Across the Ditch and Small Print exhibitions

Earlier this year I created prints for "Across the Ditch", a collaborative travelling exhibition and print exchange between Impress members in Australia and PCANZ (Print Council Aotearoa New Zealand) members in New Zealand.

The theme of the show "Across the Ditch" invited a broad interpretation to be explored in contemporary printmaking.  

This project will be exhibited at a number of venues in Australia and New Zealand 

over the coming months starting with

Impress Printmakers Studio Gallery in Brisbane, 

opening on Friday 16th September.

Details of other venues and dates, 

and images of other works submitted by NZ printmakers 

can be seen on the new PCANZ website here.

This exhibition will be shown alongside another PCANZ exhibition "The Small Print",

see details here, in February 2017.

I therefore chose to approach both exhibitions by creating a mini "body of work" all along the same theme of "Across the Ditch". I struggle to create individual works that stand alone and have found that I work much better when working in a series (albeit a very tiny series.)

"Across the Ditch"
Drypoint, Monoprint, Blind emboss
by Toni Hartill

My interpretation of the theme was to play on the idea that we (Australia and NZ) are like two beings, connected (by geography, interests, values...)  yet separated (by ocean, distance...)

I wanted to experiment with a more illustrative approach than I have previously used, to see where it would take me. I also used the opportunity to trial combinations of different techniques and processes. Although I worried that working so small would feel claustrophobic, I found that I really quite enjoyed working at such a mini scale. 

Small print: "Across the Ditch II" by Toni Hartill

Small Print: "Across the Ditch I" 
Drypoint, Monoprint, Blind emboss
by Toni Hartill

Small Print: "Across the Ditch II" 
Drypoint, Monoprint, Blind emboss
by Toni Hartill