I’m writing up my research report which details working methods, and video documentation, and have produced workshop outlines for 2018.
The past 6 months have been hugely important for my practice. It has allowed me to develop my printmaking practice and experiment with creative manufacturing technologies. Without the bursary I wouldn’t have been able to financially commit to weekly printmaking sessions or access 3d printing and laser cutting machinery, or buy the necessary materials for producing and exhibiting my work. I have met some very interesting people, rebuilt my creative network in Cambridge and I hope that there will be opportunities to collaborate on projects in the new year.
I’m now working on a new body of work for exhibition in 2018 and will be submitting proposals to exhibition spaces and entering national and international open calls. I’ll be posting more progress throughout 2018.
Happy New Year everyone and thank you A-N for the support!
I’m very pleased that two images from my Gifts series are on show at Hot Numbers in Cambridge
This project documents the ‘gifts’ my daughter gave me during toddling walks in 2016 – 2017. Sometimes a gift would be a large beautiful intricate stone, or sometimes a handful of dusty gravel. She was always so pleased to choose something and give it me, so they are all saved, individually labelled and gradually being documented as ‘Martha’s Gifts 2016 – 2017’.
The prints are on view from 12 December 2017 – 4 February 2018 at the Open Exhibition Hot Numbers, Dales Brewery, Gwydir Street, Cambridge CB1 2LJ
More info on the series here: http://jennimain.co.uk/2017/12/11/gifts/
Using this pothole as my focus I’ve been setting up sample plates which map its shape and structure, and allows me to experiment with plate thickness and material.
The samples are deep blind and inked embosses. The surface textures of a 3d printed plate are very uniform, I’ll be looking at ways of working with these.
Deep bite etching and aquatint on a zinc plate
I’ve been working on a zinc plate using using deep bite etching and aquatint. Based on the contours of specific potholes I’ve used the physical processes of etching to degrade the surface and remove sections of the plate in a more natural and less controlled method.
Following a deep bite etch to revel the structure of the ‘hole’ the stop-out was partially wiped away and the plate was put back in the acid. A combination of white spirit and meths was then poured on to the plate to further degrade the remaining stop out. The plate was put on a hot plate to allow the liquid to evaporate and layer of aquatint was then applied before the plate was put bak in the acid for another 25-30 minutes.
These plates are in progress and I’ll post more images soon.
