104th Stockport Art Guild Exhibition

https://www.stockportartguild.com/2026-exhibition

Bakers Vaults Drypoints

Here are a few more Drypoints prints I created last month depicting the Bakers Vaults pub. I have mixed the inks and used chine collé this time.

Spring Photowalk

Early on Thursday evening after work, I caught a 192 bus for a photo walk of approximately 1.5 miles from the start of Higher Hillgate to The Blossoms pub on London Road (A6).

My first notable place to visit was behind the back of the Strawberry Studios to view a plaque.

The Stockport Heritage Trust plaque read:

“Home to the band 10cc and used by many to create memorable music, including Joy Division, Paul McCarthey, Martin Hannett, Neil Sedaka, The Stone Roses, The Smiths and The Syd Lawrence Orchestra.”

Stockport Heritage Trust plaque at Strawberry Recording Studios

Along Hopes Carr past the Stockport Air Disaster Memorial, I spotted a cute piece of tile art.

Opposite is a large mural located on Hopes Carr and some collage street graffiti art

More colourful street art, this time on Canal Street opposite Hopes Carr.

I walked towards Crowther Street just as the sun was starting to go down. The street has been depicted by many artists, most famously by L.S. Lowry.

A information board is displayed at the top of Crowther Street which mentions the former long gone Crowther Street Mill and Workers Housing.

Covent Garden Cafe is on the other side of Crowther Street making my way back to Higher Hillgate.

The cafe was recently featured in a TV series called ‘Small Prophets’.

In the tv series you can just make out the abandoned metal structure in the background.

If you look carefully, you will see a fainted mural behind the structure.

Site of Tabernacle Club, plaque.

Plaque remembers ‘The Fab Tab’ music venue where the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Small Faces performed.

Located on Black Lion Passage.

Walking towards London Road, on the left is Oldknow’s House, Hatters Court. Home to cotton mill industrialist Samuel Oldknow.

The blue plaque reads:

“Built around 1740.

Samuel Oldknow, pioneer Stockport cotton industrialist lived in this house 1784-94.

Also the home of William Radcliffe who in 1802 invented the ‘dandyloom’”

Other buildings of interests are;

The Salvation Army building.

Royal Oak Brewery sign.

Street art on Virginia Mills building, Higher Hillgate.

After my short photo walk, I made my way crossing London Road towards The Blossoms, which is a Robinsons brewery public house to get some much needed refreshment.

The pub is cosy inside and has ornate stained glass windows. I sat in the Pool room and then was persuaded by the landlord to participate in a game of pool!

Cheers 🍻

St George’s church Mono prints

This weekend I have been working on some mono prints using St. George’s church as inspiration. I lightly soaked some cartridge paper in water and used oil based ink. Using cotton buds, ink dabber and a cloth to wipe away sections I wanted to be light. I then passed the inked acrylic plate through the press.

The third mono print was created by placing a photograph under the acrylic plate as a guide to map out the shape of the church using masking tape.

Print no.3. Mono print using a photograph as tracing

Eco Image Transfer mini prints

I’ve been working on a small series of Eco Image Transfer prints recently using Fabriano printing paper. I am using black & white and colour laser prints.

The size of the prints are roughly smaller than A6 (10.5 x 14.85 cm). One of my prints was experimental and consisted of trying to combine eco image technique and linocut. The layer of Lino print didn’t really allow the toner from the transfer to adhere to the paper and caused the transfer to apply a blotted effect. The toner has tried to absorb into the paper but the oil based ink seems to have blocked the print from fixing. I found smaller detail like the aeroplane seem to work but the church building was more like a murky blob. Interesting results, may try out a few more.