one of the excellent printmaking courses they run there with some really good artists.  Another thing they have established is an 'artists residencies' programme.  It's a pretty large detached building with four floors and a basement.  To me it looks like it might previously have been an old mill or a factory or maybe a storehouse.

One of the things I particularly like about Zea Mays is the research they undertake and publish on their website.     More on that later.  They have a members gallery on their website too,  as all good print workshops should do, in my opinion.  Here are a few pieces I have selected from there:



"The Things Between us"   photo-intaglio and watercolour 22" x 30"
Liz Chalfin - her website










"Nearly No. 1" monotype 7 x 5.5 inches
Monotype by Tekla McInerney so subtle......







"Rudimentary Water #3" which is a woodcut monoprint from her Rudimentary Water series


Love how she is using the woodcut block in her mono prints - when I originally saw these, I thought they were watercolor monotype or just very transparent monotypes

8 x 8 inches.   artist. Joan Dix Blair of ZMP

Getting back to the research that goes on at Zea Mays.  It's so hard to select from the list of things that they have done...BUT... I have gone for the 'quest' to find 'solvents' to use with Akua Intaglio inks, in monotypes.  As I have made the 'changeover' to using these inks, of course this little research project, would invariably interest me.  
It disappoints me, you know, the amount of people who are so against even trying these inks, as they are an absolute 'gift'. 


1. test proof, using diluted washing soda crystals

They think that they wont be 'as good' as the traditionally used oil-based etching inks. But these inks are just as good, it's just a question of becoming accustomed to using them.


I have to admit here, that I purchased the 'Akua Kolor' inks in the first instance and I did find them difficult to use.  They are a lot more fluid than the Akua Intaglio inks.....I think maybe one needs a bit more patience and persistence with them. By the way they are also referred to, as Akua Liquid Pigment.  They are mainly 'designed for use in monotype printmaking.  Speedball(USA) own the brand nowadays.

Here is a delightful monotype by Nancy Doniger a ZMP member. check out her website

Working with Akua enables the artist to have a lot more time to work 'creatively'.  I can illustrate this by giving an example.  Let's say I am inking a plate that is say 50 x 70 cm, whereas using oil based inks would have taken about one and a half, to two hours - using Akua intaglio inks only takes me about half an hour. Clean up is water based and so so easy.  I can't wait to try this out myself.


3. test proof, using diluted washing soda crystals


I have long admired the print works of Joyce Silverstone.  In some pieces she achieves this  dynamic sense of space, in others such as this one, there's just something, that very much appeals to me.  Among other techniques Joyce sometimes combines lithograph, relief print with monotype and some 'trace monotype'.  I get the sense that she is a really good teacher from the course descriptions - Here's her website

 This piece is by Anita Hunt who is a formidable etcher and a 'whizz', with the 'spit bite'.  I first came across her work on the previously mentioned "Interaction" networking platform(now defunct).  In fact my friend Tatiana and I, participated in a collaboration for a print installation called Rabbit Saves the World"which was held at  the Impact6 Printmaking Conference held in Bristol U.W.E., in 2009



"Dissolution I" drypoint and spit bite aquatint 9 x 9 inches
Check out Anita's website

This piece looks like it might have been created using watercolour monotype, although maybe not?......It's by ZMP member Anne Burton
She does not seem to have a website currently so check out her work and many others on the Zea Mays members galleries website




Oh and before I forget, apparently one should not combine washing-soda-crystals with aluminium. So bear that in mind if you try this.  I'll use a polypropylene plate possibly a textured one - I like how it's grain-like-texture 'holds' the ink.


This is the final image within the pages about Solvents for Akua Intaglio Inks, within the RESEARCH section of ZeaMays website

https://www.zeamaysprintmaking.com

Sunday 28 April 2019

X is for Xing, Xu, Xiuhua, Xing, Xiao, Xinping, Xianqiao, Xin Lu and Xuewu

Wow that's a mouthful of printmakers names from China.  I have long admired printmakers from China.  Quite often the works will be done on a large scale using relief printmaking and the majority of that will be woodcut.  Having looked at these works in printmaking catalogue books it will be obvious that these have been painstakingly undertaken over several weeks to months, they are really impressive.





“Illusion Dream” woodcut by Zhang XiaoChun 100cm x 70cm
Link to information on him further down




















“June in Southern China”  by  Zhou Xing  47 x 50 cm
Link to information on him further down
There are some Chinese printmakers that I have come across - which I wouldn't have known about, had I not participated (following submission and selection) in, International   Printmaking Biennials such as Yunnan and Guanlan, in China.







reduction woodcut by Zhang-Xiaochun
While perusing through some of my printmaking catalogue books I've encountered some very impressive pieces.   However the 'specifications; of the pieces I have particularly liked,  have only had the name of the artist given in Chinese characters so of course, as I don't speak or read the Chinese language its impossible for me to try to find further information about them on the Internet....which is so disappointing and I think that's such a shame.  

"Girls Covering Theirs Faces". lithograph  58 x 48cm  by Su Xinping (link further down)


It would have been quite nice had I been able to get in touch with them through their website.  

Come to think of it that would be useful for them as well as then other people from the art/printmaking world could contact them about featuring them in exhibitions books research and so on.


Silkscreen By XuYi Jian Mei  (no size given)


The other thing which I must apologise for is that with some of the artworks there was no title or no technique given or no indication of size.

I would imagine where the size is not indicated that the prints will generally be approximately be about 50 x 70 cm or larger.

woodcut by Xu Chengchun (no size given)



I really liked this as it seemed somewhat progressive beyond the landscape portrait - although the 4th and 5th do seem to fit this category also .  Its my favourite so far but its a shame that it has hardly any details AND that the image you see here is as large as it gets.

Couldn't find a website either.
























"New Moon Spring". by Xin Lu 
that name doesn't seem substantial  enough either.



Another print by the artist who made the first print shown at the top of this post namely;  Zhou Xing. No technical details available.









“Clear Mountain Stream” by  Zhou Xing  47 x 50 cm
Link to more on  Zhou Xing
The same goes for this piece by Zhang XiaoChun - his is the second print down from the top of this post.
Here is a link to some more info on him on this website. 








reduction woodcut. by Zhang XiaoChun


Woodcut by Su Xin Ping- I like how 'disconcerted' this image makes you feel.
As a visual artist Su Xinping works with oil painting, lithography, etchings and woodcuts.
Over the past couple of decades he has also established an international profile.  I like his surreal take on things and commentary from the old China to the new China.

Here is link to more about him /his work





















"Classical No.2" silkscreen by Zheng Xuewuale

I hereby include this print in a gesture of  protest....



It's very disappointing to say that I could not find one single female printmaker from China....












this is by a non "X" artist
Li Hongren lithograph and embossing.

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