Printmaking: Tidal Barrier, River Hull

Printmaking: Tidal Barrier, River Hull

Tidal Barrier, River Hull, water colour monoprint and dry point etching

Introduction

My recent walks around the River Hull area have led me to really appreciate the different types of architecture along its banks. A view which struck my imagination was the sight of the Tidal Barrier with the iconic buildings of The Deep appearing between its huge columns. The tide was out and in the foreground was a mass of muddy river bed, with grasses and other plants springing up from the river banks. Old wooden staging completed the view and made the link with Hull's rich shipping heritage. I came back and considered the best way to portray what I had seen.

Process

I decided that due to the precise, sharp angles of the modern structures a dry point etching would suit the subject matter. However, I felt that it needed something more to express the soft forms of the natural objects along the river bed and surrounding banks. I concluded that it would be best to  combine techniques to achieve the effect I was looking for. I set about creating a watercolour monoprint which would sit beneath the dry point etching.

Tidal Barrier monoprint set up

I got a piece of perspex the same size as the dry point etching and painted the tidal barrier scene using the method I have described previously for this technique. The set up can be seen illustrated above.

I then continued the process by wetting the paper and printing the monoprint by hand using a spoon on the reverse. The water colour monoprint which resulted is shown below.

Tidal Barrier, watercolour monoprint

As can be seen, the outcome of this process is a lovely, soft effect, ideal for organic forms and for adding colour to a dry point print.

I had previously created the dry point etching and printed a copy to check the results (see below). The print was clear and precise, as I had intended. The water colour monoprint would be ideal to shine through in the background.

Tidal Barrier, dry point etching

I have now learned that when using this method, it is a good idea to ink up the dry point etching plate prior to the creation of the monoprint. In this way I can immediately proceed to overprint the monoprint with the dry point etching whilst the paper is still wet.

Conclusions

I think that the choice of process was a good one as it allowed a "twin track" approach to the topic which included both hard landscape and soft organic forms. The monoprint process meant that I was able to express the local colour and textures of the foreground, whilst at the same time capturing the modernism of the architectural subjects behind. The delicate watercolour process and choice of colours enhanced the scene without overpowering the image.

Tidal Barrier, River Hull, monoprint and dry point etching, final print.

Creating my own Exhibition (4): Research, Virtual Exhibitions

Creating my own Exhibition (4): Research, Virtual Exhibitions 

Tracey Emin, Thriving in Solitude, acrylic on canvas, from Virtual Exhibition, I Thrive on Solitude, 15 June, 2020 - 2 August, 2020

Introduction

Due to Lockdown I have decided to produce my own Virtual Exhibition of  recent works on my theme of how human activity interacts with the natural landscape north and south of  the Humber Estuary.

A Virtual Exhibition will be a lasting resource which I can put on my website and use in other situations for promotional purposes, such as presentations and as a backdrop to future exhibitions in gallery sites.

I did a lot of research online about current virtual exhibitions and other resources available, and I describe below some of my findings, which I have summarised.

Research: 

My WhatsApp Group of Fellow Artists

I have been supported during this lockdown period by my WhatsApp Group of fellow artists who, in the main, are associated with the Print Workshop at The Ropewalk, Barton. Each day we do an online Art Quiz, provided by the Guardian Newspaper and supported by Art UK, an online resource. We then discuss and compare our scores. Members of the Group also put online useful information and links about current exhibitions, television programmes on art topics etc., as well as some of their own work. I include some of the information received from them in the notes below.

My Weekly ZOOM Meetings

Each week since the beginning of April, I have been meeting up on ZOOM with fellow artists and  Tim Needham, a Master Printmaker, who leads workshops at the Ropewalk. Tim provides an online demonstration each week of a different technique or approach to printmaking, often explaining what can be done at home during lockdown when there has been no access to the facilities at the Print Room (acids, aquatint box, press etc.). In previous blog entries I have described how I have used some of those methods, such as Gaugin and Degas's mono printing techniques. We also show our own work, share ideas and useful knowledge about information on the internet or television, for example, we have discussed the presentational skills of Grayson Perry and the format of his programme and that of the televised Life Drawing Classes.

Tracey Emin, 15 June – 2 August 2020, White Cube, “I thrive on solitude”

https://whitecube.viewingrooms.com/viewing-room/19-tracey-emin-i-thrive-on-solitude/

This Virtual Exhibition shows 13 works of acrylic paintings. These are small interiors of the house Emin has lived in for the previous 20 years and from where she is now moving on. The images evoke memories e.g. her mother’s ashes. There are two “arranged” tableaux of her works on a dining table and one with a candle, which includes furniture in an everyday setting. The paintings are simply presented. The viewer scrolls down paintings one at a time, and the individual title, size and medium areprovided. Some extra information,  themes and ideas behind the works, is included at two stages.

There are no vocals.

The presentation was professional and user friendly. I think that the simple presentation worked well and drew the viewer into the subject matter of the paintings.

Picasso and Paper: virtual exhibition tour, Royal Academy

https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/article/picasso-and-paper-virtual-exhibition-tour

A view of the Picasso and paper exhibition, Royal Academy

The exhibition opens by scanning some of the rooms and exhibits. In the background there is piano music, but no vocals. The camera zooms in on individual works and gives titles, medium, date, and location of each gallery. The exhibition is laid out in  chronological order and in periods of the artist’s work. A brief explanation of each period is given at the beginning of each section. The video automatically scrolls down.

I felt that the presentation was too long and it was difficult to hold the viewer's attention for such a long length of time (about 40 minutes). I think the reason was that the exhibition was not designed to be a virtual event. The show was already in existence  and had to be closed, so they tried to include all the exhibits.

Musée D’Orsay, Paris
“From Station to the Renovated Musée D’Orsay”.

https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/from-station-to-the-renovated-mus%C3%A9e-d-orsay/ARK7SK5T

This virtual exhibition included a history of the museum, its building and its collection and began  with a number of historical photographs and drawings. The layout was clear and logical and very visual. The format was interesting and held the viewer's attention.

Louise Bourgeois: Drawings 1947–2007

https://www.vip-hauserwirth.com/online-exhibitions/louise-bourgeois-works-on-paper/#top

Louise Bourgeois made daily drawings during her seven decade-long career. This is Saville Row Gallery Hauser & Wirth’s first online exhibition and is a celebration of the French-American artists pieces in ink, watercolour and pencil. The gallery is also launching Dispatches, a new series of videos, events and features to keep connected with artists in isolation. 

The opening contains a photo of her at work in her studio. We scroll down and there are quotes linked to the works. She speaks on the video and explains her practice (briefly), saying that all her works are based on “unconscious observation” and her childhood, which has never lost its “magic”. These few  words made the show personal to her, and was a good touch.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

https://www.metmuseum.org/

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York covers three sites, which are all combined in its new digital platform on Google Arts and Culture. Among the online exhibit highlights are spotlights on Christian Dior and Coco Chanel, the art of music through time and a new look at Vermeer. The Met also has a timeline of art history on its site, where you can study the development of artistic practice from 8,000 BC to the present.

There is a good choice of exhibits. The viewer can zoom in on detail and explanations are  superimposed on the top. I chose to look at “A New Look at Vermeer”.  There was a written explanation on the left, and the gallery of works to the right. It was all very clear and interesting.

Andy Warhol, EXHIBITION TOUR: Tate Modern

https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/exhibition/andy-warhol

Andy Warhol, Marilyn Diptych, 1962

This exhibition is a major retrospective and is the first Warhol exhibition at Tate Modern for almost 20 years. Due to corona virus it was put online. As well as his iconic pop images of Marilyn Monroe, Coca-Cola and Campbell’s soup cans, it includes works never seen before in the UK. Twenty-five works from his Ladies and Gentlemen series – portraits of black and Latinx drag queens and trans women – are shown for the first time in 30 years. Curators Gregor Muir and Fiontán Moran discuss Warhol through the lens of his immigrant story, his LGBTQI identity, and concerns with death and religion. The rooms are organised according to themes and there are written explanations.

As one would expect, this is an excellent online show. The exhibits are iconic, but there is also much information about the artist as well. I think that this is an important aspect to include.

Conclusions

I did a lot of research and have concluded that the simpler presentations work best. The emphasis should be on the works themselves, rather than showing off the technology. Some personal details about the artist adds background and interest. Explanations can be alongside works or separate. Zooming in on pictures is good as the viewer can then see detail - as if the works are really in front of you. Themes are beneficial as they add insight to the concepts behind the artist's practice .I will create my own virtual exhibition by building on these findings.

Creating my own Exhibition( 3): Corona Virus "Lockdown", Change of Plans and Prototype

Creating my own Exhibition( 3): Corona Virus "Lockdown", Change of Plans and Prototype

Introduction

When "lockdown" was introduced in March, 2020 and continued into May, it became increasingly apparent that, unfortunately, I would not be able to go ahead with my planned exhibition at The Deep.

I had then to think about what I could do instead.

A lot of Galleries, Museums and artists had already begun to put exhibitions online.

I decided to explore "virtual" exhibitions with a view to creating my own version.

Early explorations and prototype

I am a member of the Hull Print Collective and regularly exhibit with them at various venues. This year we were to hold a Spring Exhibition and I had produced two prints for the exhibition:

On the Bridge, relief print from etching

 Docklands, monoprint

The Spring Exhibition was cancelled and so we explored other avenues. This resulted in the production of the following virtual exhibition:

    https://youtu.be/ggE-kn0tAh4

I approached the person who created the video and had a number of discussions with him. He produced the following "prototype" for me, following the format he had used for the Hull Print Collective:

  https://www.dropbox.com/s/ll44k9df54mo1gv/TaylorMaggie_1.mp4?dl=0

He could not give me much time, due to other commitments and health issues, but we discussed a number of issues to consider if I were to proceed with producing my own virtual exhibition. These matters included:

- A possible time-line approach, mixing prints & paintings to demonstrate how I "have grown and developed".

- How long I would need each work to be visible on screen.

 - How many words to have alongside each work (limited space).

    

- Whether  to include a zoom, from a detailed view, to a complete view, or the other way round.

- Commentary or music, or neither.

Conclusions

After seeing the videos and having had the discussions, I felt that there was a lot more that I could explore regarding viewer engagement and decided to do further research.

    

Creating my own Exhibition (2): Early Ideas and Visits

Creating my own Exhibition (2): Early Ideas and Visit to The Deep

Possible Venue: The Observatory, the Deep, Hull

Introduction

In January, following the  review set out in my previous blog entry, I started to consider the criteria for a successful show and how to realise my ambitions.

This was a two-stage process involving decisions about what I was wanting to achieve and then finding a location which could deliver on those goals.

Key Aims of my Exhibition

I had identified key aspects during my show held in May, 2019. I therefore built on those foundations and decided that I would now concentrate on the following main elements:

- A themed approach to the exhibition consistent with my Practice Statement
- The involvement of the viewer and consideration of their role
- The telling of my story, and how I have developed my practice
- My research into artists/movements and how these have inspired me and impacted on my practice
- Ways to make the exhibition interesting
- The use of objective criteria to select my best work e.g. quality of line, tone, colour, mood etc.
- Professional hanging of exhibits and labelling

Other considerations included the quality of possible venues as regards space, light and hanging facilities. Cost was also a consideration and I considered sponsorship and holding a joint exhibition with another artist.

Progressing my aims and site visits

At an early stage I had a discussion with a fellow artist about the possibility of a joint exhibition. She was not keen to do this as she did not think that our work had much in common. This is true, but I do think that similarity is not necessarily a valid criteria. If people are interested in art they are usually open to different experiences and appreciative of what the artist is trying to achieve. Joint exhibitions can also draw in larger number of visitors. Anyway, I then started to make my own enquiries. I was hopeful that I could get some sponsorship from local businesses for the costs involved.

I considered possible venues for the exhibition and rang round a variety of locations. Some were more helpful than others and I made a short list:

- The Deep, Hull
- The Ropewalk, Barton

- The History Centre, Hull

- The Central Library, Hull

- The Broderick Gallery, Hull College

The Observatory, The Deep, Hull

The Observatory at The Deep came at the top of the list, due to the space available, the view, and the relevance to the theme of my exhibition.

The Admin and Event Coordinator was very helpful on the phone and I arranged to meet him, with the Head of Business and Corporate Flexible Space, at the beginning of February. We had a brief discussion about my requirements and they looked at my work. They said that they could offer me the Observatory, which is a fantastic space over-looking the point where the River Hull meets the Humber Estuary. That would be for an evening event, and then the exhibition could move into Sealab 3, adjacent to the Reception area for general viewing. They offered to advertise the event in the Deep's publicity material.

We then discussed dates and I found that Thursday, 3 September, 2020 was available. This date was at the beginning of Hull's Freedom Festival and at a time when many people would be wandering around in the vicinity. They went off to work out the costs and would then come back to me.

I received the quotation towards the middle of March. However, by this time the Corona Virus Pandemic was starting to take hold. It became increasingly obvious that these plans would not come to fruition.

Conclusions

My efforts to organise the exhibition was not wasted time. I have made contacts at the Deep and can revisit this as an option for a future year.

The Ropewalk, Barton is still very much a possibility for a future exhibition and has excellent facilities. There is a two year waiting list, but I am thinking of putting an application in. The location also works well, being next to the Humber.

The other venues would also be good, but the locations are not specifically relevant to my theme. 

When "lockdown" was introduced I gradually realised that I would have to change my plans. 

Creating my own Exhibition (1): Background and Starting Point

Creating my own Exhibition (1): Background and Starting Point

Introduction

"Me",  Open Exhibition, Ferens Art Gallery (my artwork "Hide" bottom right)

Over the previous eighteen months I have been developing my practice with a view to producing an exhibition of my work in August this year.

I  initially built up my knowledge and skills in preparation for creating a successful exhibition in four key areas:

- continuing to compete and exhibit in local and regional galleries as part of large-scale exhibitions

- visiting regional and national exhibitions and galleries

- interviewing practising visual artists and curators

- holding an exhibition/small show of my works at Hull College (May, 2019) and at a Symposium (January, 2020)

This was the starting point for my early ideas, discussions and visits in preparation for the Exhibition.

Participation in Local and Regional Exhibitions

Over the previous few months I have been successful in having my work selected for some local and regional exhibitions.

I showed some of my work at the Hull Fishing Heritage Exhibition (see blog entry 23 July, 2019).

The North Lincolnshire Open Exhibition, the Ropewalk, Barton was more competitive, and a larger, regional exhibition in an Art Space sponsored by the Arts Council (see blog entry 15 July, 2020).

The exhibitions at Nunnington Hall and Burton Constable Hall were in "stately homes" and formed part of their Christmas 2019 functions (see blog entry 10 November, 2019).

At the beginning of 2020 I was successful in having work chosen for both the Beverley and Ferens Open Exhibitions.

Beverley Art Gallery

"Horkstow Bridge" (bottom right), Beverley Art Gallery

Ferens Art Gallery

Visitor looking at "Hide", Ferens Art Gallery (bottom centre) 

What I learned

I went to the opening of the exhibitions. My purpose was to research the curation of different types of exhibitions and how curators can approach their topic. This may vary from the way a gallery is set out, to the concept behind the approach. My purpose is to gain insight into how I may improve the curation of my own work.

For example, at the Ropewalk my prints were on display in the Art Space, which is the larger of the two galleries. The  prints were included in a span of other monochrome works, which the curators had picked out as complementary. Some of the other prints alongside my own were lino cuts and screen prints. They were displayed in a minimalist style where they were shown to maximum effect in a single row on a plain white background. There was no over crowding or mixing of styles or colour, which was very effective.

On the other hand, my third work was included in a run of prints of landscapes and other topics, some of which were in colour. Mine was placed above another landscape which complemented my theme. Some of the prints on this wall of the gallery were in bright colours, which gave variety. I was interested in the use of colour and in the way they were displayed.

  

Visits to Exhibitions and Galleries

Over the previous twelve months I have visited the following exhibitions and galleries and followed up my visits with entries in my blog:

"Brantwood", Cumbria (see blog entry 22 June, 2019)

York Art Gallery, "Ruskin, Turner and the Storm Cloud" (see blog entry 27 June, 2019)

Hull University Art Gallery (see blog entry 22 July, 2019)

Huddersfield Art Gallery, Mandy Payne "Out of Time" (see blog entry 18 October, 2019)

Print Makers' Council Exhbition,  "Land, Sea and Sky" (see blog entry 5 November, 2019

What I learned

When I visited the exhibitions I considered how the works had been curated. For instance York Art Gallery looked at themes which ran through the works. In addition, artist Emma Stibbon RA had been commissioned to create a response to the environmental concerns raised by Ruskin. This part of the exhibition was a good example of how we can learn from previous artists, build on their themes and make them relevant in today's society.

When I visited the Hull University Art Collection I was fortunate in being able to meet  the director, John Bernasconi. He explained the layout of the galleries and the thinking behind the scheme. The paintings are hung mainly in chronological order, but with areas covering particular schools or key themes. To illustrate the importance of curation, he told me how he gave an important, highly original work by Sir Stanley Spencer prominence, by hanging it in the middle of the wall at the end of  the run of galleries to each side.

During this process I was able to build up further insights into curation and the holding of an exhibition.

Interviews and Discussions with Practising Artists and Curators

In August last year I had a very informative interview with contemporary artist Mandy Payne who specialises in the Brutalist architecture of a housing estate in Sheffield. She uses her work to make political and social comments (see blog entry 23 August, 2019).

Following my interview, she invited me to the opening of her Exhibition "Out of Time" at the Huddersfield Art Gallery. I was also able to speak with Mandy again at this event (see blog entry 18 October, 2019).

I also interviewed Richard Hatfield, artist and curator at the Ropewalk, Barton. We had a wide ranging discussion where Richard compared curating an exhibition for a single artist which would be very focussed, with a  more general, open event (see blog entry 25 July, 2019).

What I learned

Mandy's paintings on concrete were set within a wooden frame, whilst others were hung without any frame. The unframed concrete made more of an impact as the materiality of the substance was clearly in view. The gallery was well lit and the paintings hung spaciously. The glass cabinet was a good way of exhibiting the prints and viewers were engaged and enthused by the  interaction with Mandy and those present.

I learned a lot about curation from my interview with Richard, which I can use in my own practice.  I can build on his insights into grouping works with subtle connections. The ideas about getting a good "mix" and blending in the colours will also be useful, as will the fact that it is a good idea to deal with more individual works first. It was interesting to learn how to display works and invoke the attention of the viewer in subtle ways, so that they are not necessarily aware of the time and effort which has gone into the thinking behind setting up and hanging an exhibition or show.

My own Exhibition/Small Show






Small Exhibition, Studio, May, 2019

I held a small exhibition of my own work in my studio at Hull College in May last year (see blog entry 8 June, 2019).

What I learned

At the time I summarised what I had learned and concluded that:

"My paintings can go bigger and I can try different canvases. My print making can progress with further selective use of processes and colour. I feel that I have successful created a synergy between my research into artists and my practical work (including practitioners such as Michael Raedecker).

My work is now coming together and I feel that I have made a break through where each part of my practice influences the other. It is a good base from which I can move forward over the next few months." (June, 2019)

Conclusions and Next Steps

Throughout the previous twelve months I have been concentrating on achieving the goals I set out above.

Since January, 2020 I have produced six large scale (three feet by four feet) oil paintings on the theme of the River Hull. I have also produced a set of prints on the same subject and used a combination of printing techniques and introduced colour. I have continued to integrate the concepts set out in my Practice Statement and created synergy with the artists who inspire me.

My aim now is to achieve a successful exhibition of my practice by working up the ideas I have outlined above

Printmaking: "The Buoy Shed" Prints

Printmaking: "The Buoy Shed" Prints

The Buoy Shed, watercolour monoprint overprinted with a dry point etching

Introduction

In an earlier post (18/05/20) I wrote about a group of warehouses along the River Hull which had inspired me to paint  large image of a section of the riverfront.

The architecture, which includes a number of intriguing doorways and elaborate decoration, sparked my imagination. Part of the group includes the old Trinity House Buoy Shed.  I decided that the Buoy Shed stood out as a unique, historic building which warranted its own image. I wanted to capture the essence of its former glory and thought that a print would enable me to capture the glamour of a distant age where expensive, flamboyant building styles and materials were used for fairly mundane buildings.

Trinity House Coat of Arms, facade, of "The Buoy Shed"

As I said in my earlier post, a coat of arms stands over one doorway and depicts an anchor (for a safe anchorage), three stars  (representing the Trinity) a helm with the Admiralty Oar ( representing nautical justice). The Latin motto "Spes Super Sydera)means 'Hope beyond the stars'. The building served as a buoy shed for Hull Trinity House, an ancient institution that from the mid-15th century was responsible for navigation buoys and lights on the Humber Estuary. It has more recently been a workshop for  a Northern Divers. The wooden staging posts below are still used for the tying up of vessels. At low tide the wooden posts are revealed along with the interesting shapes of the mud left behind by the receding tide.

Process

Dry Point Etching

I have seen the Buoy Shed in different weather conditions and lights. Earlier in the year, I went for a walk in January, when the weather was cold and dark. That was when I was first struck by the building's intriguing and impressive architecture. How could such an iconic building be left abandoned to the elements and the threat of vandals? I was moved to capture its commanding presence, and convey its faded, commanding glory.

I decided that a dark dry point etching would convey the mood. The process means that the ink picks up the burrs left by the etching tool and leaves behind a distinctive and characterful line. The technique also allows the printmaker to leave tone behind on the etching plate by the way the ink is wiped. This is the approach I took for my first set of prints (see below).

The Buoy Shed,  dry point etching

Water colour Monoprint, overprinted with dry point etching

I then went on to create a second type of image. During "lockdown" we had a period of hot, sunny weather. One of those days was the Bank Holiday for VE Day. It was weird, as everyone was still under strict lockdown rules, but you were allowed to travel a short distance in your vicinity for exercise. I decided to go for a walk along the River. For a Bank Holiday, it was very quiet and there was a strange atmosphere. The sun beamed down on the Old Buoy Shed which, probably due to the VE commemorations, gave rise to feelings of nostalgia. Consequently, I decided to capture that mood in a second, different, coloured print. 

The Buoy Shed, watercolour monoprint overprinted with a dry point etching

I made a watercolour monoprint of the same view (see above and top of page) and then over-printed it with a dry point etching. This is the third time I have recently used this process. It is a good way to add colour and atmosphere to a print. It is, however, a long, two-stage process. I have got better at it. I now ink up the dry point plate before making the watercolour monoprint. This is because to make the monoprint you have to use wet paper. By having the dry point already prepared it means that I do not have to re-wet the monoprint, and I can go straight to the over-printing process. I am also getting more accustomed to applying the watercolour to the perspex plate in a way which obtains the best results. I wanted this image to be subtle, to give a faded,  "olde worlde"  look. I therefore applied the paint quite thinly to achieve this effect.

Conclusions

Each print is very different. I think that I used the techniques in a way which successfully brings out the  qualities of both the winter and spring weather conditions, and the emotions which the sight elicited in me. I am also improving my technical skills in the two-stage monoprint/dry point process.