Liverpool Printmakers

Blueprint Art Exhibition

2012-02-13T03:24:00.000-08:00

An exhibition opening at The Gallery Liverpool by 16 printmakers, all of whom have worked, printed or had strong links with the Bluecoat. Artists exhibiting include Lisa Who, Gill Curry and Graham Williams, who used to teach here. Showcasing a variety of print methods and techniques, this promises to be a very exciting show!

Opening night is Friday 17th February, see poster below or contact The Gallery Liverpool for more details.

Three Colours: Black

2012-02-02T03:36:00.000-08:00

Private view Thursday 9th February 2012 (5pm-8pm)

What better way to brighten up these grey days than with an uplifting shot of black and white. We are delighted to present a group show of new works from three very accomplished printmakers.

Kelly Dyson has produced work for (among others): The Guardian, Popular Mechanics Magazine, Health Service Journal, Rough Guides, Local Government Chronicle, Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, Building Design Magazine, Financial Management Magazine, City Life Magazine, Pearson Education ...

Colette Payne is a member of Hot Bed Press and produces images using the relief printing method of lino-cut. She was born in Liverpool, grew up in Ellesmere Port, and is now based in Derbyshire. Originally, she worked in nursing and midwifery, before completing a Fine Art Degree at Sheffield Hallam University in the early 90’s. She specialised in printmaking and has exhibited locally, winning the print trophy 2010 at the ‘Derbyshire Open’, and was accepted for Printfest 2011.

Frederick Jones says that although his printwork is superficially representational, being mainly urban and/or figurative, he is also concerned with the abstract geometries which remain visible in, or arise from, the world of appearances. The main influences on his printmaking have been the etchings of Rembrandt, and modern Dutch and Scandinavian printmakers. He has shown prints in Denmark, US, Canada, Egypt, Poland, Australia, Bulgaria, France, Estonia, and regularly at the Mall Galleries, London.

Editions Ltd. 16 Cook Street, Liverpool. Tel: 0151 236 4236.

Web: www.editionsltd.net

Email: info@editionsltd.net

Laser Cutting Demo!

2012-01-30T01:13:00.000-08:00

On the 25th February, Andrew Hooper and Caroline White from LJMU's Art and Design POD will be giving two Laser Cutting Demo workshops. Used for cutting and engraving the most intricate patterns onto acrylic, wood, card, paper, fabric and leather this is a versatile and useful piece of kit.

There are still spaces available if you want to have a go - 1 space in the morning (10-12am) and 6 in the afternoon (2-4pm). Ring the Bluecoat Tickets and Information desk on 0151 702 5324 to book your place!

Happy Creating!

The Intaglio Group at the Bluecoat

2012-01-26T03:43:00.000-08:00

Brought together as a group in a course taught by Emma Gregory, they have been meeting regularly for years to create varied, experimental and exciting work here at the Bluecoat Print Studios. Working with a wide range of techniques, from soft ground etching and drypoint to aquatinting and gum Arabic transfer, members of the group currently have work displayed in the Print Studios corridor, and have had work selected for the 8th British International Mini Print Exhibition (well done Mark White!)

"The Bluecoat has a real sense of community. Working from home can be quite isolated but here you can work individually but also feel like you're part of something." Ruth Ball, jewelery maker and silversmith.

The members of the group are Ruth Ball, Mark White, Mary Hill, Rod Jacques, Stuart Munro, Ceri Jones and Priscilla Fursdon.

If you are interested in hiring the print studio spaces there are individual and group prices listed here. Please phone us on 0151 702 5324 to book your space. Happy printing!

Re-hanging the 3rd floor corridor

2011-12-15T09:32:00.000-08:00

Hannah & Ceri

Etching, by Dave Rees, waiting to be hung

Katie, Ceri and Lisa

Most of the prints being hung in this new exhibition are for sale. Access to the exhibition for non-studio users is by appointment. Please contact the main desk at The Bluecoat to arrange a visit.

Etched and Incised Lino Workshop

2011-12-12T14:28:00.000-08:00

On Saturday the 10th December, Martin Kochany from Hot Bed Press ran a one-day workshop on lino etching in the Intaglio studio.

We were supplied with grey lino as it has an untreated surface and is well suited to etching. We did some straight cutting to begin with. Then Martin encouraged us to experiment with parcel tape and sellotape as a masking source:

Next we used bituminous paint as a resist:

I'd previously attempted lino etching at home but had only managed to eat right through my lino plate with caustic soda. Not a great result! Martin recommended mixing the caustic soda powder with wallpaper paste and water. This lovely lumpy mess sat on the surface of the lino plate for around 20 minutes.

The paste was washed off with water. Tape was peeled away and the bituminous paint was removed with white spirit. Plates were transferred to the hotplate to dry. Here is Rebbeka's beautiful painterly crow plate.

Martin set up the desktop press and we printed onto damp Fabriano.

These test prints indicate a little more etching required in places. But they illustrate the idea and effects you can achieve using this process.

Great course. Thanks Martin x

posted by jen

8th British International Mini Print Exhibition Successes

2011-12-01T01:23:00.000-08:00

Susie Overill, Loraine and Chris Waites are delighted to have prints selected for the 8th British International Mini print Exhibition. Around 200 prints were selected to exhibit from over 1,100 prints submitted by 420 artists from over 30 countries. The exhibition will begin its 2 year UK tour in April 2012 at the London Print Studio. For more information see http://www.8thminiprint.com/

All the best
Chris & Loraine

Postscript from Emma Gregory: long-time friend of Liverpool printmaking Mark White was also successfull so not three but four cheers for us!

Artists' Books on sale this Saturday

2011-11-15T01:02:00.000-08:00

This Saturday (11 – 5) the Bluecoat hosts an artists’ book fair...

On sale original artworks purposely designed in book form and often published directly by the artist in an astonishing variety of shapes and styles.

Makers include local artist Elizabeth Willow, staff and students from Wirral Met. and Café Royale Books, whose publications are held in collections belonging to the Tate, V&A, MoMA and the Japan Museum of 21st Century Art.

And while in town, visit the exhibition of Matisse’s beautiful illustrated books currently showing at the Walker Art Gallery. (Emma Gregory of the Bluecoat's print programme has collaborated with the exhibitions team there to produce replica plates and a display of print equipment in the first room of the exhibition. Mighty fine.)

Artists’ Book Fair
at the Bluecoat
19 November 11 – 5
Free

New Life Drawing Sessions for Liverpool

2011-11-09T01:42:00.000-08:00

Much loved Liverpool artist Lisa Who is starting Life Drawing classes at Curve Gallery on Tuesdays. Lisa combines paint and print in her own practice, much of which is both figurative and based on the human form.

20:20

2011-11-04T09:49:00.000-07:00

The nation-wide 20:20 project, curated by Hot Bed Press is well underway.

Printmakers from the Liverpool area were asked to contribute via the Bluecoat's print studios and activity was frantic for a while. Results included editions from Bee, Christine Toh, Hannah Fray, Dave Rees, Martin Kochany, Jen Allanson, Rhonda Davies, Shasha, Colette, Susan Comer, Fran Disley and Dave Evans.

The standard was very high.

Here is what we had by mid-day on the day of submission, in no particular order:

Two stars in the making

2011-10-13T00:54:00.000-07:00

Ryan Fallon has created an exquisite short film of Mike Bennet printing an edition in the screen print studios at the Bluecoat. You can access it online using this link.

It takes only a minute to watch. Beautiful.

The Bluecoat is lucky to be able to offer talented individuals such as these two access to great resources.

Posted by Emma Gregory, Print Studio Manager

Artists from Cologne

2011-08-28T02:04:00.000-07:00

Introducing Jutta Vollmer and Andreas Vietz, printmakers and studio managers from Cologne.

Jutta and Andreas spent two extraordinarily productive weeks out and about in Liverpool (dodging the rain) and in the Bluecoat's screen print studio. They produced stunning prints, making a book, printing on found material (a catalogue of old buses) and even running off a couple of editions.

They met several artists whilst in the studio and made time on their last day in Liverpool to visit Fran Disley at Royal Standard. Fran - MA RCA - is currently showing recent work in the try-out space. See http://www.the-royal-standard.com/studioartists/#39 or Fran's own site.

Back in Cologne Jutta and Andreas have their own business: a beautiful gallery with intaglio workhop in the heart of the city's old town. Look it up http://www.graphikwerkstatt.de/

Towards this they receive no regular funding at all. As a result they bring an entrepreneurial approach to printmaking. We hope this rubs off as the British arts funding crisis looks set to deepen and we will all need to diversify in terms of raising income.

We have invited them back to print and teach in the spring. Details will appear here nearer the time.

Have you seen the Drawing Paper?

2011-08-15T10:53:00.001-07:00

Local artists Jon Barraclough (Nonconform) and Mike Carney publish a gallery in magazine form called the Drawing Paper. As you might have already guessed, all work is drawn, chosen from a mixture of invited and submitted works. If you are into your drawing, or looking for a place to show it you should check them out. They have a tumblr site.

The next issue (4) is out in the autumn.

In the meantime Jon and Mike are etching. Shown here are a couple of early proofs. Jon's lines reminded me of Edward Ardizzone (hope I spelt that right). Mike (top image) has a studio at the Royal Standard, as do Emily Speed, Fran Disley and Dave Evans - all printing regularly.

Cruz from Dallas

2011-08-15T10:42:00.000-07:00

Pop in and see the Honky Tonk show at the Bluecoat this month and next.

Prints by Steve Hardstaff, Neil Morris and Paul Davidson are shown alongside a large number of quirky artworks by artists local and not.

Among the not-local would be Dallas-based Cruz Ortiz. Cruz makes prints, video and performance pieces. The piece showing in Gallery 4 (upstairs) features film and text, the latter printed in the Bluecoat's screen print studio during his recent visit to the 'Pool.

He had a harmonica with him. I asked if he could play. He said 'no, but it helps me relax enough to work'.

Lovely man. Very punchy piece. Here's a pic.

Small Press on Loan

2011-08-15T10:33:00.000-07:00

Local artist and historian Rod Warbrick has lent us this beautiful table top press, a Kimber. Thank you Rod.

Pressure is easily adjusted so have a go at setting it yourselves for collagraphs and help prolong the lives of the blankets on the bigger press.

Also in the picture is Jeremy of A M Removals who moved it for us. He and his brother run a firm which specialises in printing presses. They have inherited know-how from their father, formerly the owner of a museum of printing.

Hurrah! New computer workstation in the screen studio with Photoshop!

2011-07-25T04:49:00.001-07:00

We now have a computer with photoshop and a printer in the screen studio at the Bluecoat.

You will be able to bring your images on a usb data stick, digitally alter them and print them onsite. Acetate (AGFA film) can be purchased from the information desk at the Bluecoat.

For further information please email print@thebluecoat.org.uk

Gum Arabic Transfers coming up at the Bluecoat

2011-07-13T04:00:00.000-07:00

Gum Arabic transfers with Justin Sanders

Saturday 6 August, 10am - 4pm

Justin Sanders revisits the Bluecoat for this fantastic one day workshop. Gum Arabic, also known as paper lithography is a quick way to make prints. Using photocopies of photographs or drawings as your plates, you can explore printing several colours to create composite prints.

£65 / £55

For further information please contact the Print Studio Manager on print@thebluecoat.org.uk

To book please ring Tickets and Informationm at the Bluecoat on 0151 702 5324