Monday, February 20, 2012

cliffs


The first proofs of a new lithograph printed today with some fantastic help and guidance from John Loane. It was a challenging stone to print due to its density and size (56 x76cm), but that made for a great learning experience & I'm looking forward to trying out another variation with some very subtle colour.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Fitters' Workshop Inquiry

Last week I attended the very official "Future use of the Fitters' Workshop" inquiry at Canberra's Legislative Assembly as a very official 'court artist' on behalf of the fabulous Megalo Print Studio. Here are my impressions of the proceedings:

Megalo board on the left, Vikki Dunne MLA on the right

Witnesses on the left, politicians on the right

Spokesperson for the acoustics, Chris Latham

Megalo Print Studio (where I make all my prints) has long been in search of a permanent home and was due to move into the Fitters Workshop in the Kingston arts precinct this year, however an epic political saga (following protests from groups interested in the acoustic qualities of the empty building) recently brought plans to a standstill. You can read the complete submissions and transcripts from the inquiry etc here, or an entertaining summary of the situation here. If you need convincing that a permanent home for Megalo is the best use for the Fitters' Workshop just look at all the dedicated printmakers in the recent photo (below) who are ready to restore life, energy and creativity to the historic workshop - each and every day of the year! 

photo: Ulli Brunschweiller
Past and present workers outside The Fitters' Workshop

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

ArtStart & work in progress...

It has been fantastic to begin 2012 with a helpful boost from the Australia Council for the Arts - I'm grateful to have received an Artstart grant to assist with a year full of exciting projects and professional development. My activities will centre around refining my skills in lithography by working with a variety of Master Printmakers including John Loane (Viridian Press) and Peter Lancaster (Lancaster Press). Artstart has also supported my transition to a dedicated studio space with A.N.C.A. - a truly wonderful place to draw, which I'm happy to be sharing with Mel Willis (a superb glass artist). I'm also enjoying making prints at Megalo Print Studio and have been able to continue as an extended access member of Megalo with thanks to a Start Up grant from Arts ACT. I'll keep you updated as the year progresses, but here are some quick camera-phone pictures of the studio and some things I've been working on so far:

charcoal, 76 x 102 cm

ink, sketchbook

studio

beginnings

beautiful summer garden outside my studio door!

large lithograph in progress

2 drawings on stones ready for a 2 colour lithograph

experimenting with different colour combinations

mixing inks for the 2 colour lithograph proofs

and for something different I was inspired to try a woodcut!

detail of the woodcut (to be printed soon...)