Grabado Nova Galicia 2010

 

 above: CD of the Catalogue for the 2010 exhibition. 

My work was not selected. I submitted 2 medium sized prints.  I noticed that most of the selected pieces were at the full printmaking paper size e.g., 100 x 80 cm , or thereabouts.  I really do find it a physical conundrum i.e.,  submitting larger works for these more prestigious exhibitions.  Most of my works (and especially the larger ones) are unique ( i.e.,  "non-editioned".

In the period 1999 -2001 - I did submit to a couple of big exhibitions such as Trois Rivieres (Canada) and another in Taiwan or China.  The prints, when they were eventually  returned were  pretty wrecked, and more or less just fit for the bin.  I would love to have other print makers comments on this dilemma ?
Maybe I should just send large ones,  once again  and see how it goes this time around.

What was a unique experience, for me,  with Caixa Nova Galicia, was that the organizers took the trouble and expense to send me a catalogue (not sure whether the catalogue they sent me was a full version - as it is quite slim).  Perhaps they are working to a tighter budget on this occasion.

I say this bearing in mind the usual standard size,  one would expect from a host such as this.  These people are like one of the biggest bankers in Spain/Europe.

BELOW is my winner of this competition.  I am never sure whether technical skill is held in higher estimation as regards criteria by the selectors but this piece stood out to me.  I mean art has to be interesting and meaningful more than anything?!........and  I would have thought -  thereafter technical merit?

 

 

Here is a LINK to a report on the event.

I found this on Caixa Novas Social website and translated it from Galician.

Incidentally I have a fondness for Galicia as I have exhibited there on 2 separate occasions.   Boy - they sure treat artists with respect over there AND  we were very well received and looked after.....when I exhibited there with the Riverside Artists group from London. 

Looks like R.A.G. have just had work in an exhibition in Beijing ( !!!).   Typical - that not that long after I have left London something unusual  in terms of exhibiting comes about ! -   I wonder if any of them went over there?  

I did receive a lovely Christmas card from my dear friend Maire Gartland, who along with me was a member of R.A.G. from way back when.  She seems to no longer have a website?  I have two of her -   artworks on my walls.

Footnote: unfortunately  Jabier Herrero does not seem to have a website either - bah I was looking forward to having a look at some more of his artworks. !!

The Opening of the mouth from the Book of the Dead

This exhibition has been on since last November at The British Museum and finishes soon  i.e., the 6th March 2011.

If I could and I was going to be in London - I would love to go along and have a look round this exhibition. 

I have always loved the Egyptian art of the Pharaohs.  Particularly the symbolic aspect the rituals the strange terms such as "The Opening of the Mouth" which is whats going on in this image.

However I am very fortunate in that my dear friend Linda Haslam brought me the publication from the British Museum about the book of the dead so I am able to look through that whenever I feel like it.  Thanks again Linda !!

Link to the British Museum

Dog and a Chair further development

I think I have posted this image on here previously - having worked on it further I had to conclude that maybe i should have left it as it was ..............  here are some images of the progress (as such!)

I  think this was how the proof looked after I added some Lascaux, acrylic hard ground so as to superimpose the figurative element which you see on the left.  I made sure I thoroughly degreased the plate before applying the acrylic - otherwise as I now from experience it WILL not 'adhere' to the plate surface.  After it dried I scribed into it to delineate the face and so forth...........

This shows the scanned proof of the plate with the dog n chair onto which I tried a few drawings I had on my files using Photoshop - I decided this 'skiing angel' as I refer to it, would look best.

I amended the proof )the first one visible in this post) and then endeavored to delineate it more strongly by scratching into the metal, with the drypoint too..

Here's the plate - onto which I added the Lascaux acrylic hard ground, you can see where I scratched into it, once it was dry.

This is a proof with the mouth area scratched dark but I decided I didn't like that after all, so its as seen in the first image above.  The amount of proofs I took of this little monkey is out of all proportion to the importance of this( just as a print )  but ho hum....you know what it is like when you get a 'bee in your bonnet' about "fixing"' a print you just ain't happy with.!!

Galway International Mini Print 2011

I received an alert from Facebook today,  informing me that some photos connected to me,  were viewable on a link.   I checked  it out and was pleased to find that   -  someone there,  had had the good sense,  to take  a few shots, at the recently held private view.  This being in relation to
the Galway International Mini Print Exhibition, which was organized by Lorg Printmakers.  I don't know as of yet whether this is something they have previously hosted etc or if this is the first one. 

 
Apparently the show was officially opened by someone called "James C Harrold"  (?) last  Saturday  and will run until the 26th of February, 2011.
An International Mini Print Exhibition - "it showcases a selection of miniature prints from some of the most promising international printmakers". it features work from eight countries.

(PLEASE NOTE  click on the Facebook link below to see more photos taken at the private view/ exhibition)

The selected artists:
From Ireland
Aisling Bradley,  Killian Dunne,  Tina Gaffey,  Joan Gleeson,  Aoife Layton,  Mo Levy and  Jennifer McCauley.

      

"David and Paleocene" by Killian Dunne

From England
Chris Davis and Terry Gravett.


From Poland
Lukkasz Cywicki. 


From New Zealand
Antonia O' Mahony.


From Argentina
Hilda Paz Levozah and Graciela Silvera.


From Scotland
Aine Scannell.


From Brazil
Pires Godinho Jussara Tereinha.


From Japan
Kouki Tsuritani.


From Australia
Cleo wilkinson and Sandra Starkey Simon.

Lorg Fine Art Printmakers Ltd,
Workshop and Gallery
Unit 8 & Unit 7,
Ballybane Enterprise Centre,
Ballybane,
Galway

lorgprintmakers@gmail.com
http://www.lorgprintmakers.com

http://www.facebook.com/lorg.printmakers

Nightmare on Inkjet Street -- finally seeing the light

I am going to attempt a quick post as I am feeling in celebratory mood - its only because I managed to print out one 'chine colle sheet', using the upright paper input feed.  Nowadays I put a sheet of ordinary copy paper underneath the Japanese paper I print onto.  I must say that this paper which I purchased from Falkiners Fine papers (London) is not as opaque as the previous batch.  What I have done to ameliorate this,  is paint the underside of the printed out sheet, once its dry, with a thin layer of white acrylic.  Seems to work OK-  although I'd rather it was just more opaque.

Anyway - I am feeling pleased about having had success with the Epson 2400 printer,  as on so many occasions it has refused to accept the paper.  Mind you on those occasions I was using the rear feed input tray and also the front input tray ( which were the more correct input points for the 'media types' !!).
Unless you have to contend with the 'cantankerousness' of these kinds of digital printers - then you can not appreciate the stress and frustration as well as disappointment that is very often involved.  I imagine there are many people who imagine that inkjet printing is a piece of cake - well it certainly isn't.  Its a major 'pain in the butt'!!.

After I had printed the Japanese sheet - I thought OMG I better do a printout of my "Tar Baby Come Out to Play" - while the Gods of inkjet are smiling !!!  So I did one of those - I also revised it and I feel improved on the previous version.  It's very subtle what I have done but I think it improves it.  Of course it will have the intaglio emboss element, added to it and then will be finished.

Same goes for the second one I printed,  which is called "Healing Chamber"  I have this one on my 'screen saver' on my computer and I really love this piece - it's one of my favourites.

I also managed to get some Lascaux acrylic wash resist, applied to a copper plate which the wonderful Bill Mc Kechnie at the FDPW print workshop, helped me apply an spray aquatint to, last Thursday.  I didn't have any red wine to add to the mix once it was painted / daubed onto the surface - and I COULD NOT find the tannin I made up ages ago and bottled.  I will see how it comes out when I put it into the ferric chloride at the workshop tomorrow.

I haven't got time to scan the excellent  instructions I came across in a book the mobile library woman brought to me last Thursday.  It shows how to do marbling using hard ground and a tray of water.  I am hoping to do an experimental day soon at the workshop with my good chum Angela Heidemann, and look forward to trying it out.  I will definitely post the article on here as well as document how myself and Angela get on.  Better get to bed now as I want to try to get up at a civilised hour in the morning to get to the print workshop.