Skills Audit

Skills Audit

Since completing the Access Course in Art and Design at Hull College in 2013, I have continued to study alongside developing my own practice. I have completed courses in painting, drawing and the History of Art (Western World) over the previous five years with the Open College of the Arts, now part of the University for the Creative Arts.

However, I now need to consolidate and develop my current skills and learn new techniques to take my work further forward. I have been thinking how I can do this by reviewing where I stand at the moment regarding both printmaking and painting. By looking at, and analysing, what I have done recently, I can identify what skills need to be learned or developed.

1.       Printmaking

I have been a Member of the Ropewalk Printmakers since January, 2016 attending weekly workshops and participated in other events, including demonstrations by a number of practising printmakers. I became a Member of the Hull Print Collective in 2017 and regularly attend the Hull College Evening Classes in Printmaking.

Exhibitions and Techniques

I have exhibited my work in a number of galleries and other locations as part of the above groups, and also as an individual. I have been successful in competitive National and Regional Exhibitions. Last year, my aquatint “Pond” was selected for the National Open Printmaking Exhibition, 2017, held in Hull as part of the City of Culture events. These works represent some of my ideas around the sense of “place”, which is a major theme in my current practice. Printmaking is dependent on the artist being proficient in a number of different processes and skills and there are a number of things that I need to work on to improve. This is the most technical part of my practice.

   “Pond”, aquatint on zinc

The plate (the base upon which the print is made) for this work is zinc, over which I applied a series of layers of “stopping out” (a type of varnish to prevent the acid from biting into the plate) to create different tones. The image, which I developed from a painting of my garden pond in June, represents a fleeting moment when the sunlight hit the surface of the water creating a myriad of reflections from the overhead trees and leaves and surrounding foliage. The shapes are abstracted to create the greatest possible tonal effects. I also used a very strong nitric acid solution, with no preparatory drawing. This creates a lively and energetic feel to the piece, which I can develop further.

Earlier this year I was successful in having two prints selected for the “From the Humber to the Wash Open Exhibition, 2018” –  “Heads, Rievaulx Abbey” and “The Magic Tree”  . This exhibition was open to artists living in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Norfolk and for works in any medium.

At the “From the Humber to the Wash, Open Exhibition, 2018” with “Heads, Rievaulx Abbey” – collagraph, on mountboard with carving, PVA glue and carborundum

“Heads, Rievaulx Abbey” is one of a series of works I created as part of an exploration of the theme of place. At Rievaulx, I was impressed by the remains of the weird and wonderful collection of Gothic sculptures which, although worn and damaged, had survived the Dissolution of the Monasteries. I marvelled at the imagination of the medieval sculptors as they carved the heads of wild animals which they cannot possibly have seen. The print is a collagraph. The plate is mountboard, out of which I carved the shapes of the heads. The white areas are built up out of layers of PVA, and for the dark areas I added carborundum – a type of grit which holds the ink. In my abstract print of Stones I incorporated sandpaper into the collagraph plate for added texture. I think that a number of these techniques could be incorporated into other works, either as part of the printmaking process or as a piece of mixed media.

“The Magic Tree” arose out of my visit to the area known locally as “Little Switzerland” at the foot of the Humber Bridge at Hessle. As I walked through the heavily wooded area in front of me I saw a small tree, standing alone in a clearing, pierced by a shaft of sunlight from above – it seemed to me to be rather like a mirage. I tried to capture some of that magic in the print shown below.

“The Magic Tree”, hard ground etching, with aquatint on zinc

I chose zinc for the plate as it has properties which lend itself to providing an excellent white background for the finished print – an effect I wanted to achieve for the light effects. I applied a hard ground (a surface applied to the plate made up of a wax-like substance which dries hard) to the zinc and then drew into it with a fine, diamond ended etching needle. A layer of aquatint (a type of resin, in dust form) was then applied to the surface area. I followed up by “stopping out” numerous layers of tone. Each layer tone is done separately and the whole process took a number of weeks to complete, due to the detail involved.

Plates, grounds, inks, techniques generally. For another print, “Trees along the River Wharfe”, I used an aluminium plate which has different qualities to zinc. Aluminium produces a “greyer” finish to the print. It is very useful for dry point i.e. creating a print without using acid. A needle, or other tool, is used to draw into the metal. As the tool moves through the metal it creates a “burr”, rather like a furrow in a field, which when inked up produces a distinctive character to the work. Dark, or textured, areas can be created by closely scratched, or cross-hatched, lines. An example is shown below.

 

Trees, River Wharfe, dry point on aluminium

Due to certain health and safety issues concerning the use of chemicals and aquatint resins, which are carcinogenic, a technician has to be included in certain processes. However, as regards all other processes and methods, I aim to be as self-sufficient as possible. I would like to experiment further with all of the above methods and possibly in combination. This will link in with my research into other artists working in the same field.

Colour. Rather than printing in monotone, it is possible to produce coloured prints. This can be achieved by inking up the plate with different colours at the same time, either by keeping the colours separate, or by blending them into each other. Otherwise, separate plates can be made for different colours and the plates then printed on top of one another to produce a multi-coloured image. This is more appropriate for methods such as lino cuts. I do need to develop my skills in all of these methods as, so far, I have little experience.

Chine Collé is a method whereby coloured tissue is adhered to the printing paper during the printing process. It is very attractive and I have used the method on a few occasions. However, to do it properly I need to use light-fast tissue (probably Japanese) and rice paste or cornflour paste rather than a ready- made glue such as Pritt Stick, which is too thick and clumsy to achieve a good finish in my opinion. I have also used colour for screen prints as described below. These are all areas I can develop through further experimentation and exploration.

“Demeter”, Burton Constable Hall, screen print

Screen Printing Over the last year I have become very interested in screen printing, and I have recently studied works by Andy Warhol, particularly his iconic “Marilyn” screen prints, in some detail. The Hull Print Collective has been invited to exhibit prints at Burton Constable Hall, East Yorkshire for the Christmas Fair, 2018. They requested that some of the prints be based on images involving the Hall and its surrounding grounds. I decided to work on some screen prints. I visited the grounds and took a number of photographs, including some of the Classical Statues of Ancient Greek Gods and Goddesses which formed the basis of a photographic screen print. I then made a number of coloured backgrounds using the open screen-printing method, which involves applying paint directly to an open mesh screen over which I then pulled down a squeegee type blade to push the ink through the holes. When dried, I then imprinted the images of the statues onto the coloured backgrounds using special machinery at the college. I have previously used this method, developing coloured screen prints from my own ink drawings or collagraphs.

2.       Painting

I have illustrated a number of paintings above, such as my studies of the Cement Works, South Ferriby, the Mudflats and Sunset, and the Whale at Burton Constable Hall. Painting is not as technical as print making, but there are a number of techniques for me to develop further, including use of light, form, line, tone, texture and the use of different materials, including grounds and paints. When painting The Whale, I used an impasto method (applying the paint very thickly) and incorporated texture paste to produce the effect I wanted. Below are some close ups of the process.

 

 

Texture/use of materials. Other artists employ a range of techniques and materials to add texture, mood or authenticity to their works and I will continue my research into such artists to improve my knowledge and skills.

Light/Tone. Light and tonal effects form a large part of my practice. I can learn much from artists who use light effectively in their work.

Application of paint. The way paint is applied can evoke different effects and moods. I will explore what can be achieved, for instance, by using more energetic brush strokes and different types of brushes.

3.       Photography.

I use a digital camera and although some of my photographs have enough tonal contrasts for this method to work well, I do need to learn “photoshop” to create better quality images to work with.

4.       Abstract/figurative.

 I have worked in both, generally developing an abstract image from organic forms, such as the piece of bark, shown below. However, I think that if I learn how to command the processes better, it will give me more freedom to be expressive in both areas, perhaps producing unexpected results. 

5.       Mixed media

I want to explore further aspects of combining printmaking processes, photography, drawing and painting in mixed media to create new and exciting effects.

 

6.       IT/Social  Media

I am reasonably competent at using Word and the application Paint in connection with my photographs. However, I do need to update my computer skills in general and learn how to use Photoshop. I also must become conversant with all social media. Until a few weeks ago, I had not used a Blog, but I am now using Blogger and have made a number of posts.

7.       Ideas/imagination

I have given examples above, how I have used my ideas to work on different themes and used a variety of working practices. However, as I research further I hope to come up with further ideas upon which I can expand my knowledge and experience.  

8.       The Viewer

My work should be interesting, questioning, sometimes challenging - and engage the viewer without complicated explanation. I shall seek to find more ways of achieving this aim through further research.

9.       Research Skills

I am competent at research, including online, and with use of the Harvard method of referencing, however, I constantly need to keep up to date. I need to ensure that I am consistent in my use of citation.

Abstract (Tree Bark), hard ground etching on zinc, with aquatint

Research Topic and Work Plan

Research Topic and Work Plan

Overview

Over the previous three weeks I have been giving thought to my proposed Research Topic, my aims and objectives, and how I will approach the work which will need to be done to achieve my goals.

My overall aim is that at the end of the next two years I will be a confident freelance visual artist, with a growing reputation as an acknowledged expert in my field of practice.

I will achieve this by identifying an area of my work which I will take forward through detailed research and practical explorations. The outcome will be a body of work based on the research topic which will be of interest to and bring value and insight  to those working in the same or similar field.

A key part of successfully achieving my goals will be to analyse my current skills set. Through this process I will identify those things which I will need to work on to stretch my skills and enable me to really excel at what I do.

Research Topic

As set out in my previous posts, I have reviewed my current and recent works to identify elements which are key to my practice, and ideas which I may wish to take forward. I have also discussed this issue with my supervisor, identified some initial ideas and discussed these with my peer group and tutor to get critical feedback.

My work involving a sense of place is important to me, as I have said in my current practice statement. As a visual artist I like to explore ideas and themes in a thought provoking way. It seems to me that the existence of industry within the natural landscape stands out as a great avenue for me to explore further. The topic would cover how industry is physically portrayed within a natural setting, how it co-exists with nature, what changes evolve and what is left behind. My research would be restricted to the Western tradition of art (basically Europe and the USA) and concentrate on the Humber Region for my practical work.  I would use case studies for exploration, and a variety of working methods and techniques, responding to the subject matter as I go along and see what develops.

Initial Proposed Research Area:

An exploration of the visual arts (2D) into the portrayal of industry and landscape, focussing on the Humber Region.

My written research would include the following critical framework:
1.
- a brief history of landscape in the western world (up to and including Modernism)
- the classical tradition/romanticism
- industrial/maritime/environmental landscape
- artists and works associated with the above
- critical analysis (books, articles, reviews, videos, interviews, exhibitions etc,)
 2.
- recent movements and artists currently working in the field (Postmodernism, 1940s onwards)
- critical analysis of the above (books, articles, reviews, videos, interviews, exhibitions etc.)
- analysis of key images with objective criteria (guide questions)
3.
- relationship to industry and landscape in the Humber Region
- compare/contrast approaches
- my own perspective
- identification of where my work sits and what I can bring to the table

Practical Work:
- Case studies within the Humber Region which include industry and landscape
- A variety of working methods and techniques which respond to the specific subject matter.
- A final body of artwork developed as a result of my exploration into the research topic.

Work Plan October 2018-December 2018

- identify possible research areas and discuss/analyse (done)
- identify proposed research area and hone in (see above)
- undertake skills audit
- address skills needs and personal development
- decide initial case study (see below)
- explore site, photograph from multiple angles, sketches, studies
- desk top exercise into the site - location, geography, history
- commence critical research (as above)
- prepare Powerpoint Presentation on my initial proposed research area
- make Presentation and get feedback
- prepare and submit Written proposal (3,000 words)

Case Study

Following my recent interest in the Cement Works at South Ferriby, and further discussion with my supervisor, I have decided to start my practical work with a Case Study on the Cement Works at South Ferriby and surrounding area. The site has a number of features which will work well as a case study, including:
- a large, imposing structure, and a landmark visible from both banks of the Humber
- an industry specific to the geography of the site
- an historical and cultural history
- interesting visual features including large factory/plant, river, lock, sluice gates, marina, river banks, mudflats, estuary, shipping, wildlife
- interaction with the natural landscape, such as quarrying and the factory processes, effect on the surrounding countryside, river, banks and estuary.

 

Cement Works, South Ferriby, seen from the west

Practice Statement and Current Works

Practice Statement:

"A strong, personal sense of place is central to my work. I draw on historical cultural and natural influences to produce work that engages the viewer in a dialogue with familiar places in an unfamiliar setting."

I have developed this Practice Statement during 2018 and it represents a summary of where my practice sits at the moment.

I have spent the last few days looking at all my recent images - drawings, paintings and prints to try and identify key elements and links. Doing this has helped me to focus attention on how I would like  to take my practice forward.

I think that the starting point is that my work must be personal to me and true to myself. I have found that I work best when I am following my own agenda and ideas. I want my work to speak about me, my visual experiences, thoughts, memories, concerns and beliefs, with a strong sense of place. I want to be driven by what inspires me, being creative, imaginative and original, which includes continually developing and changing. 

Key elements in my work, which keep recurring, include the industrial landscape, and natural landscape and forms. Sometimes these elements come together in one image. This aspect fascinates me, and I feel that it is something that I can build on. Some of the works I am thinking about are shown below.

 

 

Drax, Hard Ground Etching on zinc with aquatint

 



Early in the year I went on a walk along the River Derwent, and as I turned a bend Drax Power Station came into view. The horizon was filled with the vast cooling towers, the ones on the left emitting swirling clouds of steam which mixed with the clouds, and the ones to the right, standing stark and proud, with a tall chimney providing a focal point. Below, the strong shapes were reflected in the water. Also in view was a wind turbine, and I thought of all three energy sources which the image portrayed - water, coal and wind. I took a set of photographs and developed a print building on these ideas. and emphasising the epic scale of the structures and their impact on the surrounding landscape.

 

Cement Works, South Ferriby, acrylic paint on paper

One evening in August, I went to a pub in South Ferriby, which is on the South Bank of the Humber Estuary. It had been an exceptionally hot day and the light was really good, with a beautiful sunset later on. The tide was out and we sat next to the River Ancholme, which leads into the Humber. The site is dominated by a cement works, which has been there for years and can be seen right across from the north of the estuary. I sat there for a very long time and soaked up the views.

I felt that the site was important to the locality, due to the presence of the cement works -not only because of its size and position, but also because it nestles in the middle of an agricultural area and is key to the local economy. Despite its function as a huge and somewhat ugly factory, it struck me that in the early evening light, and set against the old locks, it really was quite a magnificent sight. I came home and did a monochrome sketch and then followed up with a study in colour. I tried to give the impression of scale by including the locks and other smaller features such as steps, lighting and fences. The inclusion of the river allowed me to play with colour and light, which was a particular feature of the evening. The impact of the chimney, complex buildings and structures dominate the horizon. I would like to go larger with this painting, emphasising the scale and dominance of this man-made structure, set against the earlier, more natural setting of the river and locks.

Mudflats, South Ferriby, acrylic paint on paper

I later walked right out to the edge of the receding water where the estuary meets the river. The mud formations at this point are affected both by the state of the tide and the workings of the sluice and lock gates. Birds were wading in the sticky brown mud, and other floated in the shallow water and sailed serenely in the fading light. I felt the power of the great river, the wildlife it supports, and the passage of time. On my return I painted a study to get across these feelings about this environment to the viewer. I used a high skyline to emphasise the vast swathes of river banks and mud flats along the Humber which provide a haven for birds and wildlife. I used a limited palette for this exercise, which I felt was appropriate for this view.

Sunset, South Ferriby, acrylic paint on paper

As the evening progressed the light intensified, the sun turned orange and began to set beyond the river entrance. It had been one of the hottest days of the year. The sunset was enthralling. I took many photographs of the sun amongst the colourful clouds, ranging from yellows and orange through to dark blues and purples. However, the view with most impact was looking across the river inlet, over to the horizon, where the river bank and fields behind were in silhouette.  There were also beautiful, dark shadows on the water, coupled with bright reflections from the sun and clouds. I could see the estuary disappearing off into the distance behind. I have tried to capture that moment in the study above. Here the water and land dominate the view. The sun and sky play an especially important role in this work, providing the opportunity for me to use colour in a vibrant and powerful way.

As well as the visual impact of industry on the landscape and how they inter-relate, I have also thought about what is physically left behind by these industries. On a recent walk along the banks of the Humber, near to Barton, I came across the wrecks of some boats embedded in the mud. I thought how people across the ages had worked on small fishing boats, the lives that they lived and the lives which were lost. I made a print of the boats nestled into the mud, with grasses growing up through them, as they were revealed by the low tide. I tried to capture the essence of time gone by with the use of aluminium for the ground which produces a soft, greyish, tone.

Wrecks, Barton Upon Humber, Hard Ground Etching on aluminium with aquatint

Following a similar theme, during a visit to Burton Constable Hall, I was intrigued by the skeleton of a huge sperm 58 foot-long which was on display in the stable block. The bull whale had been stranded on the shore at nearby Tunstall in 1825, where it aroused a great deal of public interest. As Lords of Holderness, the Constables had claim to anything washed up on the Holderness shore, so the whale became the property of the Burton Constable estate. As the door to the stable creaked open the sunlight from outside beamed in and lit up the enormous skeleton, the white bones standing out in majesty despite the passage of time. I thought of this great creature diving deep in the oceans to avoid the 19th century whaling fleets which set off from this area, and I was grateful that they are now a protected species. In the study below, I tried to capture some of the whale's former glory, set against its current lowly and incongruous surroundings.

The Whale, Burton Constable Hall, acrylic paint

Industry has a large impact on the environment around us and can affect the landscape in a number of different ways. A close examination of natural sources can help inform us of that impact and give us clues as to their environment or habitat. I am currently thinking of a charcoal drawing of an apple tree in which I aimed to depict its aged, crinkly bark and odd deformities through years of wear and tear and pruning. It had soft green moss growing on it, but may have looked quite different if grown in an inner city amongst more smoke and pollution. Such processes and changes interest me.

Apple Tree, charcoal and soft pastel

I also work with natural forms creating abstract images from environmental sources. For instance, when I was working on the wrecks at Barton, I made some studies of the foreshore. I took the shapes, line, tones and textures of the mudflats and built up an image using a collagraph technique which suited the subject matter.

Abstract Form, collagraph, card, PVA, sandpaper, carving and carborundum

After thinking about, and pulling together, some of these key elements, I think that there is much scope for me to develop my practice further by building on the above, and to really hone in on, and synthesise, some of the ideas and practices referred to. Research and experimentation will enhance this process.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recent Works 2018

Recent works 2018

Heads, Reivaulx Abbey, Collagraph and soft pastel



Earlier in the year I did a project on iconoclasm, which took me in a number of different directions. One of those works, "Heads", Rievaulx Abbey (see above), a collagraph, was also chosen for the exhibition “Humber to the Wash”, which was open to artists living in the counties of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. This large collagraph arose from my visit to Rievaulx Abbey. Certain artefacts and sculptures had been rescued from the rubble following the Dissolution of the Monasteries. The above work represents three heads which I felt represented the culture and beliefs of the Middle Ages (fear of death, hell etc. and their fascination with creatures from other continents such as leopards and tigers). I also wanted to capture the mood of the place – quite eerie. Although monochrome, I do a number of works in colour. Such images illustrate how my ideas often arise from social, cultural and historical contexts, and recently I have explored complex relationships between art and spirituality.

 

 

 Rievaulx Abbey, Dissolution. Screenprint from collagraph.

This work started as a drawing which I developed into a collagraph. I then made a number of screen prints using the collagraph, adding colour to represent the act of iconoclasm, which I sought to depict rather like an apocalypse.  

Sculpture, St Peter’s Church, Barton upon Humber

This work in pastel is a composite drawing of sculptures I saw in an ancient local church, dating back to Anglo-Saxon times (part of my iconoclasm project). The faces were weird and sometimes grotesque, but definitely intriguing. Some of them are half human/half animal and others are “Green Men”. I went on from this to think about the topic and develop other works, such as the two shown below.

Watching. St Peter’s Church, Barton upon Humber, ink drawing and screenprint

 

Here I drew one of the animal heads from St Peter’s Church in black ink. I thought about how long the head had been there, and imagined him looking with his piercing eyes at everything that had gone over the years – smashing of stained glass windows, destruction of statues of etc.

 
Green Man, St Peter’s Church, Barton upon Humber, charcoal drawing with prints of leaves, made direct from nature.

I thought further about the Green Men in the church and what I felt they represented – roots and growth springing from their mouths and replenishing the earth’s cycle. I made a charcoal drawing of a particularly interesting Green Man and then collected a number of plants from around the area which I inked up and pressed onto small pieces of thin newsprint paper by hand, which I then stuck on the image. They signify real plants growing out of and falling from his mouth. The idea was to connect the Green Man direct with nature in a creative and thought- provoking way.

Thinking about time, made me look at my own garden and consider how I could depict the passage of time as a theme. I decided to record the growth of some sunflowers from a bud, through to flowering, to their demise in the autumn. I created a series of drypoint etchings of the flowers and the process of life and decay which I then made into an Artist's Book.

 
 

The above examples show how my practice has recently developed, and demonstrate some of my thought processes along the way. The meaning (if there is one) may be general at one level, but connect with larger narrative or textual, historical or other sources, or be symbolic. 

 

A Drypoint etching from my Artist's Book, the Story of the Sunflower