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 visited the Centenary Open Exhibition at Stockport War Memorial Art Gallery this afternoon with a friend to see my etching print depicting the Produce Hall. In this fantastic exhibition.
The exhibition is worth a visit if you’re in Stockport or nearby.
https://www.stockport.gov.uk/topic/exhibitions-stockport-art-gallery
Last weekend, I was working on my etching print of the tower at Pear Mill. The roof of the tower at Pear Mill is in the shape of a pear. I like the shape of the tower and all the patterns in the brick work. I will continue to work on the print a bit more next month.
I visited my local library the other day and discovered an interesting book written by Steve Cliffe about Stockport
The book is a fascinating read and charts the early settlement of was known as ‘Stokeport’ around 1066 up to present day.
Recently I submitted one of my etching aquatints in the Stockport War Memorial Art Gallery Centenary Open Exhibition 2025. I chose the print I created of the Produce Hall.
I also heard that there is to be a new exhibition planned for the autumn organised by Stockport Art Guild in Didsbury.
Earlier this month, I visited PrintFest in Ulverston. Founded in 2001, the festival brings together top artists/printmakers from around the United Kingdom who showcase and sell their contemporary prints at Coronation Hall (‘The Coro’). Printmakers also share their practices and learn from each other.
I purchased a large etching print while I was there as an early birthday present for my mum.
While at the event, I met up with my artist friend Pete Marsh who was one of the artists exhibiting.
The festival provides visitors the chance to chat with the artists and to attend workshops to learn about the art of printmaking.
A week later, I meet up with Pete at his new artist studio at the Falcon Mill Artist Studios and Gallery (FaMAS) open studios event in Bolton. Pete initially setup the FaMAS studios in 2011. The artist studios have increased in numbers since I last visited. There are now 40 studios at the mill.
I purchase one of Pete’s etchings of a horse rider while I was at the open studio event.
The following weekend, I along with a group of friends visited the Portland Basin museum in Ashton-Under-Lyne. I spotted a Letter press machine in one of the shop recreations inside the museum.
The museum on two floors and is a fascinating and well laid out space. The museum backs onto the Ashton canal and there is a chance to go on a short canal trip.
A few weeks ago, I met with a member of staff from Stockport War Memorial Art Gallery who gave me information on the upcoming Centenary Open Exhibition to be held at the gallery next month in celebration of the war memorial art galleries 100 years. I decided to visit my favourite picture framer to get some of my prints ready for future exhibitions. According to the rules, you can only submit one artwork.
Last week, the walking group that I am a member of organised an evening walk of 4 miles around Vernon Park and Woodbank Park.
The walk has given me inspiration to produce a series of Eco Image Transfer prints based on these two local parks. Here is a selection of my prints below.
In a few months, I plan to host another Eco Image Transfer workshop at Stockport Art Gallery similar to the recent Art for All Day.
As part of my study of Woodbank Hall, I made a sketch of the buildings exterior.
I hope to combining my sketch with Eco Image Transfer technique.
I recently purchased an a4 Pooki relief press which I will be using at home to produce new Lino prints.
As another month closes, I look forward to the next few months and more printmaking in the works and maybe another photo walk around town perhaps.
Cheers for now.
February has been a busy time for me so far. I have been volunteering on setting up the 103rd Stockport Art Guild exhibition, compiling the catalogue, updating the website and creating labels for the artwork.
To my surprise, I was awarded an Honorary Lifetime Membership of Stockport Art Guild at this year’s annual exhibition. I was very happy and a bit overwhelmed to receive the award which is for my outstanding contribution to the success of the Art Guild over the last 20 years in particular developing the website and social media channels. I am really chuffed. 😀
Last Saturday, I visited the city of Chester to attend preview of The Grosvenor Museum’s 15th Open Art Exhibition. The exhibition is held in one room as you enter the museum and go up some stairs, the gallery is to the right past the reception area. The preview was very busy with lots of artists in attendance with their guests.
I have two of my etchings in the exhibition from the printmaking project. The first is a burnished etching of Robinsons Brewery, the second etching depicts The Blossoms pub.
The open arts exhibition is on until Sunday 31st August 2025, so there’s plenty of time for a visit. I will definitely be re-visiting the museum which houses a collection of Roman artefacts.
In March, I will be running some free printmaking workshops for the Stockport Art Guild’s ‘Art For All Day’ event which is on Sunday 16th March.
The event offers Stockport residents interested in art but with limited art experience the opportunity to engage in a range of practical art activities and to experience a variety of creative practice.
Activities include; figure and portrait drawing, clay modelling, printmaking and colourful painting, as well as a how-to-improve-your-drawing workshop.
I delivered two of my etching prints earlier today to go on display at the Grosvenor Museum in Chester early next month for the 15th Open Art exhibition. I’m looking forward to attending the preview on Saturday 8th February.
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.
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).
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.
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 am thrilled to have my etching prints published in a book which celebrated the Derby Print Open 2024 exhibition which was held last month.
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.
Bye for now.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
A few weeks ago, I attended an experimental 1-day screen printing workshop organised by Green Door Printmaking Studios.
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.
The results were impressive and I intend to do more prints in this way.
Next month: Mezzotint printmaking.
Recently, I arranged a visit to the Bury Art Museum and Sculpture Centre with a history meetup group.
After visiting the Fusiliers museum over the road, we made our way to see the Bury Open exhibition which was still showing in the upstairs gallery.
The art gallery at Bury has a superb permanent collection of fine art and sculpture such as the painting by JWM Turner entitled “Calais Sands at Low Water, Poissards Collecting Bait”.
I am currently preparing ideas for future prints while I take a short break from the printing. The photo below shows the remaining prints I will be working on in the coming months for this printmaking project.
I have also been updating the website gallery with my latest prints from the last 12 months. There are now two online galleries. You can access them in the menu navigation.
Next month, I will be attending a 1-day Japanese woodcut printmaking workshop. More to follow on this soon…
Stockport In Print 
You must be logged in to post a comment.