Art exhibitions Edinburgh

Last week I travelled down to Edinburgh to deliver two of my artists' books for the RSA Open Exhibition which were pre-selected. Tomorrow I'll hear whether they have made the final selection so fingers crossed! As I had a few hours spare before I was being picked up by Jaap for our bike/hike/camp weekend at Rannoch, I was able to visit two fantastic exhibitions.

The first was at City Art Centre: Plastic Beach by Robert Callender.

Born in 1932 and died in 2011, he was a much-loved teacher and a cherished member of the Scottish art community. He was driven by his interest in the craft of making and the environment, particularly the coast, the sea and those who worked on it. Painting, 3D works and printmaking is complimented by his writings; prose and poetry on maritime and environmental themes.

"Plastic Beach"

 

Info about Plastic Beach

He joined a tradition of papermaking more aligned to Japanese and Chinese constructive techniques where paper, card and mixed media could be engineered into powerful utilitarian structures. The process of recycling and contemporary thinking reveal the artist's commitment to environmental concerns (info from LateralLab).

"Grey Deck" (1989) made from paper, card and paint

Detail of "Grey Deck"

Two small boats on wall

Framework of boat made out of paper, card and paint

Detail of framework

Callender's artworks are huge!

"Cross Section of Artwork" (1980s)
card, wooden frame and paint

Detail of "Cross Section of Artwork"

Artists' book "Coastal View"

I was blown away by Callender's work. Not only because I'm always inspired by art with a coastal theme but also because of the process. To create such large pieces out of paper and make it so realistic is mindblowing!!

My next visit was at Edinburgh Printmakers where I actually did a course earlier this year. With much interest I had heard and read about Translating Travels by Imi Maufe and I was delighted I had the opportunity to actually see it.

Imi Maufe is a British Artist based in Bergen, Norway.  She has been turning journeys into books since 2002. Some long, some short. Others short, made long by getting lost. Modes of travel vary – ten days skiing from hut to hut, five weeks on board a Tall Ship, four months cycling with a small tent, or a short swim downstream. Her artist books are concise, conceptual documentations of the events that happened along the way. Text combined with signs and symbols is used in a minimal manner. Sometimes the text speaks for itself conjuring up a visual story in short sentences

Her books and other works attempt to show just a glimpse of her experiences through printed matter that rarely uses the photographic image. In this exhibition, she is showing work from the past fifteen years – a collection of such travels that have been developing into contained boxed pieces that can also involve collaboration with other artists (info from: Edinburgh Printmakers website).

Translating Travels by Imi Maufe

As part of the Shetland Arts Residency on board the Swan, Imi spent 5 weeks as part of the crew and documented the voyage with this Bunk Box. 

"LK243 Bunk Box", Mixed Media

Detail "LK243 Bunk Box"

 

"Voyage Map", screenprint

Two screenprints

Binocular screenprint

Binocular screenprint

Fifteen books are housed in a specially designed case. These books from 2002-2018 document getting lost, significant train rides, long and short bicycle rides, mountain ski tours and other wanderings.

"Translating Travels Suitcase" with various screenprinted artists' books

"Translating Travels Suitcase" with various screenprinted artists' books

 

Artists' book "Cycle Ride"

Screenorint "Greetings from Norway"

Artists' book "Discovering Shetland"

Poster "Translating Travels"

This bookshelf box was produced for the Visual Arts in Rural Communities residency. It was designed to travel on a Northumberland mobile library and to be taken out on loan by library users.

Part of "Living North of the North Tyne"

Another screenprinted artists' book

SwimWalk performances started during a Hospitalfield residency in Arbroath in 2016 after a mis-order of swimming hats and a love of cold water swimming. 

Installation "SwimWalk"

Detail of installation "SwimWalk"

The combination of outdoor activities, travel, environment (coastal theme again!), printmaking and artists' books really resonated with me. No doubt I will refer back to this experience when making new pieces for my own exhibition later this year!

Artistic Explorations: 3D Design (4)

Recently I started to experiment with creating printing plates with 3D print technology which I wrote about in one of my previous articles here. As I was not entirely happy with the result I wanted to explore this further. When I had posted about my process on Facebook, I was contacted by jewellery designer Elizabeth Armour who also works with this technology and is a freelance teacher in 3D design at Print Studio Dundee Contemporary Arts.

Print Studio at Dundee Contemporary Arts

We met up one day and spoke about our mutual interest in combining 3D print technology with traditional printmaking (intaglio and relief). I showed her my small printing plate and prints and she showed me what she had created so far. I was instantly inspired by her prints which had so much more detailed textures! So I decided to come back another day for a one-to-one session with her.

I first started with getting familiar with software program Cubify Sculpt and just play. It's like modelling on clay but then digitally! Using various features I was able to create different textures.  Then the file was sent to the UP! 3D printer.

The UP! 3D printer at Print Studio DCA

  

                                                               Video of my design being 3D printed
  
By using this software I realised you're not able to achieve full control of the design. What you do and see (magnified) on screen is tiny on the actual 3D printing plate! It's very experimental and liberating though to just play and see what comes out of that.

Once the plate was finished it was time to get the inks and scrim out and use the etching press. First I created intaglio prints in brown/black etching ink on damp paper, then I made some relief prints on dry paper in a beautiful brown lino/block printing ink I found there.

Using the etching press for printing off my plate

 

Intaglio print (left) with 3D printed plate

 

Intaglio print

Relief print

My production line! © Elizabeth Armour 2018

Thank you Lizzie for a wonderful session and sharing your expertise. I look forward experimenting a bit more here in Aberdeen at Peacock Visual Arts.

Printmaking residency USA (1)

I'm delighted to tell you that I have received the VACMA award to do a two-week printmaking residency in the USA later this year!
 

Printmaking residency at Zea Mays, USA

Zea Mays Printmaking is based in Northampton, Massachusetts, and one of the premier green studios in the USA. Their studio comprises 6000 sq. feet of printmaking bliss. When I stumbled upon their advert in Printmaking Today end of last year and did some more research about them, I was instantly drawn to their ethos so I applied for the residency instantly (with just a few days left before the deadline!). Even though I have my own studio at home with a small table top press, I really felt I needed to spread my wings, be among other printmakers and artists and emerse myself in a different artistic community.

Zea Mays (Sweet Corn) is a plant known for its ability to extract heavy metal toxins from the soil through its leaves and roots. Just as this plant is being used as a natural way of restoring contaminated earth back to health, their mission is to restore the art of printmaking to a healthy art form. At Zea Mays Printmaking they honour the rich tradition of printmaking by exploring alternatives that are safe for artists and the environment.  This approach truely resonates with me as I have been working with water-soluble oil based inks since a few years now as the conventional and toxic inks gave me headaches.

During this residency I will have exclusive access of the private studio with a 40” x 72” Takach etching press and all their platemaking facilities and accommodation in the on-site guest suite. Wow!

Private studio with Takach press © Elly Prestegård

This residency will not only give me the chance to use my printmaking skills in a different way but also learn the latest developments in safer and non-toxic printmaking techniques and further explore the medium of artists' books. I'm excited about the prospect of developing ideas how I can publish my handprinted artwork into unique and limited edition books for people to look at, to browse through and to inspire. I have secured a place from 30 October until 11 November 2018 and I've just booked my flight.

The residency would push me further as an artist as I will be learning how to apply a 2D design into a 3D format through experimentation with the opportunity to get individualised feedback and instruction during that period from founder, director and printmaker Liz Chalfin and other tutors.

"A melancholy look at the end of the 20th century" © Liz Chalfin

I will be learning more about myself as an artist by working in a totally new environment among other artists from different backgrounds. It will also be the first time I will be working full-time for two weeks on a creative project.

All of this wouldn't be possible though without the financial support of Aberdeenshire Council and Creative Scotland. I would like to thank them for giving me this amazing opportunity to develop my art practice!

After this residency I will of course share my experience here on my blog and on Facebook. I will also use it for my collaborative project “Wildness” with writer Elaine Reid and share my knowledge with the general public in the form of an exhibition, a talk and art workshops, hopefully at the Woodend Barn and other venues during 2019. Watch this space!!