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Saturday, October 18, 2014

Cotton Harlequin Bug Woman #1

It's hard to believe that only this time last week I was heading to the Australian Print Workshop for the first day of the APW Print Fair.

Coincidentally, the project that followed closely on its heels (started pre-print fair but finished this week) is also for the APW: their biennial Impressions exhibition. Because I'm doing a residency at the Art Vault in Mildura from 24 November, I'll miss the opening of the show (this year it's on 28 November) an event I very much enjoy. It's also the reason I've had to get my edition done ahead of time.

Following are some key stages in the metamorphosis of my Impressions print, Cotton Harlequin Bug Woman, from lino block to completed edition, numbered, titled, signed and ready for delivery to the APW.

The Cotton Harlequin Bug is a member of the Jewel Beetle family. Like the linocut Jewel Beetle Woman made early this year in collaboration with APW Master Printer Simon White, I've used pigmented drawing inks to hand-colour the work. The inks have a marvellous transparent luminosity that captures the glowing colours of these glorious insects far more successfully than watercolours ever could.





Cotton Harlequin Bug Woman, 2014, hand coloured linocut,
20 x 15 cm, edition 10