Between August and October I produced a number of printed pieces in response to the days spent in Colne and Nelson; the development of these pieces is described in more detail in previous posts and photos of the drypoint and mono-print work can be found throughout this post.
In 2014 I attended the Complete Printmaker course for a year at Hot Bed Press in Salford (where I now volunteer on a weekly basis). Sampling the different processes inspired me, reinvigorating my work and taking my practice in a new direction. As a volunteer I have the opportunity to learn more about the space and experience the day-to-day running of an open access studio and the hours that I earn (to print with) enable me to explore and experiment in a space that I feel comfortable.
As I have mentioned a number of times I am often pushed for time to dedicate to play or learning and my aim for this bursary was to use the extra money to afford time to devote to this. Although I haven’t come close to the level of application that I intended, I do feel as though I have made some progress in developing my skills and my style of working. I’ve found myself focusing less on the subject matter as an entity to be recreated or interpreted literally and moved towards responsive and sometimes abstract work that feels more fluid.
In the past I have taken scenes from Prague, Berlin or Whitby and illustrated them in a straightforward way prioritising the architecture or landscape and depicting in a whimsical hand-drawn style. I also chose to draw animals and plants or food in this same way, documenting and collecting species or concentrating on trends. This type of work is easy to do – the subject matter is plentiful and it’s fashionable but it’s also everywhere in every possible style. I enjoy making this work – I like drawing buildings and creatures but in terms of my career this subject matter is not stimulating or challenging and I don’t have enough of a unique visual aesthetic to produce this type of work and stand out from the crowd.
When I began this project and chose to use a location as the starting point for my creative output I didn’t have a clear idea of what I wanted to make but I knew that I needed to step away from a more conventional illustrative response and push towards something else. I find it really difficult to try and block out the images by other artists or illustrators; I often see work that I admire and wonder whether I actually care about my own style at all or if I just want to mimic them and make what they make or do what they do. I have to consciously take a step back and think about the effect that the work is having on myself and my creativity.
Part of this struggle is caused by my inability to allocate sufficient time for reading or thinking – I storm ahead and make the work because I enjoy the processes but I seldom stop to think about the context or the depth of the piece. Reaching a stage where I need to make some big decisions about the future of my practice means that I need to assess the influences and the ideas that make up my work. This is something that I discussed in my first blog post and I can’t decide if I feel any closer to being able to properly summarise what my work is about. I’ve made a lot of print work and enjoyed developing this and moving towards a different way of working but I’ve spent almost no time researching.
This project has been important as it was the first print-based project that I’ve undertaken with complete freedom since taking part in the course in 2014. Over the past year I’ve made posters for Hot Bed Press or cards and prints to sell at fairs but each piece has been aimed at a certain audience or potential buyer. Even the print work made for ‘What’s Holding Me Back?’ had restrictions in terms of subject matter and the expectations that I and the gallery had for the show. I was able to experiment a little with trace mono-print and collage for once piece (the only piece in the whole show that was not pre-planned) and this way of working was almost an introduction to the working methods I’ve adopted for ‘Think, Question, Print’.
The drypoint and mono print work uses similar mark making and abstracted or displaced imagery to capture something recognisable but transform it into something vague and indistinct. I enjoy this way of working as it feels more intuitive and natural allowing me to respond to themes, places or objects in a more open way. It also enables me to see patterns within my work and motifs that I revisit that have some importance on an unconscious level.
At the same time though I do struggle with this way of working as I’m so used to producing imagery that is recognisable and seen more as conventional ‘art’ – more of a straight depiction of a subject matter. Having the confidence to stand by this new body of work and talk about it or demonstrate and explain my choices feels slightly out of reach. I tend to worry a lot about whether my work has enough depth or if it has any relevance to the wider world and I think moving towards more abstract outcomes adds further pressure to deliver an important or meaningful concept or message.
I think these feelings further highlight the need that I have for further education or guidance as it feels like a constant battle in my own head over whether the work that I make can be justified. I also question my decision to produce work that is not a straightforward representation of the subject matter and I wonder whether this is a result of current trends in illustration and design.
Although I rarely dedicate time to studying or researching the work of other illustrators or artists currently working I do use platforms such as Instagram and Pinterest where I’m bombarded with examples of trending work. It’s hard to establish how much of an influence this exposure has on my practice but I’d like to think that the level of thought and consideration that I apply to my image-making will always move the work beyond what I see on screens.
It’s a luxury to have Hot Bed Press as a workspace (despite the freezing temperatures) where it’s possible to view works in progress and be inspired by more than just a final polished and perfected image. I’ve found that working with print has enabled me to begin to find my own style by trying to work out and attempt the processes that have contributed to art work that I admire. Having to physically mix and apply the colour, construct and layer sections to create compositions and consider the many variables that effect printmaking techniques has been so important for me. I’m nowhere near to being an accomplished printmaker but I feel as though I’m making progress and a lot of this has been made possible because of this project.
For a number of years I’ve been critical of myself and my artistic activities; reproaching myself for not drawing more or for not pushing myself to attend classes or workshops. I’m sure I would have gained a lot from these practical activities but what I’ve really needed is time to read, write and think. I lose sight of the need to balance the creative hands-on learning with the contextual and intellectual. I’ve reached a point where this needs to become a priority or my work will become impeded and lose momentum. Taking part in this self-directed, sort of failed residency has been an eye-opening experience and I feel both better and worse for it.
