My past three days as a special guest artist of the Australian Print Workshop have been a joy. The ten participants in the
Nature in Print linocut workshop were all eager to learn and make the most of the three days allotted to them. I couldn't believe how much they achieved in the relatively brief period, which certainly went by in a flash.
The class instructor Simon White was a fountain of knowledge. After the first day I sat towards the back of the room to keep out from under foot, especially when the others started printing in earnest. Meanwhile I worked diligently on my own linocut, Jewel Beetle Woman (see directly below). Periodically, however, I'd join them to watch one of Simon's demonstrations or have a look at the progress of everyone's work. The enthusiasm of the group was both infectious and inspiring. I tend to work in solitude for most of the time, and had almost almost forgotten how energising a print studio can be. This group made it especially so.
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| Left to right, looking into the distance: Linda, Jini, Bronwyn, Gaele, Richarda and Chris |
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| From left to right: Tristana, Marie, Linda, Gaele, Simon, Margaret, Bronwyn, Thea and Richarda |
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| Left to right: Gaele, Simon, Margaret, Richarda Marie, Thea and Jini |
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| Bronwyn rolls up her lino block |
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| Gaele and Simon |
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| From left to right: Simon, Bronwyn Linda, Jini, Marie and Tristana |
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| From left: Bronwyn, Richarda, Simon, Linda, Margaret, Jini, Gaele, Tristana, Thea (behind Thristana) Chris and Marie |
On the second day Thea brought in some specimens from her remarkable insect collection to share with us:
Thanks so much to the APW and especially Simon and our wonderful printmaking group: Marie, Thea, Linda, Chris, Margaret, Bronwyn, Jini, Tristana, Gaele and Richarda. I learned such a lot from everyone (all artists are perpetual students, no matter how many years we put in). It was a pleasure to spend time with you all. Keep up the great printmaking.
For more photographs of the linocut workshop, visit Moth Woman Press
HERE.
