A blog about Stockport landmarks by artist/printmaker Neil Robinson which follows a printmaking project depicting the diverse architectural styles of my hometown both new and old.
I started work on a small mezzotint print on Friday. I am using a gelli print of the viaduct as my inspiration. My first test print shows a faint outline of the viaduct. I am using a pre-rocked copper plate about 10 x 7.5 cms.
Mezzotint plate and etching tools
I initially used a mezzotint etching tools to etch the plate which looks a bit like a fountain pen. The end of the tool is a diamond shape and allows for precise mark making. I then used an etching tool and scraper.
Mezzotint: First test print on proofing paper
I completed my etching of the Produce Hall yesterday and did some burnishing of the plate to highlight the path in the foreground. I also did some dry point on some of the features of the building.
Produce Hall, etching aquatint on Fabriano paper
By the way, here’s wishing all my followers a Happy and creative New Year!
I am currently working on a print depicting the Produce Hall which is located in the marketplace in Stockport. I will continue with my work on the print after Christmas.
I recently had some good news. Two of my Stockport series of prints have been accepted into the Grosvenor Museum’s 15th Open Art Exhibition in the new year. Feeling chuffed 😀
Yesterday, I began work on a brand new etching for the project. My subject this time is the Produce Hall at the Marketplace. More on this print next month.
Etching plate covered in hard ground wax and ready for acid bite.Close up: Etching plate covered in hard ground wax.
Last week, I received a lovely surprise in the post from Green Door Studios. An edition of 10 unique prints from around the world such as Japan, Australia and closer to home. I entered the International Print Exchange #16 with a dry point I’d printed on my home press last month (see last month’s blog post).
IPE 2024 Exchange #16 pack.‘Robin Hood tree’.
On Saturday evening, I was invited with my mum to the ‘Portrait of Stockport’ exhibition at Stockport War Memorial Art Gallery by artist Helen Clapcott.
At the preview of the ‘Helen Clapcott: a portrait of Stockport’.
The exhibition shows Helen’s paintings that depict post industrial landscapes of the town of Stockport in a dream like Lowryesque quality. I was impressed by the detail in the work which were painted in egg tempera. The work covers a long period and show the town has changed over the years with the loss of mill buildings that were in abundance in the not too distant past.
I enjoyed the exhibition and loved the paintings and seeing familiar landscapes and buildings and the humour in the work.
I managed to visited the Derby Print Open exhibition recently to view the amazing printmaking at various venues around the city of Derby on a warm and sunny afternoon.
While visiting the exhibition, I spotted one of my etching prints at the nearby Dubrek music recording studios next door to Green Door Printmaking Studios.
It was great seeing my own artwork in the exhibition and I also purchased a high quality exhibition catalogue which featured all the prints in the show. The exhibition has closed today and I will be returning to collect my prints in the coming weeks and also visit some of the museums in Derby town centre such as the Museum of Making.
Earlier this month, I visited the newly opened bus interchange in the heart of the town. The bus interchange can be accessed on foot from the main A6 and also a new pathway and bridge not far from the railway station.
Rooftop garden at Stockport Bus Exchange
There’s an oval roof top wall walk way with a tree lined garden and observation deck overlooking the Mersey.
My first impressions of the bus station were good and I liked the roof top garden which is called ‘Viaduct Park’.
Following on from the bus station, I arrived at the newly refurnished Hatworks museum to host a meetup event with my local history meetup group call ‘History Get Together’.
The Hatworks building
The museum explores the international connection with the hat industry. We were lucky to have a tour of the museum and witness the hat making machinery in motion. There’s a gallery of hats on the second floor.
Gallery of hats
From the 1st to 30th June, the Derby Print Open 2024 will be displaying artwork by printmakers from around the UK. The exhibition organised by Green Door Printmaking Studios is dedicated to original hand pulled prints and I am thrilled to have 3 of my etching prints in this year’s exhibition.
DerbyPrintOpen.org
The exhibition is like an art trail with a small number of local venues which are all nearby one another around the town of Derby.
I decided to use a subject from my printmaking project which I had covered previously as a drypoint. I decided to use a photo of St Thomas’s hospital buildings as the basis of my screen print. The idea was to combined a photographic image, a loose outline sketch of the building, an old map of the town some background sky. I combined these elements to form a colourful illustrative set of unique prints.
Photo of myself at Green Door Printmaking Studios in Derby
The results were impressive and I intend to do more prints in this way.
Here’s a gallery of prints and images from this year.
My main highlights from this year was having work accepted into The Real Public Art Show (Stockport Open), the first Bury Open exhibition and the 102nd Stockport Art Guild exhibition.
2024 marks 10 years since I started this printmaking project / blog, and in that time I have created a catalogue of printmaking which I am going to present in a future exhibition. The project is not over yet, as I will be producing some new artworks in the coming months. Watch this space 👀
By the way have a happy and relaxing Christmas and here’s to 2024 and more creativity. Cheers 🥳🎄☃️🎇🎁
Dürer exhibition at the WhitworthThe BlossomsGhost signThe Real Public Art ShowBury Open exhibitionVernon ParkRileys Pool hallRileys Pool hallRileys Pool hallEdgeley ParkRileys Pool hallLark HillRileys Pool hall102nd Stockport Art Guild exhibition Robinson’s brewery
I have three of my prints in this year’s exhibition which has its preview today at 2pm. The exhibition is on until 19th January 2024 at Stockport War Memorial Art Gallery.
Strawberry Studios (Etching Aquatint)192nd Stockport Art Guild exhibition 2023 in association with Stockport Town of Culture.
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