Newsletter
Download the HIP Quarterly Newsletter – October 2008 [PDF 300KB]
Any way the wind blows
I recently went to Gaby Falconer’s exhibition of her PhD work. The exhibition was in the Top Gallery, Salamanca Arts Centre. I hadn’t been there before; it is a wonderful space. While it is cosy there was enough room for the work and the architecture framed the work and space beautifully.
I have seen Gaby’s work over the years and it is as though I am given permission to indulge my tendency as a voyeur. I am shown the inside story of her life as a mother. Although I saw work from the early years of her relationship with her son, I got to know Gaby when her son was at primary school and so saw a lot of work from this period on.
I remember a romantic painting of Gaby and her baby son; it was the beginning of her Madonna and Child series. The work from this time is romantic and beautiful and reflects their relationship and innocence. This continued through Gaby’s Masters and her time as a Printworks member. Here work was palatable for the consumer because it was appealing.
As her son reached adolescence the work remained romantic even though there were the beginnings of challenges in her relationship with her son. It was only once she began her PhD that Gaby had permission to document the relationship as it was (with permission from her son). No longer can these images sit comfortably on our living room walls. Now we are forced to confront the realities of love, relationships, parenting and life. Her son is 18 and he is the victim and the aggressor, he is big, he is ragged, he is wild and it is exciting to see.
In fact this work is still attractive in a way. The etchings are still beautiful and soft. All the work is bigger. I found the etchings compelling but the woodcuts are the pieces that work for me. These are huge, 2 x 3 metre soft paper and harsh images slashed into the wood. They have double images, they are menacing and forbidding. I stayed with them and left wanting more.
What a privelege to be a part of her journey. What an honest and exciting response she has had to parenting. It prompts people to share their own experiences of parenting of heartache and traumas.
This is a never-ending story and I am excited though slightly anxious about seeing the next chapter.
HIP Studio Update
At present the funding to redevelop the studio is not available, alternative plans are being considered as to locating some presses in the upstaiers area and rethinking the area presently being used for printing in. Meanwhile members are still able to use the existing etching press for printing. John is present on Mondays and Tuesdays. Bookings are advised. For membership details see our website or contact John (details below).
- John Ingleton
- Public Officer
- Phone: 62250332
- Mobile: 0401 067 486
- Email: lithographie[at]iprimus.com.au
The studio is located behind Wirksworth House, the entrance is off South Street, near the intersection with Wentworth Street, Bellerive.
BOGOF
Buy One Get One Free (BOGOF) was the theme for a postcard exchange organised by students at the Iowa State University. Each person who participated printed 13 identical postcards and posted them individually without envelopes to Iowa. There were 159 participants, mostly from all over the USA. Others came from Belgium, Canada and Australia of which 5 came from Southern Tasmania. Three HIP members, Andrew Donohue, John Robinson and Toni Ten Bensel participated. Postcards from the locals were collected and displayed at the Centre for the Arts during August, and Clarence TAFE during September.
The 159 postcards kept by the Print Society students were displayed in Gallery 181, part of the Iowa State University campus, and then sold in a silent auction with all proceeds going to the student Print Society.
There is nothing like opening the parcel of returned postcards to see what you have been sent. I was surprised to find prints by both Toni and Andrew amongst my twelve. The quality of the prints varied from beginners to accomplished printmakers. The imagery took the theme from literal interpretation to obscure links. We displayed our set at home in an old toast rack changing the front card every few days.
Mixed Emulsion: Writer’s Block
Exhibition Review
In August the TAFE Printmaking class participated in an impressive exhibition at the Schoolhouse Gallery Barn organised by Leonie Oakes. The exhibition showcased the best of the student’s work from the last two years and demonstrated the large range of skills they have developed.
The most dramatic works were the woodcuts they had designed by collaging bits of fantastic creatures together. They had also worked collaboratively with the Eastern Shore Writer’s Group on two sets of prints. For the first set they extracted a detail from the large woodcut and reworked this to make a two colour linocut. This was then given to the writers to respond to and finally printed as a set with letterpress text in conjunction with the image. In the second set of work the students received a haiku by one of the writers which they then responded to, incorporating the text within the image.
Students also exhibited some of their own work and the individual style of each one exemplified the value of unique, hand made prints. Several members of the calss are HIP members and bring fresh enthusiasm to the printing community.
Printing Tip
Soaking paper ready for etching can be done the day before, just dip your paper in the water, let it drain off and then use a thin sheet of plastic to wrap the paper in, cheap painters drop sheets are suitable. Leave it sitting flat until ready for printing. The sheet can be then blotted off on some old towels to save wasting newsprint. This can be done at home using your bath or laundry tub.
HIP Happenings
Members Annual Exhibition
The exhibition will be held in the Sidespace Gallery. Deliver and set up 12 to 4pm on Sunday 9th and take down at 4pm Friday 17th November, 2008. All details of prints should be sent to Gaby Falconer by 2nd of November ready for labels to be made. Prints up to 100 x 100 cm and framed accepted.
Henry Jones Hotel and ‘Harvest’ Prints
Framed prints that were in the Meadowbank ‘Harvest’ show are now on display and sale within the Henry Jones Hotel. None of the boxed sets have been sold as yet but details are available to hotel patrons.
HIP Website
The website has been recently upgraded, members are reminded that they can have a presence on the website via the members pages to promote their work. Have a look at the website and then contact Linden Langdon for details.
Around the Galleries
Salamana Arts Centre Top Gallery
Linden Langdon – ‘Prone’, Lithographs and Etchings – October.
Deborah Maher – November.
Sidespace Gallery
HIP Members show Sunday 9th to Monday 17th November, 2008.
Long Gallery
TAFE Students – November 19 to November 30, 2008.
Entrepot Gallery
Centre for the Arts, Hunter Street.
Selena de Carvalho – October 6 to October 24, 2008.
Pippa de Salis – November 3 to November 21, 2008.
Tas School of Art
Centre for the Arts, Hunter Street. Graduates Show – Friday 7th November.
General Opportunities
Wharepuke Print Studio – Non Toxic classes, Accommodation North Island, New Zealand. Solarplate workshop with Dan Weldon, 16 – 17 December and 18 – 19 December $300 New Zealand.
www.nontoxic-printmaking.co.nz
Previous Newsletters for HIP
- July 2008 HIP Quarterly Newsletter [PDF 824KB]
- March 2008 HIP Quarterly Newsletter [PDF 143KB]
