A brew worth bottling!

Yesterday I introduced members of the Queensland Papermakers to the exquisite exploration of eco-dyeing on paper.  Although time was short, enthusiasm spurred them on to create some wonderful examples of dyeing on paper with onion skins, leaves, berries, and metal (amongst other things!).  I'm sure everyone has gone home to try some more dyeing in their own art practice.  That's the wonderful thing about eco-dyeing - it doesn't require any special equipment or expensive materials.

And one of the perks of keeping the 'brew' from yesterday is that the colour of the dye bath is well developed.  A beautiful dark inky brew smelling strongly of eucalypt.....yum!

So today I indulged in my own eco-dyeing frenzy and produced some great pieces.  Thanks to my friends I have an overwhelming supply of onion skins, so I packed my paper bundle solidly with onion skins.  This produced very intense prints.  I also let the brew simmer gently for an hour, usually only half an hour.

I used full sheets of Raines paper, folded concertina style.  I intend to make these into books, enhanced with some monoprinting (especially in one section where I forgot to put onion skins!). 

I will post more photos when the resulting books are completed later this week.  I'm waiting for the paper to dry before cutting it up.  Its been raining all afternoon, so they unfortunately they won't dry overnight.

Below are some photos to wet your appetite for yummy textures and colours!

Packing the folds with onion skins etc

 

After cooking but before the objects have been removed,
looks a mess but lots of interesting marks



A close up of the paper after dyeing

A delicate leaf print

Monotypes at Primrose Park

This weekend I flew to Sydney to run a 2-day monotype workshop with members of the Primrose Park Arts Group.

The idea behind the workshop was to use monoprinting to extend their creativity and art practice.  We started out by playing around with small plates and simple designs using plants, onion bags etc just to give everyone an idea of how collage monotypes are created, and to introduce them to the wonderful ghost prints.

The remainder of the weekend was spent with each participant working on their own projects.  Some used the large plates I provided, others explored hand-printing and water-based oil paints.  I was extremely pleased that they were able to work within their own art practice using the collage monoprinting process. 

This is the first time I have had an opportunity to share the techniques that I have developed over the past 2 years.  Usually there isn't enough time.

I returned to Brisbane last night after a most enjoyable weekend.  I stayed at the Cremorne Point Manor and enjoyed walks along the harbour foreshore with views of the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge. 

Thanks very much to Jean for her very efficient organisation and tasty lunches, and most of all thank you to the girls who joined me in the workshop - you were very friendly and approachable but most importantly, willing to try new ideas and push yourselves to new creative heights.

Inside Primrose Park Art Centre - home to papermakers,
calligraphers, and photographers

The Primrose participants with some monotypes
completed at the workshop



Water Portraits

Today I went to the beach.  In the name of 'art', of course!

I've been selected for a joint exhibition of Queensland and Quebec (Canadian) artists, the theme is 'Water Portraits'.  The work that I'm creating is based on my previous experiences at Coochiemudlo Island.  I plan to use monoprinting to express my personal connection to Moreton Bay and its estuaries.

So today as part of my research I visited an old childhood haunt of mine, Nudgee Beach, and wandered along the shoreline amongst the mangroves and driftwood.  And to my delight, I found the biggest stand of Cottonwood Trees ever, a great source of one of my favourite monoprinting leaves.  I was like a kid in a candy shop!

This afternoon I prepared my registration sheet in anticipation of starting some prints in the coming weeks.
I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Cottonwood Trees along the shoreline

Looking across the mudflat - I love the earthy smell

My registration sheet and plates, ready to go

Etching over Monoprints

Today I have been printing some small etchings over monoprints.  This works best when the monoprints I use as background are indistinct and are in need of 'something' to create a focal point. And of course there's no shortage of monoprints that fall short of my expectations in any session of printing that I do.

For a change, I used water soluble ink - Caligo Safe Wash Etching Ink.  It was so easy to clean up - just water and detergent.  The downside was that I accidentally stained my press blanket.  I suspect that I overdampened the paper and during printing the ink mixed with the surplus moisture and leaked through onto the blanket.  I immediately washed the blanket in wool-wash but I was unable to use friction to remove the stain as I was wary of any rubbing action which might have caused the wool blanket to start felting. 

So now my blanket is permanently stained.  I guess its not really that bad considering I've used the same blanket without mishap for the past 2 years.  It sort of looks like a tatoo, a 'right-of-passage' perhaps?

One my prints - note how the ink has run,
creating some nice effects but staining my press blanket!

One of the prints used for a book cover

An Etching Experience

Last weekend I attended a beginners etching 1day workshop at the Impress Studio. 

This was my first experience etching zinc with acid.  Printmaking wasn't available where I did my TAFE studies and I have only since learnt some aspects of printmaking at various short workshops at BIA and Impress.

I found the drawing of the image somewhat challenging - the knowledge that I couldn't erase my lines like I could with pencil was somewhat off-putting.  I was helped by first tracing an outline of my pre-prepared image onto the plate.

The workshop was for me an introduction to the process of etching; its quite technical and lengthy compared to monoprinting.  I didn't particularly like having to keep track of the sequence and timing for the acid baths to create the aquatinting effects - knowing that if I made a mistake, my plate could potentially be ruined.  I'm also rather impatient with the inking of the plate - applying the ink then wiping it off just seems so.... pointless!  It took me the whole day to create one plate for a few prints - I now have a new appreciation of the process of etching.  Below are photos of my print from the etching workshop - my 'magpie'.

And now that I've had my big whinge about etching, I'm keen to explore more of aluminium etching.  I was introduced to this low toxic process by Judith Rosenberg several years ago and am keen to develop my skills.  I plan to use etchings over the top of my monoprints.  But I can assure you that monoprinting for me is my first love!

Magpie etching - 1st proof, line only

Magpie etching - with aquatint

Tasmanian Basketry Gathering

I've just returned from 3 weeks in Tasmania, the first 10 days cycling with 6 others from Hobart to Launceston, then travelling with my Mum to the biennial national Basketry Gathering at Port Sorell, north Tasmania.

For a week, we joined 120 other artists from Australia and overseas in exciting weaving and dyeing projects.  We learnt new techniques, worked with new fibres such as willow and made friends with other like-minded creative souls.  The setting was Camp Banksia at Port Sorell, a fantastic facility right by the beach, so we often went for afternoon beach walks where we picked blackberries and apples growing wild - a real novelty for us Queenslanders!

Picking wild blackberries to use in eco-dyeing

Blackberries - one for the pot, one for me (yum!)

With my fellow BasketCases from Brisbane -
Jenny, Angela, Floss, myself, Jan (my Mum) and Therese.

Bliss - happily creating a 'skelontised leaf'
using wire and raffia

Making paper

One of my recent projects was have a go at making a large sheet of paper.   I borrowed a large frame measuring over 1 metre x 1 metre from a friend, and used the pour method to create a sheet of banana and onion skin paper.

The paper was quite uneven (obviously I need more practice at pouring) and it took a few days to dry on the frame, longer than I expected.

Right now I'm not sure what I will do with the paper, it will have to be something special given its size.  I'm thinking of a sculptural piece, maybe incorporated into one of my large weavings.  Stay tuned!

I used a large sheet of plastic over bricks
and planks of wood to hold the water bath in which the
frame floated

The paper drying after draining off the water

Monoprinting Marathon

I'm on my 3rd consecutive day of printing, and loving it.  Its hot outside (over 33 degrees celsius), so there's no better place to be than in my air conditioned studio.

I've been busy making monprints to incorporate in my hand-made books, as well as starting on new works featuring the Sacred Ibis, another notorious urban dweller, as part of my 'Conservation of the Species' series.

I've also been re-working prints from my first Bower series.  There were 3 prints that I regarded as not particularly successful, mostly due to being too 'busy' without a focal point.  I have managed to bring at least 2 of those prints back, the results of one of those prints is shown in the photos below.  Its quite challenging to try and work out how to strengthen a print that is at the point of being overworked.  A delicate process fraught with danger!

Bower4 - BEFORE

Bower4 - After the rework. 
Still busy but more interesting.

Printscape 2011

My latest project has been the Southern Printmakers Association's annual exchange of postcard prints.  This project requires participants to create 11 postcard sized prints and post them individually to a NSW address.  They will then distribute 10 new and different prints back to each participant.  One print is kept by the Association.

I've been doing artist book swaps for a while and a printmaking exchange sounded like a lot of fun.  The theme was 'Printscape'.  My prints are (of course) monoprints.  I used stencils and objects to create a moonlit landscape.  My text on the reverse side features quotes, also on the same theme.

I'll be posting them this weekend, fingers crossed they all arrive safely!

If you're interested in joining in the exchange, the deadline is 1 April.  Email robynwaghorn@bigpond.com for more information.

Caloundra Workshops

I've just facilitated 2 days of monoprinting workshops at Caloundra Regional Gallery.  I had the delightful task of introducing 19 enthusiastic ladies to the magic of monotypes.  The days were filled with exclamations of 'ooohh' and 'aaahh' as the prints were revealed off my travelling press, 'Thumper'. 

Thanks again to my Mum Jan who toiled for hours in charge of 'Thumper' to ensure good press 'posture' and behaviour.  She's such an old hand at it nowadays she gives plenty of printing advice as well!

And also a big thank you to Cathy Money, in charge of Public Programs at the Gallery, who organised the workshops (and took the photos).  And to those on the waiting list who missed out - don't worry I'll be back!

My next workshop is in Sydney in May at Primrose Paper Arts - an intensive 2 day workshop aimed at creativity and developing imagery using monotypes.

 

Jan and some of the participants at work



Discussing the magic of monotypes