AA2A University of Worcester

The bevelling of 18 plate edges has finally been achieved. THe view across the quad by the print room has been a changing vignette of students going about their business, moving from A-B, unaware they are being observed. It is home from home. My home studio is 1950s with metal Crittal windows, and the architecture here at University of Worcester is the same. I have ordered my own supply of Copper Sulphate crystals from Hawthorns so that I can be self sufficient with the etching process. I have enjoyed listening to local radio and feeling a part of something much bigger. The life of an artist is unbelievably isolated and at times it is hard to feel that there is any point in the process. Working in a different environment, with an exhibition to work towards, has undoubtedly helped new ideas formulate, and working methods alter.

I realise that the only thing I really love is drawing. The printmaking processes of monotype, relief block and etching allow me the freedom to continue to draw, and reach a wider audience through the production of limited editions prints. The linking theme in my work has to be a simple fascination in form, be it in the life room, in a museum, in the street. I really like the juxtaposition of differing imagery, sitting side by side, not knowing how they are linked.

Over the last few weeks I have used the peace and quiet of the Print Room (no students around) to quietly get on bevelling the edges of 24 plates! The silver powder at my feet is testament to the amount of effort expanded. Bevelling is a wretched process, noisy, physical, but strangely meditative, and the resulting plates are ready. I have been working in the Life Room and Worcester Porcelain Museum on the imagery. The next stage is to polish, degrease, add hardground, draw, etch, proof, edition, exhibit! It is akin to preparing the border before putting the plants in. I am all set.

I've been to Italy, which was inspirational, and experimenting with life drawing in the life room. I now know how these etchings will develop. They will be about fragmentation and the fragility of the human form. I have the drawings which can now be transposed into a series of etchings, and relief block prints. I would hope to be able to show them sequentially via a projector onto a blank wall. Thus the eye will be focused on each image, and utilise memory as each image is held, then lost.

Last Friday I proofed, then etched again the two plates I am working on. I had been really pleased with the results, and drew further onto the plate with marker pens, before placing them in the Saline Copper Sulphate solution. Today Monday I proofed the prints and, oh my goodness, the results are shocking! I think the solution had been changed because it "bit" so much faster than before, and these two new proof prints are really black and white, and I thought they'd be grey and white. I can see that a lot of burnishing will have to take place to knock back the contrast. I may even start again, having learned my lesson. Really I need to hang fire, and do some test strips showing timings etc. as usual I just dashed in and thought I knew best. Having said that if I scrape back into the image something magical may just emerge. I'll give it a go! We have just had another couple of bookings for our weekend art courses in April so that is exciting. We are also taking out a small classified ad in all the summer edition of the art mags so it will be interesting to see if any new people contact us. This week I intend to draw directly onto the hardground etching plates in the Life Room. I think the immediacy will shine through.

Last Friday I proofed, then etched again the two plates I am working on. I had been really pleased with the results, and drew further onto the plate with marker pens, before placing them in the Saline Copper Sulphate solution. Today Monday I proofed the prints and, oh my goodness, the results are shocking! I think the solution had been changed because it "bit" so much faster than before, and these two new proof prints are really black and white, and I thought they'd be grey and white. I can see that a lot of burnishing will have to take place to knock back the contrast. I may even start again, having learned my lesson. Really I need to hang fire, and do some test strips showing timings etc. as usual I just dashed in and thought I knew best. Having said that if I scrape back into the image something magical may just emerge. I'll give it a go! This week I intend to draw directly onto the hardground etching plates in the Life Room. I think the immediacy will shine through. I get the greatest buzz drawing directly from nature.

We have just had another couple of bookings for our weekend art courses in April so that is exciting. We have just taken out small ads in the summer art mags, so it will be interesting to guage the interest.