PCANZ Summer School 2017

The 2017 PCANZ Summer School took place in Auckland again this year at St Cuthberts College in January. The format was different from past years in that this time multiple workshops were run giving participants the opportunity to do a couple of different workshops over the course of the week. It also meant that more people could take part. 

(Click here to read about 2016 PCANZ Summer School tutored by Diane Fogwell.)

The programme for this year's week included six two-day workshops, studio visits and artist talks.
The tutors were Jacqueline Aust (solar plate), Lynn Taylor (mixed media print), Kathy Boyle (plaster prints), Prue MacDougall (solar plate), Marci Tackett (polyester plate lithography), Terri Reddish (artist portfolio).

I took part in Lynn Taylor's mixed media workshop which included techniques using relief solar plate, encaustic wax and collage using found and printed papers and materials onto laser cut shapes. As anyone, who has been a participant in one of Lynn's classes, knows she is a fun and generous tutor sharing her expansive knowledge and many inspirations.

Lynn Taylor demonstrates her techniques for
attaching papers to the laser cut shapes.

On day one we began by choosing our shapes and then printing and sourcing papers and textures to apply backgrounds and patterns to our shapes. 

We also worked one-on-one with Lynn to learn the process of creating a relief solar plate to use in our work. Lynn must have run close to a half-marathon in the first day alone running up and down the stairs with each person to expose the plates outside in the sunlight! Amazing energy!!

Solar plate demonstration

Toni Hartill relief solar plate created for Lynn Taylor workshop.

Day Two began with a demo of using encaustic wax to add layers and effects to our shapes.

Lynn Taylor demonstrates encaustic wax techniques.

With 12 students in the workshop the room was a hive of activity and everyone created unique pieces using a full range of techniques and materials.

Diane Charraz work in progress

Di Harries work in progress

Doona Dold work in progress

Sally-Ann Davies work in progress

Toni Hartill encaustic works in progress.

Having learnt some new skills and been inspired with new ideas and, as is oft the way with how I work, I took a bit of a detour from the main direction of the workshop and went off on a bit of a tangent, still using the shapes and layers of printed papers but diving off into a more sculptural approach.

With one approach, using the subject of the sea washing across pebbles I played with layering the printed surfaces at different heights, using different tones through printing on sheer fabric vs paper and playing with a horizontal structure vs a vertical structure. 

Toni Hartill work in progress.

Toni Hartill work in progress.

Toni Hartill work in progress.

Pebble Shore - horizontal by Toni Hartill

Pebble Shore - vertical by Toni Hartill

The other piece I played with was inspired by my interest in the islands along our coasts. Using the same printed papers and surfaces, I used the structure of a painted rod of wood to form a horizon line and the shapes in the form of hemispheres.

Toni Hartill work in progress.

Coastal Islands by Toni Hartill

This wee diversion was fed from some inspiration I have had percolating away for some time and so it will hopefully lead into a series of new works along this line. 

This is, for me, one of the best things about participating in new learning opportunities. You never know what you will come up with next (or at least, I never know what I will come up with next.) I love the way the brain works and how it throws out left-field ideas at the least expected moment! 

Note to self: work on this idea to take it further!

Hopefully, watch this space!

Summer School 2016 - Dianne Fogwell

I was lucky enough to attend the PCANZ's (Print Council Aotearoa New Zealand) Dianne Fogwell Summer School in Auckland this month. Dianne is a master printmaker from Australia and she is known for her incredibly fine and detailed lino cuts of flora and fauna, and her work as an artists's book practitioner, among many other talents. Visit her website here.

The Summer School was held over 3 full days at St Cuthberts School. We were introduced more closely to her work, and we marveled at the intricate detail and the use of multiple layers and perforations. I particularly enjoy hearing about an artist's inspirations and motivations in the creation of their work and Dianne is very generous in sharing her experiences and knowledge. Over the three days we looked at Structure: of creating books and works in various formats; at creating the lino block, including cutting techniques and etching with caustic; and Printing, including hand printing and how to set up the press.

Detail: lino print by Dianne Fogwell

Detail: lino print by Dianne Fogwell

As an artist's book practitioner Dianne came with a plethora of exemplars to share. I was inspired by her recommendations to consider what your intent is when you make a work, how you wish it to be "read" by your audience, and therefore what structure you might use to communicate this idea. (It might sound obvious but something in that discussion flipped a little switch in my brain and I had ideas streaming in from all directions.) 

Mini "Flag" book by Toni Hartill

Old Korean exercise book exemplar - so tactile
and responsive to being held and manipulated.

Having the opportunity to see Dianne's lino blocks up close was eye-opening. It's made me think completely differently about lino (in my very short career as a lino cut artist!) 

Lino print and lino block by Dianne Fogwell

    No. 1 lesson: you don't need to cut deeply at all! How freeing is that! and having the chance to play with Dianne's Micro Machine to cut the lino meant I was pretty happy with my little lino block. I never thought I would be able to cut something so finely. A whole new world of possibility!

Trigger fish lino block and print by Toni Hartill

Then there was the caustic etching - somewhat scary but again new possibilities. This can be used to create freer, more painterly effects which I look forward to experimenting with further. A group of us are planning on having a "Caustic Party" so we can supervise each other's safety, feel the fear, and do it anyway. 

On the last day we learnt about inking and printing techniques and, most informatively, about setting up the press. Dianne would repeatedly tell us to set things up so we can simply focus on our work. So true. Nothing worse than having technical problems which get in the way of creating. (I took on-board her advice for using runners, chocks and a pusher, instead of a blanket, and I am very pleased with the results.)

Dianne Fogwell demonstrates inking up my caustic-etched plate.

The afternoons were spent working on our own ideas. It was great spending time with other printmakers, many of whom are so highly talented and skilled in their own right.

Following the workshop I have been following through with just some of many ideas generated on the course, mainly printing my caustic-etched lino block to create wee artist's books inspired by diatoms, a type of phytoplankton.

Diatom inspired artist books by Toni Hartill

One of Dianne's key messages I took from the course was to do with "connectedness":

"Connect your body to your tool, your tool to your mark, 

your mark to your intention, 

your intention to you, 

and how you live in the world."

A big thank you to
members of PCANZ responsible for making this summer school happen.

And to Dianne Fogwell
for her generous spirit and inspirational manner
in sharing her limitless knowledge.