Friday 23 December 2022

The Beach Exhibition - Toni Hartill Collection of Works






Welcome to a brief glimpse at my collection of artworks exhibited in

The Beach group exhibition currently on display at

From Out of the Blue Studio Gallery,

18 Halse Place, Opunake.


22 DEC 2022 - 30 JAN 2023



VISIT my other bog posts for more information and images:



Also VIEW other videos on my YouTube Channel:



All artworks are for sale.

Contact me or the gallery direct for more information.







The Beach - Exhibition opens in Opunake, NZ

 



I'm delighted to have been invited to participate 

in this group exhibition of 8 diverse artists.


We were invited to 

let the freedom of summertime on Highway 45 spark our creative spirit. 




From Out of the Gallery Studio Gallery

18 Halse Place

Opunake


Website: https://fromoutofthebluestudiogallery.com/

Instagram: @threadthinker

Facebook: @fromoutofthebluestudiogallery



Located on the south coast of Taranaki, New Zealand, From Out of the Blue Studio Gallery is a beautiful space devoted to all things fibre and fabric. The lower level is a purpose built gallery space while upstairs accommodates a magnificent loom and other equipment for a variety of techniques including weaving, botanical contact printing, stitching, paper and book making, knitting, basketry, collage, felt making, etc. 


The description on the Facebook page reads:

"A textile and fibre art centre focusing on slow making with ethical and environmentally friendly materials. Weaving, botanical dying, stitching, paper and book making. A place for mindful and intentional engagement with fibre and fabric makings."




I'm feel very fortunate to have been invited to be 

a part of this beautiful community of creatives, 

owned and curated by artist Viv Davy.





"Lost & Found" by Toni Hartill, Collaborative concertina book project


The Collaborative Book Project


A unifying aspect of this exhibition is a collaborative book project.

Each artist was randomly sent a concertina book, individually made by artist Wendy Watson.

We were then invited to add to, or subtract from, our assigned book in whatever way we wished, through any media and processes we desired.








My Collection of Works


When I was first invited to participate, I thought I might be able to contribute a couple of existing pieces, but that I might struggle for time to create many new pieces. 

As it turned out, I was so motivated by the opportunity to create new works inspired my love for the NZ coast, that I was soon off beachcombing in search of new pieces of driftwood to transform into, and to inspire, my wee treasures. 






At final count I sent 13 pieces to be included in the exhibition.  

EDIT: See my later post for more detailed images of all pieces.



Meanwhile, 

SCROLL DOWN for a glimpse of my collection of pieces 

currently exhibited at From Out of the Blue Studio Gallery. 






"There's a Place I've Dreamed of..."by Toni Hartill

"There's a Place I've Dreamed of..."by Toni Hartill

"Where I Can Lose My Mind..." by Toni Hartill

"I Lose All Sense of Time..." by Toni Hartill

"A Pocket Full of Sunshine" by Toni Hartill

"Road Trip Impressions" by Toni Hartill

"Sea Air" & "Salt Spray" by Toni Hartill

"Treasured" by Toni Hartill

"Weather Worn" by Toni Hartill

"Wet Weather Driving" by Toni Hartill

"Summer Essentials: Toolkit, Green" by Toni Hartill

"Summer Essentials: Toolkit, Blue" by Toni Hartill











The Beach - Paper, Books and Baskets


22 Dec 2022 - 30 Jan 2023


Open Thursday - Monday 1 - 5pm

or by appointment. Ph 021 407 424








Thanks for visiting!



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Friday 25 November 2022

PROOF: Two Decades of Printmaking by PCANZ




PROOF


TWO DECADES OF PRINTMAKING 

PRINT COUNCIL AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND


Published by Massey University Press


"A superb showcase of some of the best examples of contemporary fine art printmaking in Aotearoa New Zealand today. With 166 works by 151 artists, Proof covers a huge breadth of printmaking processes and display the incredible diversity of this artform, from the more traditional woodcuts and etchings to those pushing the boundaries of print. With a foreword by Susanna Shadbolt, Director of Aratoi, Masterton, brief essays on the history of PCANZ, including significant exhibitions, and a glossary of printmaking terms and techniques this book is a valuable resource for art students and teachers.

This first survey of fine art printmaking in Aotearoa to be published in nearly 50 years is a visual feast for designers, graphic artists, book binders, artists and art lovers."

Massey University Press

 








PCANZ members across the country have been camped out at their letter boxes over the past couple weeks, eagerly awaiting the delivery of their copy of this beautiful book. 

I expect the first thing they did, after admiring the beautiful tactile cloth cover with embossed copper foil lettering, the unusual and eye-catching binding, and the luscious marbled end-papers, was to flip through the pages to find their work.

And I doubt anyone was disappointed. 



There has been a constant stream of posts on social media showing the delight and pride of members as they show off the book and their published work.

Everyone who was a current member as of 2020 was invited to submit work to be included.

There is also a section of Honorary Members, artists who have been involved in PCANZ and made a major contribution to printmaking in Aotearoa and Life Members, acknowledging those who have made exceptional past and current contributions to Print Council. All Life members have the honour of two images of their work.




The images are beautifully presented and the book is a treasure trove of the best of everyone's work. Such a sight to behold, and a valuable resource of the vast array of printmaking techniques, styles and presentations used today.


Flipping through the pages, for me, feels personal, like I'm flipping through a family album - family in that I personally know many of the artists in the book, or I know of them and their work, with thanks to PCANZ. It warms my heart to be a part of this whanau. 


And the greatest thanks for this book goes to the PCANZ publication team of

Kathy Boyle,

Di Harries 

and 

Heather Partel.

Their vision and many, many months of sheer hard work,

 took this from dream to reality, 

"akin to mounting the largest exhibition ever undertaken by PCANZ."


Thank you and congratulations!

Preview PROOF

Massey University Press

10 Questions with PCANZ about PROOF



Read an interview

The Maker's Story: The Future of Printmaking in NZ



 Book Launch

Wellington City Libraries are holding a free event 
'Proof' Book Launch + Artist Talk 
at Karori Library, 
Sat Nov 26th, 11am.

Please join the artists from PCANZ for this free event 
as we discuss printmaking, in celebration of the newly released book 
'Proof: Two decades of Printmaking'

Visit the Book Launch link above to view interviews with printmakers
Carrie Carey, Basia Smolnicki and Kirsty White.



Purchase NOW

at selected bookstores nationwide.



Find out more

about why PCANZ is such a special community to be a part of and what PCANZ has to offer

PCANZ: Print Council Aotearoa New Zealand





Sunday 30 October 2022

P is for ... PCANZ Collaborative Bestiary Book

 

"P is for Pupurangi", linocut by Toni Hartill


P is for...


Pupurangi!



"P is for Pupurangi", linocut by Toni Hartill


These are New Zealand's endangered northern giant land snails, 

the New Zealand kauri snail,

also known by it's scientific name 


Paryphanta spp.

of which there are two species:

Paryphanta Busbyi 

up to 79 mm shell diameter

&

Paryphanta watti

up to 62 cm shell diameter


To learn more about these beautiful critters visit the DOC website HERE.


(...and also known by friends as 

SNAILY!)




"P is for Pupurangi"

Edition of 30

Hand pulled linocut prints.




This edition of prints was created for the 


Participating members across Aotearoa New Zealand were organised into 4 groups, including an international group who collaborated with printmakers in Wales.

I'm in the Auckland group, which also includes a couple of people 
from further afield to make up numbers.










The Rules


Everyone was assigned their letter randomly and we were invited to create a design of a real or imaginary creature or animal relating to our letter.

The letter had to be part of the design.

Printing could be edge to edge or with a border.




Perhaps not surprisingly I was pretty keen on including SNAILY in some form so I was searching which letters could also include him eg. Escargot, Gastrapod, Mollusc... There were a few options!


(If you've followed my work for a while, you'll know of my affinity to snails.)




Everyone has now completed their edition of 30 prints and they have been collated into complete alphabet sets, ready to be returned to participants while master copies have been returned to the organisers to be bound into books for the PCANZ archive and future exhibitions.

An Auckland workshop is planned shortly to share ways of either binding the prints into a book or creating a box to hold the prints.

At present I'm experimenting and researching possibilities and will report back on progress on the next stage of this collaborative project and to share ALL of the pages from the book.


Researching binding techniques



In the meantime, scroll down to view...



The Making of "P is for Pupurangi"


















Thanks for visiting!


Stay tuned to see how we might bind the books 

PLUS 

to view ALL of the prints in the collection.





Find out about 

PCANZ

Print Council Aotearoa New Zealand















Saturday 15 October 2022

Pressing Matters Magazine, 20th Issue Print Challenge Winner!



"Pressing Matters" Celebrate 20 Winner


Back in August I entered my topsy-turvy, linocut image, "The Coach vs the Critic", 

in the Pressing Matters Celebrate 20 print challenge competition 

and I am thrilled that 

it WON!!


Announcement with the release of Issue 20 on Instagram



@pressingmattersmag 

"Pleased to announce the winner of our Issue 20 print challenge is @tonihartillart - we loved her print The Coach vs The Critic and felt that it celebrated both sides of the creative journey. Well done Toni - was great to hear all about the print and your process and share it with our readers."



Pressing Matters, Issue 20, Print Challenge Winner


The Prize!


First prize includes a double page spread (!) in Issue 20, 

with a Q + A and a wee pic of myself.


(Blimey, I can not quite believe that that's my work in this beautiful magazine!)


"This issue also celebrates both the triumphs and struggles we all face in our creative journey and it’s something that our print challenge winner managed to sum up brilliantly in her submission."






If you haven't discovered it already, 

Pressing Matters 

is a gloriously beautiful printmaking magazine, published in the UK. 

It is created by printmakers for printmakers, and celebrates printmaking in all it's many inky forms, 

from all over the globe.


The Competition


To celebrate the release of their 20th issue in October 2022, 

they held a competition, open to any printmaker world-wide, 

to submit a positive, inspiring, single colour, handmade print.


Pressing Matters worked with GF Smith to select their favourite submission 

as their winning artwork, plus a selection of entries 

that caught their eye, to be showcased in the magazine.


#pressingmatterscelebrate20

#pressingmattersinsert20



Showcase Gallery Winners


Congratulations to all of the Showcase Winners! 
What an inspiring, colourful collection!







To buy a single copy, wholesale, a digital copy or to subscribe:

https://www.pressingmattersmag.com/

PLUS

Check out the FREE Resources and Studio Photoshoots 

&

Sign up to the Newsletter 

to receive loads of inspiring and informative news in your inbox.




SCROLL DOWN

to  further WHET your appetite!

View SPREADS and an overview of 
Pressing Matters, Issue 20

PLUS full details of how to 
FOLLOW on social media,
CONTACT
etc.








Topsy-turvy and off on a Tangent

To read about the inspiration and motivation behind the creation of this image, 

plus see the making-of process, visit my earlier blog post HERE.


In my earlier blog post I detail the why and how I decided on the topsy-turvy format, 

and why I was inspired to create a work about the Inner Critic 

that is constantly in my ear, as an artist, 

and how I was inspired to "big up" my Inner Coach in retaliation.









Symbolism included in the Image


The topsy-turvy format of this print evolved with the idea 

that the image could be hung either way up, depending on how you are feeling.



"The Coach vs the Critic", linocut, Toni Hartill


The Critic

The Critic is armed, with an eraser at the ready, 
to delete any ideas before they can develop. 

Lopped and dying trees shed any new growth, 
and ideas blow away in the wind. 

Birds of prey take flight, storm clouds weigh heavy and sheets of rain 
fall on a dark forest, while barbed wire barricades the boundary. 

New creations (a paper boat) are tossed in a turbulent sea. 

The Critic's outfit is adorned with a highly toxic plant and the tall poppies, 
that dared to grow, have been snapped and chopped to stumpy stems.





The Coach


The Coach, by contrast, is MUCH more chilled! 

She has a sharpened pencil at the ready and ideas take flight 
while the sun radiates warmth and nurtures new life. 

The kōtare / sacred kingfisher knows what to do and when to act, 
embracing the new and encourages you to follow your heart. 

A school of fish swims upwards and onwards 
reminding you to look ahead, not backwards. 

Now,  the poppies bloom and the native shrub, mahoe, 
is said to help ignite passions and guide us towards our destinies. 

A restless fantail flits in the updraft, always moving and curious, 
above a calm sea and a distant horizon. 

The Coach's outfit is embellished with the leaves of the kowhai, 
said to symbolize personal growth. 





I wish to thank 

John Coe, Creative Director of Pressing Matters,
GF Smith 
and to everyone involved in producing this beautiful magazine.











Pressing Matters magazine

 

Overview

Pressing Matters magazine is a publication full of inky inspiration, celebrating the best of modern printmaking from around the world. Made by printmakers for printmakers, we speak to artists about their creative processes and passion for print. Expect inky fingers, creative workspaces, sketchbooks and artworks – across all kinds of techniques and mediums.

 

 

Pressing Matters magazine - Issue 20

If there is a theme running through our anniversary edition, it’s most certainly a celebration of colour. Whether it’s through an experimental, abstract approach to image-making or by using colour to remember a place or a feeling, the tones and hues we use say a lot about us and how we see the world. It seems only right to embrace this riot of colour with open arms and create an issue full of vibrancy and brilliant ideas. Oh, and I’ve brought back some old favourites and added some new features to keep things interesting for us all.

 

This issue also celebrates both the triumphs and struggles we all face in our creative journey and it’s something that our print challenge winner managed to sum up brilliantly in her submission. There are artists looking back in order to look forward, creating new imagined worlds and using print to make sense of their own mental health and that of others. With more of the print community adding their voices to the mix, I hope we can share the thoughts and ideas of artists in their own words and share fascinating conversations that are happening in the world of printmaking. 

 

I’m excited to reach the grand age of 20 (issues) and like anyone in their early twenties, I’m slightly giddy with excitement about what the future holds for the publication. I hope that energy has seeped into the pages of the magazine and you feel the warm glow of positivity when you open it up and immerse yourself in the world of these wonderful makers.

 

Issue Twenty featured artists/studios:

David Armes  •  Army Of Cats  •  John Coe  •  C. A. P. / Kong  •  Giuseppe D'Innella • Kate Gibb  •  Staffan Gnosspelius  •  Morvern Graham  •  Jemma Gunning • Tom Hammick  •  Issue 20 Print Challenge  •  Emily Ketteringham • Sumuyya Khader  •  Barry Kirk  •  Anita Klein  •  Lithography30 • NumberFourSoftTaco  •  Simon Trewin  •  Wolfgang Waha

























 

Format

100 page perfect bound publication, printed by Buxton Press on Edixion Offset paper.

 

Release info

Issue 20 launched October 2022

 

Print run

Issue 20 print run - 4,500 copies

 

Online

https://www.pressingmattersmag.com/

https://www.instagram.com/pressingmattersmag/

https://twitter.com/pressing_mag

https://www.facebook.com/pressingmattersmag/

 

Contact

hello@pressingmattersmag.com

 

Buy Single Copies

https://www.pressingmattersmag.com/issue-20

 

Buy Wholesale

https://www.pressingmattersmag.com/wholesale/

 

Subscriptions

https://www.pressingmattersmag.com/subscribe