in the studio
Why are your prints in such small editions? When I feel that I've gone as far as I can with a particular print and am confident that I can reproduce it, it is time to move on..This means that I rarely produce an edition which runs to double figures so yes, my editions are small, or you could say, exclusive! Why screen printing? Screen printing doesn't tolerate mistakes - you have to be very deliberate, organised and calm - it's a slow process and this is a good discipline for me. Also, I enjoy getting to grips with the technical side of it - the vacuum tables, ultraviolet exposure beds, high pressure hoses and other paraphernalia are all part of the challenge. How does screen printing work? Screen printing, or serigraphy, is a method of creating an image on paper, fabric or some other object by pressing ink through a screen with areas blocked off by a stencil. There are lots of ways to create a stencil. Most high quality screen printing uses fine mesh frames coated with photographic emulsion to which the stencil is applied and exposed to ultraviolet light. The technique is used both for making fine art prints and for commercial applications, such as printing a company's logo on coffee mugs or t-shirts. Whose work do you particularly look at? I return time and time again to Henri Michaux, Agnes Martin and Jaanika Peerna. Amongst London based artists I enjoy Janice Yeadon's take on heavy industrial landscapes and Carlos de Lins latin colour sensibilities.Representational artist Peter Clossick's heavy, searching painting style is a continual source of interest. Away from the visual arts? I listen to Pandit Kishan Maharaj's tabla playing and Marilyn Crispell on the piano. I also enjoy some of Olivier Messiaen and Philip Glass' compositions. |