Printmaking Today was first published in 1990 by Rosemary Simmons. From 1994 to 2000 it was published by Farrand Press.

‘We continue to comment on aesthetic, educational and theoretical matters as well as bringing the reader new developments in print technology and re-assessments of traditional methods. Many of our writers are printmakers and speak from experience. Others are art historians, publishers, educationalists and suppliers of materials and equipment. We keep you up-to-date with exhibitions and opportunities for printmakers. You are encouraged to air your views, exchange information and above all, keep in touch with all aspects of international printmaking. We are based in Britain but have contacts around the globe and see printmaking as the most international of all art forms.’

Printmaking Today is the authorized Journal of the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers.

Print International 2013 launched Creative International, a month of art activities in Wrexham that will run until Saturday 11 May. The exhibition is being held across 2 venues: Oriel Wrecsam gallery and Memorial gallery in nearby Yale College.

Print International is open!

Oriel Wrecsam Director Steffan Jones-Hughes (left) and Professor David ferry (right) in gallery 1.

First image, left: [Imprint] Soft_Terrain (inverted) in Memorial gallery, Yale College.

The exhibition included series of work ranging from 3 to 6 pieces from each artist in order to show continuity within the work.

Interesting to see The Bigger Picture exhibited in an entirely different context to This ‘Me’ of Mine at APT gallery,  London last month. Print International is a survey of contemporary printmaking rather than being based on any particular theme; work with very different intentions were displayed side by side. Whilst in ‘This ‘Me’ of Mine’ APT the curatorial theme of  ’self in relation to context’ connected my work to others in quite a different way.

In Memorial gallery Wrexham, many of the works used black and white media – bringing different works together graphically rather than by concept: My prints were connected to others by exploration of print media rather than by curatorial concept- It’s interesting as an artist to view (own) work in these different contexts. Each undoubtedly altering the reception of the work.

 5Ways Filmstrip 4 and The bigger Picture

I enjoyed a very friendly and lively opening and it was also great to unexpectedly met up with fellow artist Heather Upton and her husband who I had not seen for some time since teaching at Kensington and Chelsea College, London.

Also lovely to meet Pam Newall on the day and have a quick chat about silkscreen printing and etching. I had seen  Pam’s work previously on Axis web website and also on Twitter –  great to meet artists and see their work in reality rather than just virtually.

In fact, I was so busy talking that I forgot to pick up my exhibition catalogues before the event closed for the evening. Thanks to Oriel Wrecsam for kindly posting these on to me. Just received…..

(Above) Print International catalogue with Pam Newall‘s screenprints (top of image) Urban 03, 2011. Urban 05 2011 and Urban 04, 2011

Heather Upton‘s waterless lithographs: Secret Map, Eternal Dust and Voyage

Sandra Crisp‘s large format digital prints: Soft Terrain (Inverted), 2012. 5Ways Filmstrip 4, 2012 and The Bigger Picture, 2010.

The exhibition continues until 8th June and more information can be found on previous blog post:

HERE

Print International included the following artists selected by Professor David Ferry RE FRSA:

John Abell, Michael Agnew & David Blyth, Amanda Agyei, Duncan Bullen, Cardiff Sessions with Bruce McLean, Cardiff Sessions with David Ferry, Cardiff Sessions with John Gibbons, Frances Carlie, Bill Chambers, Sandra Crisp, Paul Croft, Alexe Dilworth, Morgan Doyle, Ruth Gibson, Jo Gorner, James Green, Graham Hall, Yuji Hiratsuka, Linda Kosciewicz-Flemming, Peter Lloyd, Arabella Marsh-Hilfiker, Thomas Martin, Nan Mulder, Stephen Mumberson, Pam Newall, Sarah Robinson, Sander Schoonbeek, Kara Seaman, Giske Sigmundstad, Serena Smith, Eric Storey, Dionne Swift, Heather Upton, Gini Wade, Florence Walkey, Pete Williams, Roy Willingham, Christina Wrege, Josee Wuyts & Frans de Groot.

Print International 2013 13 April – 8 June

Opening Saturday 13 April 2pm

Oriel Wrecsam Rhosddu Road, Wrexham LL11 1AU. 01978 292093. Monday  - Friday 9:30 – 6:45. Saturday 9:30 – 4.

Memorial Gallery Yale College, Grove Park Road, Wrexham LL12 7AB. 01978 317329. Monday  - Friday 10 – 12 & 1:30 – 4:30. Term time only or by appointment.

All images: ©A.Borgerth ©marionpiper ©JPickering ©sandra Crisp ©jane boyer.

This ‘Me’ of Mine showcases work by: Aly Helyer, Edd Pearman, Darren Nixon, Hayley Harrison, Melanie Titmuss, Annabel Dover, Kate Murdoch, David Minton, Anthony Boswell, David Riley, Sandra Crisp, Sarah Hervey, Shireen Qureshi, Cathy Lomax, and Jane Boyer.

Half an hour to go…..

Upon arriving at APT about an hour before the opening at 6 pm I was greatly surprised by the scale of this  light and airy space at 6 Harold Wharf, Creekside

…..This ‘Me’ of Mine is open

(Photo Credit: Marion Piper)

An early visitor

(Photo Credit: Rosie Hervey)

Jane Boyer and a small team of artists have succeeded in hanging the exhibition in an innovative way that connects these quite different art works together very well: Each piece exists in it’s own generous space, however, all the work connects together well in the overall gallery space due to Jane Boyer’s clear vision for the exhibition theme- The work all shares a common thread of  identity.

Media includes painting, drawing, digital print, 3D assemblage and a code-drive screen-based work.

Left: Poof! 2010 Jane Boyer Right: Whilst I Breathe, I Hope 2011 Edd Pearman.

(Photo Credit: Rosie Hervey)

Exhibiting artists include: Aly Helyer, Edd Pearman, Darren Nixon, Hayley Harrison, Melanie Titmuss, Annabel Dover, Kate Murdoch, David Minton, Anthony Boswell, David Riley, Sandra Crisp, Sarah Hervey, Shireen Qureshi, Cathy Lomax, and Jane Boyer.

Visitors to the gallery listening to ‘Artists in Conversation with Jane Boyer, Kate Murdoch, Shireen Qureshi and Sandra Crisp. The work of David Riley was also included in the event.

(Photo Credit: Jane Boyer)

Many thanks to Jane who has worked tirelessly on this project for some time, conducting interviews, applying for venues and eventually securing funding from both Arts Council England and private sponsor HomeinOne.com

• An early review by Jack Hutchinson Curating by Twitter: “Every step of the development became visible” can be found here
• More information about This ‘Me’ of Mine’ on the blog Here
• To Visit see This ‘Me’ of Mine on ArtRabbit

that This ‘Me’ of Mine has been awarded a grant from Arts Council England:

The forthcoming exhibition opening in March 2013 will include one of my large format digital prints The Bigger Picture.

Today, I needed a very large postal tube to protect and send a set of 3 large format prints to an exhibition in Wales – Upon discovering that buying a second tube would set me back around £20-  it seemed well emptying my old tube and  switching the work around for the duration of the forthcoming exhibition.

In the process of emptying the tube I rediscovered 2 previous works : ‘Infoscan 3′ and ‘All that is solid’ on the left and right respectively, both 110 cm across. The paper is a bright white Hahnemule Photo Rag 308 gsm

Several hours later and 3 large format prints are layered with acid free tissue, packed and ready to go…..

…Hmmm,  should just about be Royal Mail-proof I think

(The wooden mallet is used to get the tube’s plastic end-cap back into place!)

(Above) Photos of 3 Large format prints size 110 cm x 110 cm printed in the digital studio at London Print Studio, Harrow Road, London (Actually, there are 4 prints in total including 2 versions of the coloured work ‘The Bigger Picture’) These works exist in small editions of 3 per image. The paper is a bright white Hahnemule Photo Rag 308 gsm.

At this stage, the work has already been previewed on numerous occasions and at various scales on basic coated ink jet paper by using an everyday home desktop printer’s Poster format* setting – to check how the overall image will work full scale. However, nothing is certain and this final stage in the lengthy image making process can also reveal unexpected factors, both positive and negative across the surface of the work.

The experience of waiting for the prints to gradually emerge from the printer by printer bit by bit is usually a mixture of excited anticipation and slight anxiety!

Regarding the desktop printer, detail apparent when working with the images on screen is always missing and not fully revealed again until the file is sent through the large format printer’s much higher resolution set-up.

Strangely enough, working with images on-screen is not unlike drawing on metal printing plates for lithography: the artist can see what they are doing but there is always a margin for chance happenings involved in the final high res printing process: Colour overlays or complex detail can look quite different, altering the overall balance of the piece. The final large format result can be gauged upon experience with previous work  but surprises can always happen. That extra opportunity for the unexpected  completes the work process really: They will be, what they will be…..Serendipity

* Most home desktop printers have a poster printing option included in the settings menu, this allows images to be scaled up to more or less A0 size by printing across 16 sheets of A4 paper. ie: 4 rows across x 4 rows down

The seventh biennial international printmaking exhibition drawn from entries made via open submission from professional printmakers around the world. This year’s exhibition selection will be made by established print professional Professor David Ferry RE FRSA.

Opening Event: 2 – 4 pm Saturday 13 April 2013.