Queens Head pub

Queens Head pub (Etching Aquatint)

Here is my latest print for the project which depicts the Queens Head pub in Stockport on Great Underbank.

Art Events

Here are two art events which I have work in as part of the Prospect Studio collective. The first is The Art Market at the Boo Puppet Theatre in Waterfoot, Rossendale, Lancashire from 24-25 Nov 2018.

The second is “The Pennines” exhibition at the Longitude Gallery, Clitheroe Lancashire which is on until 19 December 2018. Why not come along and buy yourself some original artwork at reasonable prices.

Boo Art Market poster Longitude Gallery exhibition poster

Chine-collé drypoints

‘Lyme hall’ chine-collé drypoint — ‘Lyme Hall’

‘Vernon Mill’ chine-collé drypoint — ‘Vernon Mill’

The ‘Pacer’

‘The Pacer’, Etching Aquatint

Etching Aquatint proof

Here is my latest etching which depicts a Pacer train at Stockport railway station.

Arden Arms photos

While visiting Stockport yesterday, I took the following photos using my smartphone of the Arden Arms pub. I used to visited this lovely pub when I was attending monthly meetings for Stockport Art Guild.

These photos will be the basis of a future print.

Arden Arms pub exterior, Stockport

Screenprinting

I am currently working on a multicoloured screenprint of one of the subjects for my project. I have so far printed two colours and hope to add another five colours to complete the print. I’ve not worked with this type of printing for many years and am really excited about what the final result will look like.

The photo below shows the two colours I have printed so far. I am printing around twenty prints but will probably whittle this down to around ten to fifteen by the end of the print run.

Screen-print showing a block of brick red and ultramarine blue. (WIP)

The screenprint depicts the back of a building which is run down and has a earthy brick red wall and a makeshift fence painted in ultramarine blue.

I am using a set of acrylic paints mixed with printing medium. The screen and frame are attached to a diy jig which is a piece of plywood board attached to the screen with two brass hinges and screws. The jig is very effective and allows me to register each colour precisely onto the paper.

Updates to follow…

More drypoint chine-collé prints

Lancashire bridge drypoint using coloured tissue paper.

Middlewood way drypoint using coloured tissue paper.

Drypoints with Chine-collé

The old workhouse building (St. Thomas’s Hospital) Dry point — The old workhouse building (St. Thomas’s Hospital)

St. Mary’s church dry point — St. Mary’s church

Twenty Twenty print

“Redrock”

16 x 16 cms

Etching Aquatint

The drying rack and the hungry mouse

If like me you produce large batches of prints such as for print exchanges, print shows etc.., you probably have realized that you need somewhere to dry out those precious prints from getting damaged. I had this issue last year when I was producing an edition of 25 relief prints for the 20:20 Print Exchange organised by Hot Bed Press.

My print run exceeded over 30 prints to allow for imperfections such as smudges or mis-alignment etc.. At the time I did not possess a drying rack, so I laid out my prints individually on the workbench in the garage which I call my art studio for them to dry out overnight.

The next morning, I was shocked to discover that at least one of my prints had a big bite taken out of it! I eventually realized that it was the resident mouse which had come out of it’s nest to explore and on finding my prints, decided they would make a tasty meal and helped itself!

Since the mouse incident, I have designed and built a simple drying rack which is supported from two metal beams in the garage.

The drying rack is constructed from wood (taken from an old rabbit run), wooden clothes pegs, nails, curtain loops and plastic hay twine.
I nailed the pegs to one side of a thin wooden plank in even spaces. The wooden plank is suspended by way of two curtain loops attached to twine from the roof.

I have added photos of the rack to this blog post.

I am now taking a months break from this blog. I will return in September with more posts and news about my project.

Bye for now.