I am demonstrating inking and printing using a 'Little Thumper' press at Wolverhampton Art Gallery - Saturday 13 November, 10.30-2.30

 I am demonstrating inking and printing using a 'Little Thumper' etching press, thanks to Ironbridge Fine Arts who are loaning it to me.  My own trusty Gunning press is rather big to move and transport but the Little Thumper is beautifully compact.

I will be upstairs in Wolverhampton Art Gallery from 10.30-2.30 if you would like to come and have a look.

Some people ask me why do I print?  In some ways it is more complicated because when you print from a printing plate onto paper the image is reversed.  You have to make your image on a plate (a piece of sheet metal, lino, perspex or wood), then apply ink to your plate, put it on the bed of the press, place paper on top of it and then crank it through the press.

Isn't painting more straightforward?

I will attempt to explain my love of printmaking on Saturday.

Making the etching print Borderlands...

Making and printing the Borderlands etching

Etching plate ready to etch.  The copper sulphate/saline solution will 'bite' the uncovered areas creating grooves and pits which will later hold ink.  The red 'ground' protects the rest of the metal.

The etching plate in the mordant (biting solution). You can see that the exposed areas of the plate turn black.

The finished plate

The metal plate then has ink rubbed into the grooves, it is placed on the etching plate,  damp paper is placed on top and then protected by newsprint and blankets, the star wheel is turned so the plate goes between the rollers and the print is created.

The finished print.

Fabulous opening night of Summer Show at Ironbridge Fine Arts, Ironbridge, Shropshire

Wow! What a night!

A warm sunny evening, live band, copious soft drinks, prosecco, a barrel of Holdens' Golden and a stream of lovely people.

The exhibition only went up in the afternoon but there were 4 red dots on my framed etching landscapes by 7pm when the private view started.

The exhibition runs until the end of August  note that the gallery is closed on Sundays and Mondays - scroll down to see details below.

Mid Wales Arts Centre - Poems and Prints. 24 March-5 May

I have two etchings on show in this exhibition that poets have chosen to write about.  I can't wait to know what they have written!

Mid Wales Arts opens its doors for a new season at 3pm on Sunday March 24th with an exciting exhibition which is the brainchild of Andrew Baldwin, of Aberystwyth University. Andrew has developed a non-toxic alternative to traditional etching ground (called BIG) and is in much demand throughout the world for his ground as well as his prints.

The exhibition is on until 5 May.

Poetry Afternoon

To complement the exhibition Pat Edwards and Cathy Knapp have organised an afternoon on Sunday 31st March of poetry when invited poets will be reading their work alongside the prints that inspired them.

The day will start at 2pm. The exhibition and café will be open beforehand. To book please contact:
office@midwalesarts.org.uk 07970671819
Tickets £5 Refreshments available.

Inking and printing contemporary landscape etching - From hedgerow to hillside, The Wrekin, Shropshire

 Rubbing ink into the grooves and lines on the metal plate using a small rubber squeegee

 Wiping off the excess ink from the surface of the metal plate using yellow pages directory

Inked up etching plate on the press bed - final etching revealed by lifting up the paper

Exhibition of artwork currently in the newly published 'Illustrated Garden' book

If you are in or near Kent in October or November, you may have the chance to see the wonderful artwork recently published in the new book by Alan Marshall, 'The Illustrated Garden'.   It's a lovely collection of original prints (linoprints, monoprints, etchings, screenprints etc) on the theme of the garden.

These original prints are on show in the West End House Gallery, Smarden,  Kent TN27 8QB. Tel: 01233 770261  http://www.west-end-house-gallery.co.uk/  The exhibition opens on 29 September and closes on 12 November.

This is one of the pieces that will be on show in the exhibition.

The Illustrated Garden - a new book of etchings, lino, woodcuts, screen prints, monoprints of the garden

I'm delighted to have 3 pages of images and text in this new book of original prints by a wide range of artists.   It's  published by Mascot Media and available from them http://www.mascotmedia.co.uk/news/the-illustrated-garden.html   or   https://www.amazon.co.uk/Illustrated-Garden-Alan-Marshall/dp/1999845749 

A beautiful book with wonderful colour plates of the garden images.

Royal Academy Summer Show 2018

Ooh - I've just delivered two etchings to the Royal Academy in London for round 2 of judging.   Will they get through round 2?   I think about 11,500 were eliminated in Round 1.... I won't know until 26 May...

Royal Birmingham Society of Artists Prize Exhibition - on now and until 23 June 2018

The RBSA Prize exhibition is now on and I have two etchings which were selected by Zoë Lippett, Exhibitions and Artists’ Projects Curator at The New Art Gallery Walsall.  They are both social comments on homelessness.

Orange umbrella

Passing by

http://www.rbsa.org.uk/whats-on/exhibitions/prize-2018/

Linda Nevill ARBSA- I have been elected as an associate member of the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists

My 6 candidature landscape etchings.


I am delighted to have been elected as an associate member of the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists.   

Last November my proposer and seconder signed my application form, I outlined my art qualifications and experience and the RBSA juried exhibitions that I had been selected for in the last few years.  The RBSA Council approved my application.   Then in April I submitted my 6 pieces of work and an artist's statement which were hung for a week in the gallery. During the course of the week the RBSA members and associates viewed all the new candidates' work and voted as to whether they should be accepted or not.   To be accepted it is necessary to obtain 50% of the vote plus 1.  

They voted me in!

http://www.rbsa.org.uk/members-associates/election-process/


Being an associate extends my exhibiting possibilities and it is wonderful to be part of this prestigious association.

Mall Galleries - Private view of shortlisted artists at Artists and Illustrators Artist of the Year 20 February 2018

Lovely evening at the Mall Galleries

One of my etchings has been selected to be part of the Victoria and Albert Museum's permanent collection

I'm very excited that one of my etchings, 'Bare mountain' has been selected to be part of the Victoria and Albert Museum's permanent collection.    Currently it can be seen at Morley Gallery in London but, two from this edition, will be kept in the V & A.

Printing my etching Hedgerow to hillside - the Wrekin

Once I have an image on my etching plate, this is how I ink and print it.  If I want another one, it is possible to go through the process again but the next print will not be exactly the same - it's hand printed so every print is unique.

 Etching a metal plate in copper sulphat

 Putting onto onto the plate - pressing it into the grooves with a piece of rubber

The metal plate is on a hotplate to make the ink looser and easier to wipe

 Wiping excess ink from the surface of the plate using paper (Yellow pages)

 Printing the etching plate on the press

 Peeling back the paper to check it has printed well

The final print From Hedgrow to hillside'

Many thanks to Graham Stubbs for taking the photos. 

Delighted to received an Art Award for 'outstanding work' at Wolverhampton Art Gallery 23/9/2017

I was delighted today to receive the 'Elsie Holland award for outstanding work' at Wolverhampton Art Gallery, for my etching 'Homed and homeless'.

The award was presented by Wayne Attwood Vice President of the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists.  It's a new art award that Wolverhampton Society of Artists were honoured to give this year.

 

 

 

'Homed and homeless' etching and aquatint

 

Elsie Holland was a remarkable woman who devoted herself to adult education.  Inspired by her socialist principles she was a stalwart member of the Worker's Educational Association (WEA) which organised dozens of courses and educational trips.  She was especially keen on Art and the ways in which it can enrich people's lives.  The prize was awarded both to honour her memory and to recognise her contribution to the visual arts in Wolverhampton

Wolverhampton Art Gallery - I'm exhibiting 2 etchings from tomorrow until 18th November

I'm very pleased to be exhibiting two etchings in this show. 

 The Opening is 12.30 in the gallery.  All welcome.

Book art - last chance to see the 'Re-Imagining the Laws of England the Wales exhibition - now at Herefordshire Archive and Records Centre

Last chance to see this exhibition

 
My artist's book 'War and Emergency' has been touring for over two years across the UK as part of the 'Re-Imagining the Laws of England and Wales' exhibition and its final exhibition is now underway at the Herefordshire Archive and Records Centre from 5 September-24 November 2017.  
A set of volumes of the Halsbury's Statutes, the accepted authoritative texts for statute law (Acts of Parliament) of England and Wales was donated to the Sidney Nolan Trust and each of these has been transformed by artists across the country into a work of art exploring themes related to the topics covered in their volume. http://www.sidneynolantrust.org/events-programmes/whats-on/re-imagining-the-laws-of-england-wales

'Metropolis' exhibition at the RBSA (Royal Birmingham Society of Artists) gallery

I'm also very pleased to be currently exhibiting in the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists' Metropolis exhibition of city life which runs at their St Paul's Square gallery until 30 September 2017 http://www.rbsa.org.uk/whats-on/exhibitions/metropolis-2017-sponsored-by-maguire-jackson-1/



'Homed and homeless'  etching

Shropshire rural imagery still continues to inspire me

Shropshire rural imagery still continues to inspire me.  In recent months I've exhibited etchings at the Linden Hall Studio Contemporary Gallery in Kent, RBSA Prize exhibition Birmingham and Church Stretton.   Future plans for this growing series of etchings to be revealed soon!
Here's my Hedgerow to Hillside (The Wrekin) etching plate being inked and printed..

Victoria and Albert Museum, London and Morley Gallery, London

Wow - its all go on the exhibition front! 

 

Two etchings from this edition have been selected for the Victoria and Albert Museum's permanent collection and it will also be exhibited in a Printmakers Council exhibition at Morley Gallery (part of Morley College) in London.http://www.morleycollege.ac.uk/the-gallery 31 October-11 November 2017.

 'Bare Mountain'

I'm currently exhibiting etchings at Linden Hall Studio, Contemporary Art Gallery, 9-30 July, Deal, Kent.

'Hedgerow to hillside' - etching