Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Originals 09: The Contemporary Printmaking Show

Jump Baby Jump by Mick Davies
3D Etching / watercolour
Chairman's Choice - selected by Wendy Harman


Originals 09 is an annual open exhibition of contemporary printmaking at the Mall Galleries in London. It opened on 18th February and I went to see it last Friday. The exhibition finishes on Saturday 28th February and I'd highly recommend a visit for anybody who is interested in printing and who can get to London this week.

Stockwell Sisters by Anthea Toorchen
Collograph/Sculpture (edition of 3)
Originals: The Contemporary Printmaking Show is the UK’s most prestigious printmaking exhibition. Now in its sixth year, and building on its reputation as the single most important Open Print Show in the UK, it presents another sensational exhibition with an outstanding mix of famous names, up and coming artists and the best of current students.
Mall Galleries - exhibition page
I was very impressed by the quality of the fine art original prints on display in the exhibition. As you might expect I went round looking in particular at the linocuts to see what could be accomplished - which is always an incentive for creating art!

The show is made up of work submitted by some 1,300 artists, some of whom submitted the maximum of 6 works!


Two views of the West Gallery, Mall Galleries

I'd also like to note that the catalogue for the exhibition is one of the best I've seen for a while. It's got a combination of the normal catalogue plus a number of interesting articles, and lots of adverts for printing facilities and supplies in London.

The exhibition is organised by the Federation of British Artists and doesn't have a dedicated website - which I think is a pity as it means that there is no static site for archives, online galleries or a place where people can find out information about the show during the course of the year.

Prizewinners

Well done to whoever generated all the sponsorship of the prizes! Here are the people who won prizes (and thanks to Emma Healey at the Mall Galleries for the list). I've also included the names of the works and the type of print. Also included are links to the artists' websites where you can see more of their printmaking activities.

THE ABERYSTWYTH UNIVERSITY PRINT COLLECTION PURCHASE PRIZE
For outstanding work in the exhibition to be added to this collection.
Paul Catherall (Gas Black - Linocut),
Peter Lawrence SWE RS (St Ives - Wood engraving) &
Shelley Rose (Blue over Grey - Silkscreen/edition of 10)

ARTICHOKE PRINTMAKING DAVID GLUCK MEMORIAL PURCHASE PRIZE
A purchase prize for an etching of outstanding technical merit.
-Piers Browne (But she has fled full sail - etching/edition of 25)

THE ARTS CLUB PRIZE
One year’s membership of the Arts Club, Dover Street for one exceptional artist... Ross Loveday (Salt in the Air - drypint/caroborundum)

THE BIRGIT SKIOLD PRIZE
Two prizes of £250 each from the charity whose aim is to encourage the making of editioned etchings, lithographs, and relief prints, and also hand papermaking....
Adele Wagstaff (Saieda ethcing/aquatint/drypoint edition of 10) &
Veta Gorner (Wrong Shadows II Etching/edition of 25)

Wrong Shadows II by Veta Gorner
winner of the Birgit Skiold Prize
and the John Purcell Paper Award

BROOK GALLERY PRIZE
£250 prize and solo exhibition in February 2010 at the celebrated Brook Gallery for artistic innovation .... Herme Bellido (Medersa II Screenprint/unique)

THE CURWEN PRIZE JOINTLY FUNDED BY THE CURWEN STUDIO & THE CURWEN PRINT STUDY CENTRE
One day individual tuition at the Curwen Print Study Centre.
Awarded to Tessa Holmes (Centro Storico I solar plate etching/varied edition of 5)

R K BURT & CO LTD. AWARD
Two week’s exhibition space at Union Street Gallery during 2009/2010.
Awarded to Rhys Himsworth (Avatar lithograph/edition of 10)

THE FENTON ARTS TRUST AWARDS IN MEMORY OF DAVID WHEELER
£500 each to two outstanding printmakers who are UK resident.
Philip Naylor (Heights, Dwellings, Settlements monotype/unique) &
Nicholas Richards (Ghost ships etching/edition of 40)

GALLERIES MAGAZINE AWARD
£940 worth of advertising and editorial promotion to a student of outstanding merit.
Awarded to Ian Brown (Air screenprint)

INTAGLIO PRINTMAKERS AWARD (**split this year)
£250 of printmaking materials for an outstanding print in the show. Awarded to
Fiona Hepburn (Sea Star Handcut screenprint/woodcut) &
Hilary Ellis (Network I embossing/graphite)

THE JOHN PURCELL PAPER AWARDS
Paper to the value of £125 awarded to two outstanding printmakers. Won by
Christopher Moon ( Powerlines etching/edition of 25) &
Veta Gorner (Wrong Shadows II Etching/edition of 25)

THE JOSEPH WEBB ARE COMMEMORATIVE FUND AWARD
£250 awarded to the best etching by an artist under the age of 40.
Won by Martin Langford RE (Epilogue Etching/edition of 100)

JULIAN TREVELYAN MEMORIAL AWARD
£1,000. Split between:
Megan Fishpool ARE
(Muse Solar etching) &
Morgan Doyle ARE
(The Sound Woodcut)

KEW STUDIO PRIZE
Membership of the studio for one year plus 10 day’s printing
Awarded to Biljana Tesic (Botanical Explorer photoetching/edition of 20)

THE LONDON PRINT STUDIO PRINTMAKING AWARD
One year’s free registration, and 25 free sessions in the print studio.
Katherine Jones (Forest Light etching/edition of 25)

THE PRINTMAKING TODAY AWARD
Feature in Printmaking Today.
Awarded to Tobias Till (The Westway lino/edition of 30)

THE PRINTROOM AWARD
An opportunity to exhibit at the Printroom
Tom Hammick (Small Trees in a Garden II monotype/unique)

RE MEMBERSHIP PRIZE
One year’s free membership as an Associate Member
Ros Ford (Albert Road Viaduct II etching/aquatint edition of 20)

THE SOCIETY OF WOOD ENGRAVERS AWARDS
Two awards, each of £100, for outstanding wood engravings. Won by:
Chris Pig (Ghost engaving/edition of 30) and
Hilary Paynter PRE, SWE (Another Cat Show)

ST. CUTHBERTS PAPER MILL AWARDS
Three awards, each of £200 worth of paper:
Hazel Brook (Colour Form VII monotype/unique),
Fiona Hepburn (Sea Star handcut screenprint/woodcut) &
Rose Blake (The Stunted Sonnet (silkscreen)

ZENITH COLLECTION PURCHASE PRIZE
Outstanding work selected by Deborah Roslund: Martin Ridgwell ARE (First encounter etching/edition of 75)

THE SIR PETER BLAKE AWARD Won by Adrian Bartlett (Burning the tree etching/edition of 50)

THE REBECCA HOSSACK AWARD
Won by: Abigail McLellan (179)

THE CHAIRMAN’S CHOICE AWARD
won by: Mick Davies (Jump Baby Jump 3D Etching / watercolour

THE FEDERATION OF BRITISH ARTISTS PRINTMAKING AWARD
Marianne Fox Ockinga (New Age of rail woodcut/edition of 25)

Note just how many artists have websites! What is it about printmakers - could it be that they are more internet savvy? I was able to find websites for virtually every artist with real ease - stark contrast to the exercise which normally happens when I'm highlighting prizewinners in another type of exhibition. Most of them also had very attractive and accessible websites as well!

Sales


Besides being able to buy prints via the Mall Galleries, their website page for Originals 09 states that you can also view and buy works online on the Artichoke Print Studio website. However there is no indication of this on the Artichoke website - and I gather from Artichoke that the page is "pending". Apparently when it arrives it will then display work for sale all year until the Originals 10 exhibition starts when next years artists will be showcased.

As a business model, an exhibition linked to a year round gallery site is a potential win-win solution for all concerned. However gallery websites and administration both need to be really well designed, efficient and effective to make it work for the artists - and as the website is not available that's a question which remains outstanding for the moment.

Originals 09 – Print Workshops (Wed 18-Feb-2009 to Wed 4-Mar-2009)

If you would like to learn how to make your own prints, Artichoke Print Studio is running a series of courses in conjunction with Originals 09. I've included details below of the ones which are still to run. I'm afraid I haven't got a clue as to whether spaces are still available.

Courses take place at Artichoke Printmaking in South London, for booking forms and availability please contact Artichoke directly by telephone (020 7924 0600) or email artichoketrading@btconnect.com

Bio-friendly Collograph
Two day course – Thurs 26 and Fri 27 Februrary, 10.30am – 4.30pm

Oil-based Monoprinting
Tues 3 March, 10.30am – 4.30pm

Water-based Monoprinting
Wed 4 March, 10.30am – 4.30pm

Introduction to Aquatint
Wed 4 March, 10.30am – 4.30pm

I'm eyeing up those monoprint courses!

11 comments:

  1. This must have been a very inspiring exhibit! Thanks for linking to the artists' websites as well!

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  2. I would have loved to see this exhibition.

    And what a lot of prizes! Its amazing just how many supporters there were of printing. Why don't other exhibitions generate the same level of support I wonder?

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  3. this does look a great show - You featured Ross Loveday - I've loved his work for years - even if his name does sound like a mills and boon author!

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  4. Oh well, there goes my day!
    But thank you Katherine - what a wonderful gift this post is since I can't get to the show. Sob.

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  5. Robyn - I've been waiting for your comment so I can tell you that you are going to be glued to your seat for hours and you'd better get the nourishment supplies sorted before you sit down! ;)

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  6. I find I'm enjoying print exhibitions more and more. I'm also rapidly becoming convinced that printmakers know an awful lot more about what makes a good composition than rather a lot of painters!

    Maybe it's to do with the fact that most have to consciously reduce the image to elements to render it?

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  7. One can find oneself leaping into a painting without due consideration to composition (yes, I know one shouldn't) but a wood or lino cut particularly, demands you have a good plan. That's why I think it works better for me to take my lino cut designs from a previous sketch or watercolour because I have already let go of considerable detail and can better see the necessary shapes and values.

    Yes, this post is going to keep me happy for at least a week! :)

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  8. Wow, would you look at all the links to Print-Love! (Katherine, you're such a temptress; I'm supposed to be wagging a paint brush, instead of clicking *wonderful* links.) Thank you so much for this post, and the photos and links to other printmakers. I can't wait to meander. I'm leaving your blog front and center on my monitor as a reward (with a glass of wine) for perusing at the end of the day.

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  9. Katherine, hi!
    Two link missed hope you don't mind me adding:
    Katy Johnes - absolutely wonderful printmaker with numerous prizes under her belt and great work too:
    http://www.katherine-jones.co.uk/ - a name to watch!
    Nick Richards - a member of Greenwich Printmaker http://www.greenwich-printmakers.org.uk/artists/richards/4richards.html

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  10. Visiting California from Toronto; never thought I'd be grateful for rain so I've gone through most of those fabulous websites. As a printmaking instructor, I plan to show my students the treasures I have found and expect them to be wild with delight. Thank you for all the work in sharing this info. Vicki (www.vickicowan.com)

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  11. Katherine

    I think this is my second visit. Thanks for this review on Originals 09, most appreciated because I am up here in Edinburgh and so its not easy to nip along to see it.
    I was pleased to see that 3 artists who I only recently became aware of and whose work I admire ....won awards.
    Fiona Hepburn, Katherine Jones and Veta Gorner.

    Like you I feel it's such a shame that they don't have a website for the Originals print competitions/exhibition with an archive etc.
    If they want it to have real international standing then they ought to follow the example of other printmaking competitions and make it accessible to the www audience. Got stuff to do so better go. I enjoy reading your blog. Also that you will review books and point out the pros and the cons.

    Aine

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