PCA Print Exchange 2020

Prints for PCA Print Exchange 2020. Toni Hartill

As a member of the Print Council of Australia 

I am able to participate in their biennial Print Exchange 

so, for the first time, I decided I'd give it a go.

To participate an edition of 12 prints is sent. Ten prints will be randomly exchanged with other participants, one print will be archived and one print will be available for an online sale to raise funds for PCA.

"Keep Safe not Keepsake" (detail) Toni Hartill

I wanted to choose a theme with a New Zealand flavour but which is also meaningful in Australia. At the time that I first began working on the idea the Australian bush fires were still raging in their worst season ever. Huge areas of bush and wildlife were being lost every day and we wondered if it would ever stop. My thoughts were focused on the need to protect our treasured native plants (and animals), whichever side of "the ditch" we are on.

Aluminium plate. Toni Hartill

I chose to make use of the protective dome theme that has been a continuing focus this year, and to highlight the New Zealand kauri tree, agathis australis, a revered tree in our forests, which was decimated by logging 100 years ago and which is again under great threat today by the deadly kauri dieback disease.

(Now that we are currently living through the Covid-19 global pandemic the whole concept of a protective dome has taken on new meaning. And how do we feel now, now that WE are under threat from a pathogen!)



 
 You can see images and read about how these prints were made in my earlier post
"Getting to Grips with Copper Sulphate Etching -  Part1."

Work in progress. Toni Hartill

Print with aluminium plate. Toni Hartill

"Keep Safe not Keepsake" (detail) Toni Hartill

 "Keep Safe not Keepsake"

"Keep Safe not Keep Sake" Toni Hartill

Medium: Etched aluminium
Paper size: A4 / 297mm x 210mm
Paper: Hahnemuhle Etching, 230gsm 
Edition of 12


Artist Statement:

Kaitiakitanga, the protection and guardianship of our environment, and all that it contains, in perpetuity. Even the mighty kauri tree, a symbol of strength and protector of the forest, needs safe-keeping so that it remains a living treasure, not a memento of the past.

To find out more about the Print Council of Australia, to join,
and to take part in the print exchange yourself, visit their website:
https://www.printcouncil.org.au/ 


Deadline: works must arrive in Australia by 30 September, 2020.


I greatly look forward to receiving my collection
of exchanged prints later in the year!


I'll make sure I share them in a new post then.

"Keep Safe not Keepsake" (detail) Toni Hartill

Thanks for visiting!

"Distant Conversations" - Covid-19 inspired Print Exchange

Linocut edition. Toni Hartill

The Covid-19 pandemic reached New Zealand in late February 2020. As NZ went into a nation-wide "lock-down" on the 26th March, in order to stop the spread of the disease, printmaker crony Celia Walker sent out a call to a group of 16 printmakers across the country to participate in a print exchange inspired by our experiences during our period of isolation.

EDIT: To view the final exhibition "Distant Conversations" see my later post here.


My print was inspired by the concept that was drummed into us on a daily basis on all media
"Stay in your bubble" and features NZ kauri snails, a favourite critter of mine.

Kauri snail linocut. Toni Hartill

My appreciation for snails began when I read the utterly charming book "The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating" by Elizabeth Tova Bailey. I have not been able to squish a snail since!

And ever since I created a linocut kauri snail for the group exhibition "Forest has the Blues" I have become even more taken by snails. They have perhaps now been adopted as my totem animal.

"Snaily", aka "KS" traveled to Spain with me last year and has in fact become something of a celeb in his own right! Check out #snaily on Instagram and you'll find him there as you scroll down.

Snaily at Sergovia, Spain, 2019.

Snails also seemed to be a particularly apt symbol to use at this time representing adaptability, the need to slow down and make the most of what you have to hand.
The shell itself can symbolize safety, protection and self-reliance while the shell's spiral can represent growth, evolution, the cycles of nature, continuity, etc. Also the snail's habit of withdrawing into its shell when a threat is perceived, and its ability to seal itself away for long periods being completely self-reliant also seemed especially relevant.

At a time when we were confined to our homes and
our lives had to slow right down... well, you get the picture.

"Stick to your Bubble"

 

Paper size: 17.5 cm x 25 cm
Media: Linocut
Paper: Hahnemuhle Stella Matte, 230 gsm
Edition of 30



I have printed an edition of 30 prints,
allowing for 16 for the exchange and the remaining edition to be available for sale.


I am offering a limited number of prints 

for just $85 each.

 

Free shipping within our NZ bubble!

 

 EDIT: Currently available from my online shop: tonihartill.felt.co.nz

International shipping additional. 

Please inquire for price and policy

and to purchase. 

UPDATE: SOLD OUT!

Note: There are likely to still be delays 

in shipping internationally.

Toni Hartill

So, if you'd like a wee memento of our Covid-19NZ experience
please contact me directly if you are interested in purchasing a print.

Toni Hartill

Prints will be packed in a cellophane sleeve*, backed with card,
and wrapped with recycled cardboard to protect the print while in transit.



*Why a cellophane sleeve?
This protects the print from moisture and finger prints and means the print can be displayed and enjoyed until / instead of  having it framed.

Toni Hartill

The making of

 

Click on an image: it will enlarge on your screen and
you can then scroll through all of the images.

Or just continue scrolling here.

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

The progression of carving the lino

The quality of the pics in this video are not great - I snapped the pics at the end of each carving session as a record of WIP (work in progress) so the lighting is pretty dodgy I'm afraid. 

I chose to mix a dark, warm, mossy ink colour for this print,
so although it can appear black in the print, look closely, it's not quite.
(I actually seldom use a straight black ink.)

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

This was such fun to work on.
Its the first lino cutting I've done since last year as I've been fully immersed in learning to etch aluminium with copper sulphate. I've discovered a deep love for both techniques, which couldn't be more different, but I do so LOVE to carve lino, as this has reminded me. I have some new challenges set for myself to "up my game" so stay tuned.


I look forward to receiving the exchanged prints from the other artists in the group and I will share them in a new blog once they all arrive later in the year.


Many thanks to Celia Walker for organizing this welcomed diversion.

 

A delighted "Snaily" - sidekick of Toni Hartill

Snaily was certainly chuffed to feature!




Thanks for visiting!

Getting to grips with Copper Sulphate Etching - Part 2

Kauri Snail by Toni Hartill

Continuing on while I'm on a roll, in this post I'll share with you the next series of aluminium plates I etched earlier this year as I have been focused on getting to grips with this etching process - a way of working I have never previously explored and which has fast become my next favourite thing. 

 

Click here to view my earlier post "Getting to Grips with Copper Sulphate - Part 1".

Auckland Gecko 

 

From a simplified drawing, through multiple visits to the etching bath and finally printing and embellishing with silver leaf. Again, many small discoveries were made which I followed up and retested in subsequent plates, each time challenging myself with the addition of more detail and more purposeful markmaking. The challenge of this plate was to include smaller details and to begin to play with highlights to add depth to the foreground.

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

 

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

An unexpected bonus with this wee chap is the "scaliness" of his skin. 

Something to remember and play with further.

Toni Hartill

NZ Morepork - Ruru

The challenge in this plate was to create a more "painterly" abstract background that "read" as foliage to try get a sense of depth into the background of the image. This required, again, multiple reapplications of resists to gradually build up the deeper tones and patterning. Scary, worrying about ruining what's already there, knowing when to stop!

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

I was really delighted to see the wee ruru even managed to have a hint of a tiny glint in his eye! 

Bless his fluffy wee pompomness!

Toni Hartill

And another small edition while I'm in the "zone".

Toni Hartill

And Snaily makes Three!

 

 This time I wanted to put some of the things I had learnt to the test and include even more detail: lots of linework in the foreground, a "painterly" background and I wanted to try to achieve some interesting textures for the Kauri trunk and ol' Snaily's complexion.

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

I needed to tweak some details so they read better against the background. 

Takes a bit of fiddle and concentration! Good to know its possible to be this exacting though.

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

 And a final test print.

Toni Hartill

These 3 images are destined for a project which, in light of the current Covid-19 situation, is still scheduled to happen but at a slightly delayed date. Check back for updates. 

I have editioned both Gecko and Ruru but I am holding off editioning Snaily til I have replenished my ink supplies. Especially as I am now trying to work towards a closer deadline of a group show in June, and hence I am feeling "frozen" about using up my precious supplies when I need plenty to "play" with. While others were out panic buying toilet paper and flour I should have been hoarding INK and PAPER!

Toni Hartill

I have since prepped another batch of plates but they will have to wait while I am tinkering and attempting to generate new ideas for work for my group show. This work so far is completely different, inspired by our current predicament of being in "lockdown"and so tuning my outlook to what is close to hand. Its raising interesting thoughts and ideas... 

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Check back later for a new post about my progress 

or follow me on Instagram 

or Facebook 

for more regular "work in progress" shots.

Thanks for visiting!

Stay safe and well

Arohanui