I haven’t posted for a while so here’s a quick recap: back in early November I was invited to work with fellow artist Beverley Roach at ‘Grow’ in Plymouth where Beverley was having a week’s residency. Later in the week we were joined by another friend - Beth Heaney - and we really enjoyed using the space and naturally occurring inks and paints made with plants, fruits and ground up from material found on Bev’s beach walks, whilst Beth did some weaving using willow sticks.

A printmaking friend who popped in to see us recommended that I buy a copy of ‘Experimental Printmaking’ by Mary Dalton and I have enjoyed working my way through several processes that she describes in her excellent book. So far I’ve tried using drypoint on card - which means you can cut it easily - combined with freehand mono-printing followed by using these pieces of drypoint card cut up smaller to print onto plaster. I’ve really enjoyed trying these methods out and next up is what Mary terms ‘Lithino’. I want to make layered prints and finding a method of hand drawing over the top of other prints - using paper lithography and lithino - is my next challenge.

In February we went to Edinburgh to see my son (who wasn’t there, long story) and had a lovely few days seeing exhibitions and visiting galleries and the Edinburgh Printmakers new space. I saw some original Joan Eardley paintings alongside Elizabeth Blackadder’s at the Scottish Gallery and the Printmaker’s Art at the SRA plus the annual watercolour exhibition that was showing some amazing work. The Fruit Market gallery had a lovely shop and two interesting exhibitions and then, completely saturated with art, we had a beautiful train ride home along the NE coastline.

The Printery in Mutley closed recently and our Camp printmaking group had gone dormant so in January I volunteered to start the group up again. So far we’ve met twice and once online, several new members have joined us and we’re hoping to do some printmaking events and show work at the Hatherleigh Festival in July. I’ve recently joined Drawn to the Valley which is a group of artists based around the geographical location of the River Tamar and I’m hoping to exhibit with them during the coming year.

Finally, I took a workshop in papermaking at Double Elephant print studios, Exeter given by Jim Patterson of Two Rivers Paper company (Watchet, Somerset) which was much harder to do than I thought it would be. My attempts were pretty useless being full of holes and uneven but it’s definitely something I’d like to try in the future.

Forgot to say - the tiny 3D cubes are in an exhibition called ‘Women Walking’ at the Falmouth Art gallery, Cornwall, from now until April 27th..!