Wayzgoose

Ever wondered what a Wayzgoose is? Originally it was some form of entertainment in the printing trade. A master printer would provide it for his workers to mark the beginning of autumn and working by candle light. Later it became an annual dinner or outing for workers in the printing trade usually held at the end of August around St Bartholemew's Day, he being the patron saint of bookbinders (and leather workers, tanners, plasterers...).

The British Printing Society's Wayzgoose won't be quite like that but there will be lots of interesting print related stuff to see and buy, so come along on 22 September and join in the fun. Cowprint will be there with a stall.

Imprint2

It's up! We hung the show at Harbour Lights today. More pictures to come. Opening on Tuesday evening from 7 to 9pm. Join us for a glass of wine and meet the artists.

Forging on

More changes of plan this week. Was supposed to be in London today on business but that has been postposed so I had a relatively free day to spend in the studio. Bonus.

Surging ahead with PB7, 'As flies to wanton boys': the rise of the Precariat. My brand new roller arrived today just in time for me to start experimenting with monoprinted backgrounds to pull this image together. It's beginning to take shape now, though there's still a lot to do. I'm clearer about where it's going now so hopefully on track to finish it well in time for Imprint2 next month.

Coming soon!

Just over six weeks to go before we hang Cowprint's latest exhibition. Featuring original prints by thirteen members of Red Hot Press, the exhibition at Harbour Lights Picturehouse runs from 28 February to 26 March.

Join us on 1 March between 7pm and 9pm for a glass of something and a chat with the artists.

Cowprint postcard exchange

 Over a period of about six months, Cowprint members sent art through the mail; image relays in postcard form. Each handmade work of art was inspired by the image and text of the previous and became part of a circular chain, ending where they began - with the two artists who started them. The postcards are currently on display at Red Hot Press.

Participating artists:

Linda Bennett

Deb Boultwood

Jenny Goodhand
Sheila Lockyer
Jutta Manser
Jo Price
Jenny Rickman
Maureen Riley
Irene Smith

Naomi Thorne

Tim Watson

Scratching the Surface

At Cowprint last week, we had an interesting session looking at and selecting work for Scratching the Surface, a Red Hot Press members' exhibition of etching and drypoint. Some lovely work... it's going to be a good show. Plus we are very lucky to have Ali Yanya, drypoint master, showing with us too. Private view on Thursday 7 May from 7pm to 9pm. Come along and see what it's all about.

After the storm

There hasn't been a whole lot of blogging going on this year so far. Having left the Countarium in January, I immediately started a short but very intense teaching course so have been up to my ears in learning and teaching theory, micro-teaches, coursework and assignments for the last three months almost. Having been teaching for years, I thought it was about time I got a qualification in it. Handed my portfolio in on Monday so just waiting to hear if I've passed...

There really hasn't been time for new artwork but I have managed to finish off Requires Improvement (or petty bureacracy and the things that stop us doing what we should be doing) so that's ready to be framed for our Scratching the Surface special at Cowprint next week.

There are a few interesting creative things coming up over the next few months; postcard exchange exchibition in April, Scratching the Surface in May, a monoprinting workshop in June and the possibility of a Cowprint show in the Autumn. There may well be some interesting developments on the teaching front too but that's up in the air at the moment. I hope to have plenty to blog about over the coming months so keep watching this space.

Cowprint Postcard Exchange

Linda Bennett

Cowprint met for our first session of 2015 last week. We started the year well by finishung a project started last summer; a postcard exchange. We drew names from  hat and selected two people to start off a chain each. Those two made a postcard, wrote something on the back and sent it to the person they had drawn. That person then made another postcard and wrote on it, responding to the image and words on the card they had received, and sent it to the person they had drawn... and so on until the two people whi started the chains each received a card.

We're hoping the review the complete chains at next month's meeting so we can see if the images and words following a logical progression. In the meantime, here's a selection.
 

Irene Smith

Jenny Rickman

Sheila Lockyer

Jenny Goodhand

Tim Watson

Jo Price

Letterbox Prints: Postcards from the Press

Postcards by members of Cowprint hanging in Red Hot Press during July. The artists are

Sue Anderson
Linda Bennett
Jenny Goodhand
Sheila Lockyer
Jutta Manser
Naomi Parsons
Jo Price
Jenny Rickman
Maureen Riley
Irene Smith
Tim Watson

Letterbox Prints - on sale soon

Top to bottom:
JE Manser
Irene Smith, Jo Price
Irene Smith 
Irene Smith, JE Manser
Irene Smith
JE Manser
JE Manser x 2
JE Manser
Sheila Lockyer x 2
Jenny Rickman
Jo Price

Another postcard

Second image for the Cowprint postcard project proofed and ready to print. This is a solar plate; words by John Donne from his poem The Flea and image filched from Robert Hooke. Two splendid and unique gentlemen from the 16th and 17th centuries. I thank you.