Etchings at the Walsall Show
April 29th, 2007
I haven’t done any etchings since I was on my foundation course around 18 years ago but I had ben thinking for a long time that it would be something I would love to try again. I got some copper and needles and got to it. I had read up on it quite a lot and had decided that I’d try drypoint first , mainly because there is no acid involved. I have never felt so unsure about what I was doing. even though I was working inpositive ( like pencil on white paper), the etched bit still comes out lighter than the actual copper surface so it actually feels like I’m still working in negative and I really had no idea how it was working tonally and which lines would actually print, were some too light.
I did a talk at Halesowen colege in the Black Country a few weeks ago and noticed some etching presses and asked the question. Luckily Hilary Wells was there , a printmaking graduate from the RCA, who gave m some fantastic tips. The upshot was that after 18 years I was amazed by the results. I’m not saying they are fantastic by any means but they were so exciting and rewarding to print, they came out so much better than I had hoped and I can see nothing but possibilities for the future. It’s so liberating to see images suddenly appear infront of your eyes when I am used to taking months and months for a painting to materialise.
My friend Alexander had been encouraging me for some time to do some etchings and I think he gave me the final push. I had been looking at a catalogue from Sotheby’s for a Rembrandt etching sale that he gave me and just thought “no way” . Anyway it’s been a great step forward for me and a great experience.
Amongst the drawings and paintings at the show at The New Art Gallery, Walsall, I’ll be showing 4 of the etchings that I made and here is a taster.
Entry Filed under: Art,Exhibitions