I wanted to do something that might bring my little printmaking community at the yard:ARTspace together, safely and very socially distant.
Now I know from experience that despite the time we seem to have on our hands, creativity is not coming easily. At the start of lock down so many people said to me,
'Your so lucky, you will have time to print, paint, draw, stitch!'
But we all know choosing to find time and having time forced upon us has a very different feeling and can make creativity go into hiding.
I invited everyone from my 10 week classes to make me a 10 x 10cm collagraph plate. Small enough to make with limited access to materials, small enough that I can print them together and small enough to pop in the post to me.
Thank you to everyone who sent me a plate, in some cases more than one together with the messages.
Saturday 9 May was my 'P' day so to speak. I got into the yard:ARTspace at 8.30am and started to ink.
I have promised to print one for people to collect after lock down, I also needed to know what the plates would do before trying to print this eclectic collection on one piece of paper.
Not all the plates where made in the same way or on the same substrate, thicknesses varied as did the ink holding surfaces.
Just the challenge I needed!
It is lovely to see my teaching coming back to me and there is a variety of plate making in this collection.
From top left, a silk aquatint. Right, wall paper and glue.
Bottom left, glue and filler on card. Right, wall paper and glue.
From top left, wall paper and glue. Right, scrim, tape, filler and glue.
Bottom left, glue and card. Right wall paper and glue.
From top left, cutting into card and glue. Right, wallpaper and glue.
Bottom left, glue and wallpaper. Right wall paper and glue.
From top left, card and glue. Right, card and glue.
Bottom left, glue and card. Right wall paper, fabrics, thread and glue.
From top left, cutting into card and glue. Right, wallpaper and glue.
Bottom left, glue and card. Right, cutting into card and packing tape.
From top left, cutting into card and glue. Right, card and glue.
Bottom left, card and glue. Right dry point on plastic with masking tape.
All inked up for the second time, I popped the damp paper onto the press bed.
So that the plates will not move as I put them through the press, I am lining them up, face down on the printing paper.
Carefully selecting which plate goes where.
Slowly building up the grid
and enjoying the messages, instructions and encouragement on the back of each plate.
With the backs of the plates covered in magazine paper to protect the blankets, off I go through the press.
With my heart in my mouth, its time to pop each small plate off the paper.
Note the paper fingers everyone!!!!
So the best laid plans and all that, it was warm yesterday and I had left the paper in the blotter over lunch, so it dried out, that and the pressure of the press was not enough to pick up some of the thinner plates. So the first attempt was not what I hoped for.
So while listening to the Saturday play I had another go...definitely a Ta Dah moment!
After about 5 hours of inking here is the finished result, am I tempted to have another go? Of course. Will I? We will see!
There are built in difficulties when doing a project like this, not being in complete control over the materials the plates are made of being one.
But this is not about making the best print ever, it is about coming together and from small elements making a whole. Each plate was made while feeling something about what we are going through individually at this moment in time.
Where is the prompt this week I hear you ask? Try getting together with the chums you are in contact with and make a distanced piece of work together...knit a square each and join it into a blanket, a patch work square, a mosaic that could be made of paper, broken crockery, a long drawing to go down the street or a piece for community bunting. So many ideas where small pieces can come together to make a larger more significant piece.
Let me know what you come up with.
Have the best creative week you can.
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