2024. The pictures above should indicate that printmaking has been immersive, and stopped only when I watch the telly, having friends round, and having meals, and what little sleep was had.
The initial aspiration was to gently immerse self in the new year, dedicating January and February to personal projects and educational pursuits. So far, it is all that, with multiple bonus rounds.
Continuity in artistic creations is welcome through meticulous hand-carving of alphabets – in randomised sequence; a foundational steps towards more ambitious projects ahead involving both paper and fabric printing that beckons further exploration. Amidst that, I extended self in drafting & submitted a contract for a residential artist position in a UK studio, marking a pivotal advancement of my pursuit of a dedicated artistic career. In later months the studio will be announced.
In between, an educational opportunity emerged at the University of Portsmouth. A two-week, intensive Creative Bootcamp led by Dr. Zoe Dann, supported by Portsmouth Creates, Arts Council England and Portsmouth City Council. Dann brought together 25 creatives, fostering a community of learning and mutual inspiration. This experience not only broadened the horizon of artistic exploration but also instilled a deeper appreciation of how much time management, identity, clarity of direction, courage, strength and stamina we need throughout our endeavours for creative individuals (mostly deeply introverted, hermit-types) to build a business.
This was a worthy bootcamp and Claire Sambrook’s hand in the selection of presenters and visit to Eldon Building have been an exceedingly good highlight throughout. Whilst I stumbled along the brand and marketing applications of the course (this is not news, and I am learning slowly), I happily was very comfortable with the finance segment of the course. At one point I attempted live to help a fellow student navigate building a spreadsheet model to be a temporary CRM. My rusty spreadsheet skills screams I ought to set aside time in future to rehash my excel modelling skills.
I digress.
Lunar New Year eve, saw our eldest graduated with Merit for her MSci from Brighton University; making us grateful and proud parents of both children graduated with above-average marks. Blessed are we with strong- and able-minded progeny.
The January/February path is not devoid of challenges: A rejection from the Women In Arts (WIA) 2024 could have been a disheartening setback – yet it serendipitously opened the door to an unexpected opportunity. Dialogue surrounding this rejection led to an invitation to exhibit as part of the WIA by the inimitable Liz Linfield, studio 2 resident of Hotwalls Studios – testament to the unpredictable and often rewarding nature of the artistic journey.
So of course I undertook this a sign to start a monumental project: a battleship grey lino block of A2 (ish) size, 55cm x 38cm; intricately carved with batik patterns and representations of women advancing in unity, their identities anonymous to emphasise the collective message of solidarity and progress – Onward, Together. The entirety of this project have been hand-wrought: hand-burnished and hand-pulled – not etching press – using barens and woodhanga and tumbled stone agate to smooth the ink-to-paper transfer.
This original print, both its scale and symbolic significance, represents a culmination of personal and artistic growth. The completion of this project, as a very limited edition of only 4 surviving 12-layer reduction lino print, was a herculean effort that culminated in a necessary period of rest, underscoring the physical toll that artistic dedication can exact on the body.
In addition to these projects, the commitments to the #oneofmanypostcards initiative, a bi-annual charity fundraiser, remained unwavering. Despite the technical challenges encountered (registration for reduction lino is so the drama), the successful creation and soon-to-be-distributed A6 (postcards-sized) 2-layered reduction lino prints underscored a commitment to community and philantrophy within the artistic practice.
As February draws to a close, contemplation turns towards the future, specifically the potential establishment of an online shop as a new avenue for sharing original prints and hand-bound sketchbooks/printjournals. This consideration marks a significant shift in how one’s art is accesses by a wider audience, moving away from platforms like etsy to embrace a more personalised and direct mode of engagement.
Reflecting on the first two (only TWO!) months of 2024, it is evident that life has been anything but slow. The physical exhaustion following the completion of the A2 block print is a stark reminder of the demands of artistic creation. To be fair, I began and completed from Saturday to the following Saturday, only 7 days, for an end-to-end process of design, hand-carve, hand-burnish, and hand-pull all prints. It is also a testament to the fulfilment derived from pursuing one’s passion with unwavering dedication (read: obsession, maybe?). In the grip of creative expression, each day is a reaffirmation of love of the craft – a sentiment that carries one forward, through challenges and achievements alike, in the ever-evolving journey of an printmaker artist.
On this extra day of February 29th, thanks to the leap year, it feels like a gift of bonus time; hence today’s scribing the state of 2024 thus far, as a gifted quiet corner in this printmaker’s life.
In progressio,
Nusye
