Mailbox Stockport Lino-print

In the months of July and August, I have completed a 7 colour reduction lino-cut print depicting the Mailbox Stockport apartment block which is a former post office building that had been abandoned for years. The building is located in the centre of Stockport just off the A6 main road not far from the railway station. The new building has real foliage and bright green tiled walls on it’s exterior.

I used oil based inks from Hawthorn Printmakers this time apart from the green which is a mix of water-based Pea green and oil based Titanium white. The effect of mixing a water based ink with oil based printing ink is very interesting in that it creates a unusual pattern when the print dries.

I created a total of 10 prints from the plate which I cut down until only a few pieces of linoleum remained. The red colour used in the print was added with watercolour paint.

Returning to the studio

Social distancing screens installed in the studio

On Sunday I attended a printmaking workshop for the first time in over three months since the lock down began on 23rd March in the UK. My printmaking friend Alan Birch organises weekly workshops for individuals and school groups. Times have been tough for the creative industry during lockdown and my friend has had to install measures such as screens dividing work areas, the use of hand santisers and the 2 metre social distancing rule. During my time away from attending studio workshops, I continued printing at home using my own portable press and hand printing Linos using my handmade printing jig. You can see the results of my efforts in previous posts.

Since my last visit, I have completed a new etching for the forthcoming Towneley Hall exhibition which will open in August (see image above). The print is titled “The secret doorway”.

My latest etching features the river Mersey taken from one of my archive photographs. I hope to complete the print on my next visit to Prospect studios.

Bus etching

I have been busy working from home during the lockdown as I my day job is as a Software Analyst. Today was my birthday so I decided to get my portable press out and do some printing.

Last month, I managed to complete all the aquatint tones on my print depicting the 192 bus. I usually attend a monthly printmaking workshop organised by my friend Alan Birch at his studio in the Rossendale valley. Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, I have not been able to visit my friend in over a month due to lockdown restrictions, so consequently my bus etching was never printed until now. I am hoping to create some more prints in the coming weeks on other subjects related to my printing project. Look out for further updates! Bye for now.

Exhibition time

I attended the 99th Stockport Art Guild Art Exhibition. The Guild is celebrating its centenary this year and has published a book celebrating the history of the art club. Exhibition runs until 16th January 2020.

I have two etching prints in the exhibition which depict the precinct and the railway station. I also have two artworks accepted into the Manchester Open which is in the new year.

Automatons print

Winter’s jewellers (‘Automatons’), Little Underbank. Etching Aquatint
Size: 8.5” x 6”

Central Library print

This is my latest print for the project which I am currently working on.

Central Library

22 x 14 cms

Etching Aquatint

Turners Art Shop exhibition

I have an etching aquatint print depicting the Hatworks in the current Turner’s Art Shop Gallery Exhibition at Stockport War Memorial and Art Gallery until 3rd November 2019.

Garrick Theatre print

This print depicts the Garrick Theatre which is located just off the A6 in Stockport. I used a different technique this time by first printing a drypoint print with black ink, then I printed a single triple-coloured linocut on top using which gives a painterly finish. I cut out areas of the lino to mark windows and posters on the building.

An evening with the History Guy

This evening I attended a very enjoyable entertaining and fascinating history show hosted by historian and tv presenter Dan Snow. Stockport was mentioned in the second half of the show such as the railway viaduct, Stockport’s hat industry, the air raid shelters and the Plaza theatre. The Plaza has an amazing interior.