PICA PICA

Setting myself the challenge of making a collagraph a month and then telling everyone that is what I will do is very motivating. The more you make the more you want to make. So here is this months piece ready for finishing touches when it is dry. 

PICA PICA

I am still working on my challenge of a print a month and for sometime I have had it in my mind to work on another corvid cousin, the magpie.

I spent a happy morning wandering around Cheltenham hunting these urban birds.

Another couple of days drawing and I am now ready to start making a collagraph plate.

Using grey board and Skim and Repair.

Carborundum to create the dense black and wood glue to create the white.

Exterior wood glue is by far the best adhesive to secure the carborundum to the surface of the grey board.

I let it sit on the glue for a few minutes to get maximum stick then shake it off like glitter.

This white glue will dry clear and the ink will wipe off it but ink will remain in the drawn lines.

The plate is beginning to come together and the story is developing. The plate needs to dry out thoroughly and then with a coat of shellac it will be ready to print next week.

Magpie and his little friend Robin, oh now there's an idea for another piece, but I don't do fur??

PERIOD LIVING

This is just a taster photograph taken by Jeremy Phillips who together with Rachel Crow came to my studio in March. They stayed for 4 hours putting together an article for the June issue of Period Living Magazine. I know it is still April, but the June issue is now out on the shelves. Rachel has done a brilliant job in getting my creative story across, there are beautiful photos of the shed and tantalising snippets about my working process. Frank features too (cat not husband) although I feel his contribution has been exaggerated.

 

Thankyou Period Living, I am thrilled. 

JUST A THOUGHT

I have at last found some time to get back in the studio to experiment.

I have a cunning plan for this glass ware,

and  once again have hit my sketch books with a few ideas.

Still obsessed with natural history and museum collections.

Starting off with etched copper and

digital transfers

This copper fits nicely into some of the jars and bottles.

 

I am gradually building up enamelled objects and playing with 3 dimensional placement in this small cupboard. I am looking forward to the arrival of my new digital transfers for this project, thankyou for your help Jane getting that sorted out.

I will keep you posted on the progress of this Natural History project. 

 

SPRING IN THE SHED

At last the weather is warming up and the seeds are coming up in veg pot city which is taking advantage of a sunny corner in my walled garden.

You might have spotted what I am using for plant labels. Determined not to

forget what I have planted this year I have enamelled the names on bits of cutlery.

The orange bucket is the Gardening Clubs potatoe in a bucket competition. Who can grow the most for the August show, I am consistent and always come in the last 2.

I am also very smug about my spring bulbs this year.

I am still on target for doing a print a month, even though I am cheating and appear to be doing 2 a month. Will this mean I can have a holiday here and there? I suspect not...momentum is everything.

These are both collagraphs called Singing the Blues. The winter plump blackbirds were in the garden during December. I love the blackbirds song, always cheery at dawn and twilight, hence the labels with gum arabic transfer. I am running a one day Transfer workshop at Hampen Factory on June 21st if you want to learn more about the technique.

 

BREAKING NEWS:- I will be featured in the Artisan section of Period Living in June. Very exciting, several pages of my work, shed and Frank the cat. I believe the magazine comes out in May so watch out for it in your local News Agents.

TA DAH!

Back in November 2012 I was invited to design a piece of public art to celebrate 200 years of trading on the Bath Road, Cheltenham

I can remember feeling daunted by the enamel coated panels waiting to have the design scratched into it.

Thanks to Hy-Tech Enamellers, www.hytechenamellers.co.uk

Rachel and I were able to work in the factory while Agas and baths were being enamelled around us.

We learnt so much from John White about the industrial enamel process.

The excitement of watching the panels being fired

 in large continuous furnaces.

But today was the day the Bath Road panels were unveiled to the world. 

I got the chance to meet again those who helped the project succeed, Viv from Hy-Tech cheerfully kept us all organised.

John who allowed us into his factory to make the work.

Brian lent me lots of precious material which makes the panels detailed and fascinating.

Niki, who got me involved with the project in the first place.

A real Ta Dah moment as Martin Horwood MP unveiled the work.

At last this work is on the wall of the Exmouth Arms, Bath Road, Cheltenham.

It has been an exciting journey, researching into the local history of this interesting road. There are so many people to thank for helping me and Rachel achieve this project. Thankyou Cheltenham Connect whose initial idea it was to commission a piece of public art.

HERE'S ONE I MADE EARLIER

Next week is the penultimate week of my 10 week classes. 2 printmaking groups and an enamel class. It has been a lovely term and I have enjoyed it all thoroughly. Everyone has worked so hard. 

It is interesting to look back at the quick examples I do in front of my groups and how different yet similar they look compared to the work I make to sell.

These 5 pieces are my enamel trials. They build up

week by week as I teach different skills that develop over the 10 week class.

We use copper and this panel shows many of the techniques in one place.

We have had lots of fun with transfers.

I teach weekend workshops in between the regular 10 week classes. I found

these 2 collagraphs with gum Arabic transfers included hidden in a pile of samples.

My New Brewery Arts printmaking group explored inking with viscosity inks and

plate making with glue and tile cement.

The Hampen Factory group experimented with dry point on plastic with a second collagraph plate providing the coloured background. The results have been gorgeous.

 

I will be teaching more printmaking and enamel classes near Cheltenham and in Cirencester. 10 week and weekend workshops in both places, just email me at sb.brown@talk21.com for summer term details.